DETROIT – InsideOut Literary Arts, a cornerstone for youth self-expression in Detroit since 1995, is celebrating 30 years of empowering student creativity with a birthday bash.
The event will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at The Norwood at 6531 Woodward Avenue. The Detroit arts community, program alumni, teaching artists and supporters are invited to partake in the birthday celebration, which will honor the organization’s legacy while fueling its future.
What started with a handful of writers visiting five Detroit high schools has grown into a nationally acclaimed literary arts program serving over 80,000 students from 2nd through 12th grade.
With nearly all participating educators reporting boosts in their students’ writing engagement and confidence, InsideOut has become a transformative force in classrooms and communities across the city.
The anniversary celebration promises to bring that legacy to life.
Past and present student poets will take center stage, sharing original work that captures the spirit, resilience, and brilliance of the program.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright — and InsideOut alum — Michael R. Jackson, whose journey from Detroit classrooms to Broadway embodies the program’s impact, will also take the stage.
The night will also include a special tribute to InsideOut’s longtime senior writer Peter Markus, recognizing 30 years of mentorship and dedication to young voices.
The party will also feature interactive poetry stations, letterpress printing, poetry bingo, a dance floor, and of course, a birthday cake.
Guests are encouraged to embrace the event’s nostalgic flair by dressing in 1995-inspired outfits, a nod to the year it all began.
Ticket options are tiered to make the event accessible for everyone, from loyal supporters to new friends, with proceeds helping support InsideOut’s program.
The birthday bash is part of a broader anniversary campaign that kicked off this year, with student poetry displayed on 30 billboards across the city.
Earlier this year, InsideOut also unveiled a new mural on the Avenue of Fashion, created by artist Oshun Williams and inspired by a student’s poem — a lasting tribute to how deeply youth voices are woven into Detroit’s creative and civic landscape.
“This milestone belongs to Detroit students,” said Executive Director of InsideOut Literary Arts Suma Karaman Rosen. “For thirty years, they’ve turned their lived experiences into poems that move us, challenge us, and reimagine our city. Our 30th Birthday Party is both a homecoming and a launchpad — a celebration of the writers who built InsideOut and an invitation to join us in shaping the next thirty years of youth voice.”
For more information about buying tickets to attend the event, visit here.