When I first arrived in Central Florida some years ago, one of the questions I kept asking was: “Where do the writers meet?”
I came from a community with a visible, connected literary arts scene. Independent bookstore owners, publishers, poets, spoken-word artists and writers all knew and supported one another in a unified way.
As a leader in the arts, to me this was a special thing to witness. What I quickly realized was that Central Florida had extraordinary literary talent. What we had not yet fully built was the connective tissue for them to thrive collectively.
That’s quickly changing with the emergence of the Literary Arts Council of Central Florida, an organization dedicated to strengthening the local literary ecosystem by convening, elevating and promoting individual poets, writers and artists.
These creative entrepreneurs deserve the same level of visibility, investment and support as our pillar art institutions—and United Arts of Central Florida is proud to support them.
We choose to invest in literacy because research shows that it’s a foundational building block—not just to the literary arts, but in education, workforce readiness and community life. Recently, I attended a workforce development meeting hosted by the Orlando Economic Partnership. A consistent concern emerged: Employers are seeing a noticeable gap in communication skills.
Young people may be technically capable and able to solve equations or write code. But many struggle to clearly express their ideas, advocate for themselves or tell the stories of their work. That gap shows clearly in lackluster cover letters and job interviews, which ultimately reduces opportunities for advancement.
In a region growing as quickly and diversely as Central Florida, the ability to tell your story makes our community richer. Writing is how students learn to name their ideas, how workers explain their contributions and how communities ensure their experiences are not lost.
If we don’t teach children how to read and write with confidence, then we’re limiting whose voices are heard and whose stories shape the future of this region.
I was reminded of this recently after reading the novel Horse. When I closed the book, I found myself thinking not only about the story but about the human being who created it. I thought about the imagination, discipline, revision and mastery required to move ideas from the mind of Geraldine Brooks, the author, onto the page and into the hands of fortunate readers.
We often admire architects when we see a beautiful building or engineers when we use a well-designed product. But how often do we pause after finishing a powerful book to consider the writer behind it? Great writers, like all artists, may have natural gifts. But those gifts must be nurtured.
I believe that this nurturing should begin early, in our schools, with the support of school educators and trained Teaching Artists who help students discover the power of language, imagination and self-expression.
Every year, Page 15, a nonprofit literary and youth empowerment organization, reaches thousands of local young people, connecting them to literary arts and giving them opportunities to practice storytelling beyond the classroom.
This work is especially important given that only 27 percent of students in grades 4 through 12 perform at a proficient level in writing (NAEP, 2020). Such community impact organizations as Page 15 complement classroom instruction and help students find their voices.
That’s also why it’s such a big deal that the Southern Fried Poetry Slam is coming to Orlando for the very first time this June. This national festival celebrates poetry, spoken word and community—bringing some of the world’s most talented writers to the stage.
Central Floridians will have the opportunity to experience the energy, creativity and power of literary expression right here at home. And the team at United Arts of Central Florida is proud to stand with the writers, poets and storytellers who are shaping the future of this region.
For us, championing the arts means championing the voices that define who we are and who we are becoming as a community.
JENNIFER EVINS
President & CEO
United Arts of Central Florida
