It’s April, and that means we’re approaching Kentucky Writers’ Day. Join us in Frankfort for this annual celebration of Kentucky literature. We’ll also introduce novelist Silas House as the 2023-24 Kentucky Poet Laureate and thank Crystal Wilkinson for her outstanding service as the 2021-22 Poet Laureate. The celebration will be 10:30 a.m. April 24 in the Capitol Rotunda, and feature readings by Silas and Crystal.

That afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort will feature readings by Silas, Crystal and former poets laureate Richard Taylor, Joe Survant, Sena Jeter Naslund, Maureen Morehead, Frank X Walker, George Ella Lyon and Jeff Worley. The event is free. We thank our friends at Paul Sawyier Public Library for providing that program.

We’ll be celebrating Writers’ Day all month long on our Facebook page. Visit weekly to see videos of Kentucky writers reading from their own work.

Allen County-Scottsville High School student Sarah Gamble will be representing Kentucky next month in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. Semifinals are May 9, and Sarah will be reciting between 1 and 4 p.m. You can watch the semifinals live at the National Endowment for the Arts website. Sarah was named Kentucky’s state champion on March 1 in the Poetry Out Loud State Finals in Frankfort. Let’s wish her luck as she travels to Washington, D.C. to compete!

Disasters and emergencies are among the largest threats to the careers of artists and the livelihood of arts organizations across the country. Yet addressing these issues falls to the bottom of the to-do list when skies are blue, and danger is out-of-sight. Join the Kentucky Arts Council’s FREE five-part series exploring important topics and issues related to emergency and disaster readiness, response and recovery in the arts. The series, which begins April 18 and runs monthly through September, will culminate with an online event hosted by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Again, this is a free series, but registration is required.

The Governor’s Derby Exhibit will open on April 20 and run through May 16 at the State Capitol in Frankfort. The theme is “Resilience.” You can see this exhibit during regular capitol visiting hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Saturdays.