Voices 2 Youth Poetry Slam

In partnership with the Thank You Darlin’ Foundation, Voices 2 Youth Poetry Slam Living the Dream provides a platform for students ranging from third to twelfth grade to showcase their talents. This poetry slam encourages young artists to reflect on their dreams, lived experiences, cultural roots, and resilience. Presenting their own original poetry helps students build confidence, strengthen literacy, and learn to use their voice with power and purpose, transforming personal stories into powerful performances.

This event is free and open to the public.

Stage Events - Throughout the run of the special exhibition Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, a site-specific stage located in front of the Modern’s auditorium will host both programmed performances and spontaneous activations. An artwork in its own right, Stage, 2026, features a powder-coated steel surface bearing Johnson’s signature marks, scratched and branded into the metal, aging and burnishing over time. This platform, where others can express themselves, emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between artist and audience, a central motif in the artist’s practice.

Inspired by Johnson’s early memories of dancing and performing with friends atop Carl Andre’s Post-Minimalist floor works at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Stage is a testament to Johnson’s commitment to creating space for others. More than an invitation to engage and interact, the work fosters artistic endeavors and creativity as a collective experience.