The Telluride Institute’s Bardic Trails poetry night features an award-winning guest poet sharing their new and exciting work. The reading will be followed with a Q & A about the poet’s work and inspirations, with time afterwards for poetry sharing from attendees – a Gourd Circle of sharing whatever poetry attendees wish, or just listening in. The list of 2026 poets is below.

The free Bardic Trails virtual Zoom series is on the first Tuesday of each month. Visit to get the zoom link each month, Thanks to the Wilkinson Public Library, Cantor Family, the Guttman Family Foundation, CCAASE and our Fischer and Cantor contest participants for supporting our program and projects.

Jan. 6 / Euro-American poet Dane Cervine of California

Feb. 3 / Euro-American poet & professor Lesley Wheeler of Virginia

March 3 / Big Apple storyteller Kate Torode of New York

April 7/ Utah poet & fiber artist Nancy Takacs of Utah

May 5 / Ute Mountain Ute storyteller Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk of Towaoc

June 2 / Lebanese-American poet Moudi Sbeity of Naropa in Boulder, 2026 Cantor Prize honorable mention

July 7 / Euro-American poet & playwright John Macker of New Mexico

Aug 4 / Ute Mountain Ute storyteller Lisa Jacket of Towaoc

Sept 1 / Diné storyteller Treston Chee of Fort Collins

Oct 6/ Euro-American performance poet Claire Blotter of California, winner of the 2026 Fischer Prize

Nov 3/ Euro-American poet & professor Kate Kingston of Trinidad

Dec 1 / Italian-American poet & professor John Calderazzo of Bellvue