Author: Molly Van Avery

Molly Van Avery is an educator, arts administrator, and artist. She received her BA from Goddard College in Social Ecology in 2000 and an MFA in Poetry from Hamline University in 2013. In all of her work, Van Avery believes that art is an essential catalyst for connection and can lay the foundation for political change. Van Avery founded and is the Director of Poetry for People whose mission is to embed poetry into the daily lives and geographies of neighborhoods. Molly’s original performance and directing work has been presented at the Walker Arts Center, Pantages Theatre, Bedlam Theatre, Pangea World Theatre, Intermedia Arts, and Pillsbury House + Theatre. She has received the Arts on Chicago Public Art Grant from Pillsbury House Theatre, the Jerome Travel and Study Grant, the Blacklock Nature Sanctuary Residency, the MInnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant, the Jerome Foundation’s Fellowship at Minnesota Center for Book Arts, the Writer-to-Writer Mentorship Program at SASE, and the Naked Stages Emerging Performance Artist Fellowship Intermedia Arts. Through her public art collaborations, she has worked with the City of Minneapolis, the National Parks, and the City of Lakes Community Land Trust. Van Avery is currently a Creative CityMaking Artist with Minneapolis.