Moonstone Arts Center

"Moonstone Arts Center began as Moonstone Readings at Robin’s Book Store. Although the bookstore closed in 2012, Larry’s connection to books and publishing created the opportunity to develop the Arts Center’s programs, which have brought writers into contact with each other and the reading public. Some notable Moonstone Arts Center programs were: The Celebration of Black Writing, which Moonstone presented for 18 years; The Paul Robeson Festival, presented for eight years; The Ink Programs (Philadelphia Ink, Women’s Ink, Children’s Ink, Red Ink, Poetry Ink) which remain ongoing. The Moonstone Arts Center strives to create a space where everyone has a voice. In recent years we have focused on poetry and history. (See detailed information about notable Moonstone Arts Center programs.)

Among the many distinguished writers and historians that Moonstone has presented to Philadelphia audiences are two United States Poet Laureates: Daniel Hoffman and Rita Dove; as well as all the Philadelphia Poet Laureates. We featured Pete Seeger twice, as well as Amiri Baraka, Howard Zinn and Nelson George. Poets include Major Jackson, Gregory Pardlo, E. Ethelbert Miller, Stephen Dunn, Samuel R Delany, Tim Seibles, Gerald Stern and Afaa Michael Weaver."