Public fund drive launched for Bards & Brews

There’s trouble brewing for Bards & Brews, a series of spoken-word performances and craft-beer tastings held on first Fridays at the Birmingham Public Library downtown.

The event started in 2010 and is the longest running and most successful adult program the library has had, according to librarian and series coordinator Brandon C. Smith.

“We routinely get 150 to 200 people in our doors,” he said.

But Bards & Brews is in jeopardy because of a convergence of funding issues — the recent loss of some grant money, the increasing costs of staging the event and budgetary pressures at BPL that have caused cutbacks in adult programming, Smith said.

But organizers have launched a public fund drive and are holding benefit shows to save a program they believe has created opportunities for writers and performers, drawn people to the library and added to Birmingham’s cultural life.

“I think Birmingham needs more events that bring people from all over the community together, and it would be a shame for us to allow Bards & Brews to disappear without a fight,” Smith said.

One hurdle faced by organizers is a change in the policies of the state ABC Board — in reaction to changes in state beer laws — that means craft brewers cannot donate free samples of beer to the library. The library would now have to buy the beer, which it can’t do with taxpayer money.

“We’re trying different avenues to source outside funding,” Smith said.

Bards & Brews never before charged admission but hosted two “pay what you can” events Feb. 3 and March 3 to raise money.

There are plans for an off-site Bards & Brews fundraiser, and the library is working on other grants, according to Smith. The next Bards & Brews open mic will be April 7 at Avondale Library. 

It takes about $900 to produce a Bards & Brews open-mic event, including the emcee, security, refreshments, a beer server and some advertising. 

Costs for the quarterly poetry slams are higher because of $300 in prizes.

Poet and longtime emcee Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins calls Bards & Brews “an intersection of art and culture” in Birmingham where writers, performers and visual artists have been inspired or met collaborators.

“Birmingham needs Bards & Brews to continue to grow arts and culture in the city,” Hawkins said, who helped librarian Haruyo Miyagawa, now retired, launch Bards & Brews and serves as its creative director.

“It’s so special to have an outlet to present my creativity and enjoy the creative thoughts of others,” said poet Lee Green, who has appeared at many Bards & Brews events.

The public can make donations at bplonline.org/about/contributions or send donations to Birmingham Public Library, Development Department, 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, AL 35203. 

For more information, contact Smith at 591-4944 or bcsmith@bham.lib.al.us.