Nikki Giovanni joins Big Ears' literary lineup showcasing Black voices and Appalachia

World-renowned poet and hometown hero Nikki Giovanni will join other acclaimed writers when she returns to Knoxville for a free appearance at Big Ears Festival, happening March 24-27 across multiple downtown venues.

Big Ears announced a handful of non-musical additions Tuesday, noting the literary lineup will highlight "the Black experience and the Appalachian region where the festival is based."

Patti Smith will share poetry during an acoustic performance at the festival, in addition to a "full-on rock show" with her band, according to a news release.

More: Knoxville poet Nikki Giovanni reissues early funk and soul albums on vinyl

Writers and poets Nikky Finney, Saul Williams, Hanif Abdurraqib and Cornelius Eady also were announced.

Literary lineup features diverse voices

Giovanni, a prominent voice of the civil rights movement, has written multiple best-selling books, received seven NAACP Image Awards and earned a Grammy nomination for her poetry album "The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection."

Six Big Ears artists performing at the festival have been nominated for 2022 Grammy Awards across multiple music categories, and it's only fitting that music will be a theme throughout the literary portion of the lineup.

Williams has been referred to as "the poet laureate of hip-hop," according to the release, while Abdurraqib "has written extensively about music and culture — from The Fugees and Stephen Curry to A Tribe Called Quest and (Mohamed Salah)."

Williams will perform a spoken word set and a presentation of his multimedia work "MartyrLoserKing." Abdurraqib, who recently was nominated for the National Book Award, will share a featured reading.

Finney received the National Book Award in 2011 for her "Head Off & Split" poetry collection and will appear twice at the festival — once for a reading with cellist Tomeka Reid and again for a public conversation with singer-songwriter Tift Merritt.

Nikki Giovanni:Apologies not enough to make amends with Knoxville's Black families

Eady, co-founder of Cave Canem, will perform music and poetry at the festival with his folk trio. Cave Canem is a nonprofit organization that supports the growth of African American poets.

THE LATEST NEWS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Get the latest local news, sports scores and more directly on your phone. Download the free Knox News mobile app.

Want to attend Big Ears Festival?

The 2022 festival is on the verge of selling out, founder Ashley Capps recently told Knox News, and "we're really thrilled with the ticket sales this year."

Some of the literary programs, including Giovanni's appearance, will be free and open to the public, he said in an email. The festival typically offers free musical programming, in addition to performances exclusively for passholders.

This year's top acts include Patti Smith, John Zorn, Moses Sumney, Meredith Monk, Kim Gordon, Animal Collective, Yves Tumor and Sparks.

General admission weekend passes currently are $300, plus fees. VIP experiences are sold out, and single-day tickets are available for between $110 and $165.

For more information about the festival, visit bigearsfestival.org.

Ryan Wilusz: Knoxville's downtown explorer and urban reporter
Instagram | Twitter | Email | 865-317-5138
Enjoy exclusive content and premium perks while supporting strong local journalism. Visit knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Nikki Giovanni and other poets added to Big Ears Festival in Knoxville