In April of this year, Walton County resident Maria Schabla began looking for a spoken word forum, co-op or group in the area to share her poetry with, as well as utilize as an avenue to collaborate with other poets. Much to her surprise, in the culturally diverse and artistic community of Walton County, there was no such group. She quickly began meeting others that shared her interest, and “Say the Word” was born.

In the last 4 months, the movement, along with the group, has gained much momentum, hosting a monthly open mic night at Buddha Lounge with as many as 50 regular supporters and poets attending.

“Say the Word is all about the poets, and creating a platform for them to be able to share their art form with the community,” said Maria Schabla, Founder of Say the Word.

“Say the Word” is a collective group of artists dedicated to creating a platform for poets and spoken word artists to perform, encouraging local writers to collaborate and network; and making poetry more viable in the community by hosting monthly open mic nights. The monthly open mic nights occur on the third Wednesday of every month at Buddha Lounge in Blue Mountain Beach, beginning at 9 pm. Poets mostly perform original works, but are also encouraged to share other poems that inspire them.

“Poetry is very relevant in today’s society,” said Schabla. “It encourages people to think about and contemplate issues that are happening in our world that might otherwise feel very intimidating. It is also a way for people to share emotion and be vulnerable in a positive and inspiring medium. This is an artistic forum that fosters a sense of community and empathy that can be channeled for the greater good of our area.”

To learn more about “Say the Word,” visit them on Facebook, call 850-420-4139, or email mariaschabla@gmail.com. The next open mic night will be held at Buddha Lounge on August 15, at 9 pm.