We are excited to introduce July’s featured Poet of the Month: Miles E. Johnson!
Miles will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7PM-8:30PM on Thursday, July 23th, 2026 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St.
Doors open at 6:30PM and close promptly at 7PM.
A 15-minute tarot reading with RavenFox, Raven (Greeshma) and Fox (Franki), hosted inside Twelve Gates Arts' current exhibition A Traveler Weeps, A River Laughs.
Free to attend. Tips are warmly encouraged.
Myths and Dreams of Red and Blue is a one-night-only performance by sāgar kāmath weaving together Kathak dance, painting, video, and sound in an exploration of diasporic identity, nostalgia, and the American Dream. Created in relation to his work in A Traveler Weeps, A River Laughs at Twelve Gates Arts.
Presented in partnership with ArtPhilly 2026 and the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design.
We are excited to introduce February’s featured Poet of the Month: Raina J. León!
Raina will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7PM-8:30PM on June 9th, 2026 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St.
Doors open at 6:30PM and close promptly at 7PM.
To celebrate this milestone of The Poets' Studio's first anniversary, we are inviting back all our featured poets from year #1 for a special reading, conversation, and Q&A. These writers bring such a beautiful range of style, approach, and care to what poetry can be.
Read on to know who's on our line-up, and RSVP to join us on April 23rd, at 7pm sharp!
Twelve Gates will host a public scholarly conversation that engages 12G's iteration of Common Ground, honoring Mohammed Omer Khalil's legacy.
The panel will explore Khalil's work on view and draw connections between his practice and South Asia. The conversation will feature scholar of Black Diasporic Art, Anna Arabindon-Kesson, Sudanese historian, Bayan Abubakr, and others, to be announced.
*Maximum of 2 tickets per person
In this watercolor monotype printmaking workshop, students will learn the art of spontaneity and collaboration with a printing press. By working directly onto plexiglass with water-soluble crayons, students will learn how to transfer images and forms onto paper.
This workshop will be instructed by Jazmine Catasús.
*Maximum of 2 tickets per person
This performance featuring vocalist Doozyah (Sophia Pradhan) unfolds within Karen Dias: A Dotted Line as a live, embodied response to the exhibition's exploration of borders, bodies, and systems of control.
We are excited to introduce February’s featured Poet of the Month: Saskia Kercy!
Saskia will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7PM-8:30PM on February 3rd, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St.
Doors open at 6:30PM and close promptly at 7PM.
12G is thrilled to announce our 2026 Fundraiser in collaboration with Fire Museum Presents! Please join us for a special night of Qawwali music performed by the Saami Brothers! Please join us on Saturday, January 17th at The Neighborhood House for music, food, and drink! Your attendance at this event supports our artists and programs.
TICKETS SOLD OUT
On Saturday, December 13th, we will be hosting the closing event for Between Material and Being: a screening of Julietta Singh’s new feature film, "The Nest" from 2-4PM. Please join us for an afternoon experiencing this incredible film followed by a conversation with Julietta herself! There will also be a giveaway of a few of Julietta’s key works including “Unthinking Mastery” and “No Archive Will Restore You”, courtesy of Julietta.
We are excited to introduce December’s featured Poet of the Month: Kai Davis!
Kai will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7pm-8:30pm on December 2nd, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St. Doors open at 6:30pm and close promptly at 7pm.
Curated by Sanam Sheriff, THE POETS' STUDIO is a monthly gathering for local poets who are interested in writing, sharing, and connecting through poetry. This event is free and open to all who are interested in engaging more deeply with lyric and the written word.
Please join us on November 14th, 6-8PM to celebrate our current exhibition, Between Material and Being: What Persists, What Emerges with an artist talk! Art historian Alpesh Patel will engage three of our exhibiting artists: Meena Hasan, Omer Wasim, and Zainab Zulfiqar. After the conversation, there will be a reception to follow.
The 7th iteration of the Contemporary Video Art Exhibition continues to celebrate contemporary video art—using recorded moving images— by artists from South and South-West Asia, North Africa (SSWANA), as well as artists of indentured Indian descent and their diasporas. The 7th edition of the juried show will be co-presented by Twelve Gates Arts (12G) and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF).
oin us for a calligraphy community workshop with artist Zahid Mayo! The workshop will be hosted at Haraz Cafe in Fishtown and will be FREE to attend!
We are excited to introduce November’s featured Poet of the Month: mace dent johnson!
mace will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7pm-8:30pm on November 4th, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St. Doors open at 6:30pm and close promptly at 7pm.
Curated by Sanam Sheriff, THE POETS' STUDIO is a monthly gathering for local poets who are interested in writing, sharing, and connecting through poetry. This event is free and open to all who are interested in engaging more deeply with lyric and the written word.
Celebrate the launch of Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion at Twelve Gates Arts in Philly on Saturday, October 18th, 2025 from 2 - 4 PM! Join award-winning novelist poet Bushra Rehman for the launch of her critically acclaimed book. The afternoon will feature a reading, talk, and book signing.
We are excited to introduce October’s featured Poet of the Month: Marina Avery Robinson!
Marina will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7pm-8:30pm on October 7th, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St. Doors open at 6:30pm and close promptly at 7pm.
Curated by Sanam Sheriff, THE POETS' STUDIO is a monthly gathering for local poets who are interested in writing, sharing, and connecting through poetry. This event is free and open to all who are interested in engaging more deeply with lyric and the written word.
We are excited to introduce July's featured Poet of the Month: Dilruba (Ruba) Ahmed!
Dilruba will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7pm-8:30pm on July 1st, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St. Doors open at 6:30pm and close promptly at 7pm.
Curated by Sanam Sheriff, THE POETS' STUDIO is a monthly gathering for local poets who are interested in writing, sharing, and connecting through poetry. This event is free and open to all who are interested in engaging more deeply with lyric and the written word.
OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for 12Gates & PAAFF’s Contemporary Video Art Exhibition 2025!
The 7th iteration of the Contemporary Video Art Exhibition continues to celebrate contemporary video art—using recorded moving images— by artists from South and South-West Asia, North Africa (SSWANA), as well as artists of indentured Indian descent and their diasporas. The 7th edition of the juried show will be co-presented by Twelve Gates Arts (12G) and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF).
12 Gates Arts is pleased to present Queer Short Films and Stories, an evening dedicated to showcasing the work of emerging and established queer BIPOC artists that were selected through 12G’s recent open call.
Through film and written word, the featured works explore identity, memory, intimacy, and resistance offering nuanced reflections on the queer experience across a range of cultural and personal contexts.
This year’s featured artists are:
Sharon George, Nikita Shah & Lawhore Vagistan, Nae Vallejo, Sushma Khadepaun, and Lunise Cerin
We are excited to introduce July's featured Poet of the Month: Aishvarya Arora!
Arora will give a reading and lead us through a generative writing workshop from 7pm-8:30pm on July 1st, 2025 at 12Gates, located at 106 N 2nd St. Doors open at 6:30pm and close promptly at 7pm.
Curated by Sanam Sheriff, THE POETS' STUDIO is a monthly gathering for local poets who are interested in writing, sharing, and connecting through poetry. This event is free and open to all who are interested in engaging more deeply with lyric and the written word.
QUEER SHORT STORIES AND SHORT FILMS
Twelve Gates Arts is seeking original short stories and short films from queer BIPOC artists and writers! Selected works will be showcased at Twelve Gates Gallery, and featured artists will be invited to speak about their process during the event. Each participating artist will also receive an honorarium.
Deadline to submit: Thursday, June 19th
Live showcase: Thursday, June 26th
In-person only: Philadelphia
