West Hollywood is ringing in the winter holiday season with a series of art and poetry events throughout December.
The city’s celebration features a special art installation by Daniel Sulzberg, whose work will be displayed on street pole banners and in digital transit shelters across the city. Additionally, West Hollywood’s City Poet Laureate, Jen Cheng, will host a holiday-themed poem-writing workshop and a Holiday Poetry Hotline.
Sulzberg’s artwork, selected through an open call for artists, is featured on banners along major streets, including Santa Monica Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, La Brea Avenue, Fairfax Avenue, and San Vicente Boulevard. The award-winning illustrator is known for his whimsical, colorful, and detailed illustrations. Sulzberg, a former West Hollywood resident of nearly 20 years, draws inspiration from the city’s diverse cultures and eclectic characters. His career includes work as a screenwriter for the CW Network’s Smallville, a creative director for Red Bull Cartoon, and collaborations with brands like Google, Nike, Facebook, DreamWorks, and Major League Soccer. He is also a published children’s book illustrator.
Cheng, who has written a new holiday poem titled “Winter Memories,” will host several poetry-related events in December. Through December 31, residents and visitors are invited to call the Holiday Poetry Hotline at (310) 853-3952. The hotline, which offers prerecorded poems 24 hours a day, includes “poetry prescriptions” aimed at addressing common winter challenges and seasonal blues. Featured poets include Cheng, as well as former West Hollywood poet laureates Steven Reigns, Kim Dower, Charles Flowers, and Brian Sonia-Wallace.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, from 2-4 p.m., Cheng will lead a poetry writing workshop at the West Hollywood Library (625 N. San Vicente Blvd.). The workshop is open to adults of all experience levels and will draw inspiration from the “poetry prescriptions.”
Cheng will also host a live call-in event on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 2-5 p.m. Callers can enjoy live readings from the curated list of poems or request a custom poem written for them.
