Founded in 1974, HoCoPoLitSo is a community-based not-for-profit arts organization that produces readings and other literary events for the general public, including students, seniors, and ethnic audiences. HoCoPoLitSo’s season is from early autumn through June and is anchored by four annual events: The Lucille Clifton Reading Series – October The Annual Irish Evening – February The Blackbird Poetry Festival – April The Columbia Festival of the Arts event – June The season fills in with a number of other events, including the Writer-in-Residence program where writers visit each of the county's high schools to work with students every year. Mission Statement Howard County Poetry & Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo) is a nonprofit organization designed to enlarge the audience for contemporary poetry and literature and celebrate culturally diverse literary heritages. Founded in 1974 by National Book Award finalist Ellen Conroy Kennedy, HoCoPoLitSo accomplishes its mission by sponsoring readings with critically acclaimed writers; literary workshops; programs for students; and The Writing Life, a writer-to-writer interview show seen on YouTube, HCC-TV, and other local community college stations.