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Residents Can Now Submit their Ode to Boca; 100 Selected Poems Will be Turned into Public Art and Displayed Across the City (May 31, 2024) Boca Raton, Fla. – In preparation for the city’s centennial celebrations in 2025, the City of Boca Raton is partnering with the poetry organization O, Miami, on a year-long campaign to capture residents’ love for their city through the creation of an “Ode to Boca,” or a short poem based on their zip code. An original form of poetry invented by O, Miami, in partnership with WLRN, these short poems known as Zip Odes are designed to transform a zip code into an occasion for place-based, lyrical celebration. Within this poetic form, residents create a five-line ode to where they live, written in the form of their zip code. The inventive format has made poetry more accessible - so much so that South Floridians have submitted 17,000+ of them since the initiative launched in 2015, including these two about Boca Raton: 3 In my town 3 where I grow, 4 among parks and schools. 8 From the ocean's tides to the highway's rides, 6 I awake each day with pride. - Nick Kalpakjian 3 Over the fence 3 avocados are escaping 4 from the neighbor's yard. 3 I pick them 2 and run. - Nancy Sail For next year’s centennial, the City of Boca Raton will turn 100 Odes to Boca into public art and showcase them in unexpected places throughout the city. Boca residents can submit theirs now online at odetoboca.com. In addition, throughout the year, O, Miami and the City of Boca Raton will collect the poems at multigenerational events and school workshops. “We want to hear from you - our residents - as part of this Centennial, so that the people who live here are writing the poetic narrative of Boca Raton at 100 years,” said Scott Singer, Boca Raton Mayor. Singer submitted his own poem about his beloved city: 3 Boca Raton is 3 the greatest city 4 because of its people, 9 but we can reach our fullest potential, united together 6 for the next century and beyond While native to South Florida, Zip Odes has traveled all around the United States, with similar poetry contests in Orlando, Toledo, and Boston. O, Miami’s Founder P. Scott Cunningham is a Boca Raton native who embraced the opportunity to create this partnership to redefine the city through poetry. “As someone born and raised in Boca Raton, I am thrilled that O, Miami and the city are working together to amplify resident voices through poetry,” Cunningham said. “Arts and culture are a powerful tool in forging community, and I can’t wait to read all of the brilliant poems that the people of Boca are going to craft.” The Ode to Boca project is part of O, Miami’s Civic Publishing efforts, where residents shape the narratives of their own city. O, Miami collects poems through live events, open calls, workshops, and school curricula, then broadcasts these poems to the communities they came from through an innovative mix of real-world and digital projects, using every available city surface, from fake parking tickets to warehouse rooftops. About the City of Boca Raton Boca Raton, the second largest city in the Palm Beaches, blends history with innovation. A hub for business, Boca Raton’s thriving corporate community traces its roots to the development of the personal computer at IBM's campus, now hosting over 30 corporate headquarters. This vibrant community also boasts a dynamic cultural scene, featuring live concerts, international art exhibits, outdoor festivals, and world-class museums. With five miles of stunning Atlantic coastline and 49 parks, Boca Raton promotes an active lifestyle and environmental stewardship, evidenced by its pioneering tree protection ordinance. The city's amenities, including the Boca Raton Airport with its customs facility, cater to global travelers and residents alike, offering proximity to business centers, entertainment, and luxury shopping. Boasting three nationally ranked universities and top-rated K-12 schools, Boca Raton fosters education, research, and innovation, nurturing a homegrown, educated workforce. Recognized for its safety and low property tax rates, Boca Raton offers a unique quality of life that must be experienced firsthand. For more information, visit myboca.us About O, Miami O, Miami builds community around the power of poetry. Throughout the year, we teach poetry to kids in schools, host a month-long poetry festival and publish residents’ works in books and in unexpected places like billboards, fences and rooftops. Our work is an act of love, inviting residents to share their stories and write a new narrative together. For more information, visit omiami.org | @omiamifestival
Residents Can Now Submit their Ode to Boca; 100 Selected Poems Will be Turned into Public Art and Displayed Across the City
(May 31, 2024) Boca Raton, Fla. – In preparation for the city’s centennial celebrations in 2025, the City of Boca Raton is partnering with the poetry organization O, Miami, on a year-long campaign to capture residents’ love for their city through the creation of an “Ode to Boca,” or a short poem based on their zip code.
An original form of poetry invented by O, Miami, in partnership with WLRN, these short poems known as Zip Odes are designed to transform a zip code into an occasion for place-based, lyrical celebration. Within this poetic form, residents create a five-line ode to where they live, written in the form of their zip code. The inventive format has made poetry more accessible - so much so that South Floridians have submitted 17,000+ of them since the initiative launched in 2015, including these two about Boca Raton:
3 In my town 3 where I grow, 4 among parks and schools. 8 From the ocean's tides to the highway's rides, 6 I awake each day with pride. - Nick Kalpakjian 3 Over the fence 3 avocados are escaping 4 from the neighbor's yard. 3 I pick them 2 and run. - Nancy Sail
For next year’s centennial, the City of Boca Raton will turn 100 Odes to Boca into public art and showcase them in unexpected places throughout the city. Boca residents can submit theirs now online at odetoboca.com. In addition, throughout the year, O, Miami and the City of Boca Raton will collect the poems at multigenerational events and school workshops.
“We want to hear from you - our residents - as part of this Centennial, so that the people who live here are writing the poetic narrative of Boca Raton at 100 years,” said Scott Singer, Boca Raton Mayor. Singer submitted his own poem about his beloved city:
3 Boca Raton is 3 the greatest city 4 because of its people, 9 but we can reach our fullest potential, united together 6 for the next century and beyond While native to South Florida, Zip Odes has traveled all around the United States, with similar poetry contests in Orlando, Toledo, and Boston. O, Miami’s Founder P. Scott Cunningham is a Boca Raton native who embraced the opportunity to create this partnership to redefine the city through poetry.
“As someone born and raised in Boca Raton, I am thrilled that O, Miami and the city are working together to amplify resident voices through poetry,” Cunningham said. “Arts and culture are a powerful tool in forging community, and I can’t wait to read all of the brilliant poems that the people of Boca are going to craft.”
The Ode to Boca project is part of O, Miami’s Civic Publishing efforts, where residents shape the narratives of their own city. O, Miami collects poems through live events, open calls, workshops, and school curricula, then broadcasts these poems to the communities they came from through an innovative mix of real-world and digital projects, using every available city surface, from fake parking tickets to warehouse rooftops.
About the City of Boca Raton Boca Raton, the second largest city in the Palm Beaches, blends history with innovation. A hub for business, Boca Raton’s thriving corporate community traces its roots to the development of the personal computer at IBM's campus, now hosting over 30 corporate headquarters. This vibrant community also boasts a dynamic cultural scene, featuring live concerts, international art exhibits, outdoor festivals, and world-class museums. With five miles of stunning Atlantic coastline and 49 parks, Boca Raton promotes an active lifestyle and environmental stewardship, evidenced by its pioneering tree protection ordinance. The city's amenities, including the Boca Raton Airport with its customs facility, cater to global travelers and residents alike, offering proximity to business centers, entertainment, and luxury shopping. Boasting three nationally ranked universities and top-rated K-12 schools, Boca Raton fosters education, research, and innovation, nurturing a homegrown, educated workforce. Recognized for its safety and low property tax rates, Boca Raton offers a unique quality of life that must be experienced firsthand. For more information, visit myboca.us
About O, Miami O, Miami builds community around the power of poetry. Throughout the year, we teach poetry to kids in schools, host a month-long poetry festival and publish residents’ works in books and in unexpected places like billboards, fences and rooftops. Our work is an act of love, inviting residents to share their stories and write a new narrative together. For more information, visit omiami.org | @omiamifestival