Denver Nonprofit Brings Poetry to the Streets

Sidewalk Poets aims to give voice to underserved communities through creative writing workshops and public art installations.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:07am

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Sidewalk Poets, a Denver-based nonprofit, was founded in 2022 by Abby Templeton Greene and Courtney Morgan. The organization provides storytelling and self-expression workshops for underserved communities, with the belief that every voice is valuable and every story deserves to be told and heard. Through partnerships with schools, behavioral health providers, and community organizations, Sidewalk Poets works with people navigating incarceration, recovery, displacement, poverty, and trauma to process their lived experiences and reclaim their voices.

Why it matters

Sidewalk Poets aims to make the arts accessible to those who often lack access, challenging the notion that creative expression is an elite or privileged activity. By bringing poetry and storytelling to the streets, the organization hopes to foster a sense of belonging and resilience within the communities it serves.

The details

Sidewalk Poets' work is built around three interconnected pillars: recurring workshops, public art installations, and upcoming retreats. The workshops form the foundation of the organization, with Sidewalk Poets currently partnering with various Denver-area organizations to offer programming in English and Spanish for adults, caregivers, and students. The public art installations, such as the East Colfax StoryWalk and the Globeville StoryWalk, extend the participants' stories into the neighborhood, making community voices visible and shared. The third pillar, still emerging, focuses on retreats that bring participants into nature, offering time and space outside daily pressures to write, reflect, and connect.

  • Sidewalk Poets was founded in 2022.
  • The East Colfax StoryWalk was created in 2023.
  • The Globeville StoryWalk is currently in progress.

The players

Abby Templeton Greene

Co-founder of Sidewalk Poets and a professional writer and longtime creative writing educator.

Courtney Morgan

Co-founder of Sidewalk Poets and a professional writer and longtime creative writing educator.

Sidewalk Poets

A Denver-based nonprofit organization that provides storytelling and self-expression workshops for underserved communities, with the belief that every voice is valuable and every story deserves to be told and heard.

Denver Public Schools

A partner organization that collaborates with Sidewalk Poets to offer programming in Denver.

Mile High Behavioral Healthcare

A partner organization that collaborates with Sidewalk Poets to offer programming in Denver.

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What they’re saying

“Art is often talked about as this elite thing, so we're just bringing it into the streets and bringing it to everyone, particularly the people who need it. Those who don't have access to the arts in everyday living. The arts are a vital part of life. It gets pushed as this extra thing, this luxury, this privileged thing, and we're like, 'No, it's like breathing, it's like eating, it's like walking down the sidewalk.'”

— Courtney Morgan, Co-founder, Sidewalk Poets (westword.com)

“If we want this to exist in the world, why don't we just do it ourselves? There feels like a real hole for the work that we really believe in and really want to be doing. So, if we want to do this and make it really sustainable, why don't we build our own and make this kind of work the heart of the organization and the heart of what everything else is built around?”

— Courtney Morgan, Co-founder, Sidewalk Poets (westword.com)

“The evidence has taught me more than I ever dreamed. Because I thought this would help people, and I love doing it, but now I realize that while I enjoy doing it, it is much bigger than me. One person will come to one workshop, and they'll leave, like, 'Oh, my god, when can I come back?' or 'This is my favorite class I've ever done.' I've been so humbled and excited by the response from the community.”

— Abby Templeton Greene, Co-founder, Sidewalk Poets (westword.com)

What’s next

Sidewalk Poets is already looking ahead, with plans to expand their programming and offer more retreats. The organization is also training former participants and peer specialists to become facilitators to meet the growing demand for their workshops.

The takeaway

Sidewalk Poets is proving that the arts are not an elite or privileged activity, but a vital part of life that should be accessible to all. By bringing poetry and storytelling to the streets, the organization is empowering underserved communities to reclaim their voices and find a sense of belonging and resilience.