In a special collaboration, Spoleto Festival USA and Charleston Literary Festival are thrilled to host a surprise pop-up show: “Patti Smith: Words and Music.” Combining poetry reading with musical meditation, the legendary Patti Smith will perform on Monday, June 2, to a sold-out crowd. The free tickets were claimed less than 48 hours after the mystery performance was announced.
This will be a raw, poetic evening with an artist who has consistently defied convention. Patti Smith has redefined performance, fusing poetry with punk and intimacy with defiance. This event offers a rare chance to experience her powerful presence. While the pop-up show is sold out, audiences still have the opportunity to experience Patti Smith’s powerful presence by purchasing tickets to her debut Spoleto concert on Tuesday, June 3, at the College of Charleston Cistern Yard by visiting spoletousa.org/events/patti-smith.
Patti Smith’s extensive achievements as a performer, author, recording artist, and visual artist are acknowledged worldwide. Released in 1975, Smith’s first recording, ”Horses,” was inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in 2010 by the National Recording Preservation Board. She is a four-time GRAMMY nominee and a Golden Globe nominee for the song “Mercy Is,” co-written with Lenny Kaye for the film “Noah.”
Smith was awarded the prestigious 2010 National Book Award for her bestselling memoir, “Just Kids,” chronicling her deep friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and the evolution of their work. In 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2020, Smith received the literary service prize from PEN America and the Wall Street Journal acknowledged her as a Literature Innovator. In May 2022, she received the Doctor of Humane Letters from Columbia University, and was named an Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor by decree of the President of the French Republic.
Presented by Spoleto Festival USA with Charleston Literary Festival, this event marks the first official collaboration between the two organizations. Charleston Literary Festival platforms world-class authors and thinkers to foster conversation and understanding. Partnering with Spoleto Festival USA on this unique opportunity is a perfect intersection of both organizations—as it offers the chance for audiences to experience the power of a musical and literary giant.
This event will be Spoleto at its most spontaneous—offering an intimate evening with an artist whose profound influence spans music, literature, and cultural rebellion.