The stars were shining brightly over the Star City Friday evening as poets, artists, community leaders, and lovers of the arts gathered at the Taubman Museum of Art to celebrate a remarkable milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Artemis Journal.

Roanoke, VA

Author: Roanoke Rambler Staff

Published: 7:49 AM EST September 9, 2026

Edited: 8:00 AM EST September 9, 2026

The sold-out Sept. 4 celebration marked five decades of an annual, juried publication that interlaces poetry and visual art while celebrating the beauty, creativity, and distinctive voices of the region.

Founded in the basement of Roanoke's YWCA in 1977, the mission of Artemis Journal is to “uplift and showcase the creative voices that echo from the Appalachian hills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, nurturing artistic expression and weaving a strong, interconnected community.”

For half a century, Artemis has done just that.

The 50th anniversary public launch featured U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and internationally acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner, whose work graces the cover of the anniversary journal.

The evening began with a warm Star City welcome from the Taubman Museum of Art Director Cindy Peterson. Joanne Casual, a Taubman Museum trustee, followed with remarks about Doner and her artistic contribution to the anniversary edition.

Then came a special recognition for the woman who started it all.

Roanoke Vice Mayor Terry McGuire presented Artemis founder Jeri Rogers with a proclamation declaring Sept. 4, 2026, Artemis Journal Day in the City of Roanoke.

The announcement was met with thunderous applause from the sold-out audience.

And it was a fitting tribute to Rogers, whose life and work have been deeply intertwined with the creative life of the region.

Rogers is a publisher, poet, photographer, and editor who has published more than 3,000 poems. She is also, in my view, what might be called a “healing art therapist” — someone who has spent decades using creativity to help people discover their voices, process their experiences, and see new possibilities.

Rogers believes that “art can light the way.”

For thousands of people, she has done exactly that.

Through Artemis, Rogers has provided a platform for poets, visual artists, photographers, academics, and aspiring creatives. Her influence has extended far beyond the pages of a literary journal, touching people whose lives have been shaped by the opportunity to create, publish, heal, and be heard.

Among those whose work has been connected to Artemis was the late acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni, who served on the Artemis board for 10 years. Giovanni’s poem, “Fall in Love,” was published in the Artemis Journal in 2024 and was featured in the program during Friday evening’s celebration. The poem centers on her love with books to books starts with a soothing, but demanding "If you have to fall in love, and you do, it should be with a book."

Rogers’ commitment to nurturing artistic voices has also reached her own family. Her daughter, author Jennifer Brody, was featured in the Roanoke Rambler on June 24, 2026.

The 50th anniversary celebration also brought poetry to the forefront through the presence of Arthur Sze.

Earlier Friday, Sze shared his work and the art of poetry with the community during a “Poetry & Pizza” gathering at the Roanoke Public Library’s Main Library.

During the evening celebration at the Taubman, Sze read from his work, including the closing line of his poem “The Chance”:

“Even if darkness proceeds and follows us, we have a chance, briefly to shine.”

The words seemed particularly fitting for an evening devoted to five decades of artistic expression.

For 50 years, Artemis has created opportunities for people to shine — sometimes briefly, sometimes brightly, and sometimes in ways that illuminate a path for generations to come.

In a region surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Artemis Journal has become more than a publication. It is a gathering place for creative voices, a historical record of regional artistic expression, and a bridge connecting writers, artists, and the broader community.

Its 50th anniversary is therefore not simply a celebration of a journal. It is a celebration of the thousands of people whose voices have appeared in its pages, the artists whose images have accompanied their words, the readers who have encountered something new within its covers, and the community that has sustained the vision.

Most of all, it is a celebration of Jeri Rogers — a woman who saw the power of art to illuminate dark places and spent 50 years helping others find the light.

On Friday night, the stars were certainly shining brightly at the 50th anniversary of the Artemis Journal.

And after five decades, Artemis is still lighting the way. For more information about the Artemis Journal, visit www.artemisjournal.org.

The Roanoke Rambler