An Evening of
Music + Poetry
with Blake Flattley
& Tanner Olson
Through music, poetry, and storytelling, songwriter Blake Flattley and poet Tanner Olson invite audiences to slow down and experience rest and hope.
You can expect the night to be inviting, whimsical, entertaining, and hopeful.
If you would like to move forward with booking an event, or if you have questions please email writtentospeak@gmail.com or Booking@BlakeFlattley.com to begin a conversation.
Please include the proposed date and location in the email, and we will get in touch with you!
We were so blessed to have Blake and Tanner lead us in a "Night of Rest" for our community. Their combined artistry and talent added so much to our event, and we are so incredibly thankful for them both! It was very clear to everyone involved that this is their passion and their heart!
-Nikki Peters, Associate Director of Worship Arts, St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Oviedo, Florida.
What is An Evening of Music and Poetry like?
An Evening of Music and Poetry is a space for creativity, rest and reflection that both gives you a break from normal everyday life and meets you right in the midst of it all.
The poetry isn’t the kind you heard in school. Tanner’s poetry won’t remind you of Shakespeare or Poe. His work is a form of storytelling, leading you to reconnect and reflect on your own life and faith. Each poem is an invitation to remember hope is real and everything will be okay.
Blake’s songs are raw and honest. He takes a look at life and death and the challenges in between as we continue through this gift of a life.
Who is this show for?
It’s for your neighbor who hasn’t stepped foot in a church in years and for those who haven’t missed a Sunday.
It’s for the exhausted and wondering and waiting.
It’s for those who are sick of spending night after night on the couch watching TV.
It’s for those who are looking for a little light in a dark world.
And we think this show might just be for you, too.
Endorsements
“Tanner has a way of holding two opposing emotions/ideas at once while navigating the tension between the two with gentleness, humor and kindness; making these heavy things palatable. He has a gift of creating atmosphere with his words that make you want to linger in them. He reminds us that God is creative and inspires us to lean into this. His masterful gift of doing all this through poetry is inspiring.”
Jen Broberg
Ministry Leader Northiron Church
Ishpeming, Michigan
“Being able to listen and experience one of Tanner’s shows
was truly inspiring & such a blast.
His poetry is genuine, humorous, and one of a kind.
I HIGHLY recommend bringing him to your church!”
Abbie Snow
Youth Director and Leader
"Watching Tanner Olson (Written To Speak) perform was like food for my soul. The way he used tone, thoughts, heart, and humor was unlike anything I'd ever seen. I laughed, teared up, and at times dissecting the depth. I can't wait until he tours again in my area as I know my wife and I will be front row."
Todd Nesloney
Author, Educator, + Speaker
“We loved having Tanner share his gifts with our students!
The show was engaging on many levels, thought provoking, quite funny, and very real. Bringing him in was a fantastic departure from our normal schedule and the time he spent with us was so valuable. We are looking forward to having him back soon!”
Bryan Fries
YoungLife Leader
"Tanner Olson inspires me on many levels.
Not only does he write; he writes poetry that's honest, inspiring, and sometimes hilariously funny.
Not only does he speak; he speaks words that come from the heart with a sincerity that isn't often seen these days.
Tanner tells it like it is with a truth and wisdom that is beyond his years, and yet in a way that engages audiences of all ages. Creativity is at the heart of it all, and his faith permeates his work."
Tom Eggebrecht
Pastor + Author of 'Fully + Creatively Alive'
“Written to Speak blessed our college campus community with the gift of engaging with faith and life through humor and creativity. Tanner's heartfelt and fun approach as a person as well as a poet gave our students permission to rest and resonate with something that felt more alive than their required theology books. While good study and theology is vital, so is remembering we are human and that Jesus was human and we get to be humans together, enjoying tacos and asking hard questions and laughing at how weird we were in middle school. Tanner's presence reminds us it's good to be human, that God made us that way, and we're allowed to live in our own imperfect skin even as we seek to grow in mind and vocation.”
Shelly Schwalm
Ministry Leader at Concordia University St. Paul
"Words have power.
There is real power when someone can put into words
the deep feelings and emotions of people, that is exactly what
Tanner Olson does through Written to Speak.
Tanner is funny, engaging, thoughtful, and most importantly authentic in his spoken word poetry and storytelling.
He is able to engage across generational and cultural lines,
connecting people to our common humanity and Creator.
I am excited to have him come back to share more with our people."
Bobby Walston
Pastor Christ Memorial and Reliant Church
"In an increasingly technological world, we are longing for human touch. In his words - spoken and written - Tanner gives us all a human voice. Real. Sincere. Vulnerable. This is genuine interpersonal communication, with one another and with God. I’m grateful for Tanner’s voice. "
Jeff Cloeter
Pastor + Author of 'Loved + Sent'