Over a year after its creation in 2009, the Sayso Expression Society is looking for the public’s input to determine where the organization is headed.

Locals founded Sayso to give Merritt residents’ the opportunity to share their artistic talents. The group has held monthly, all ages, open mic nights at Iron Mountain Music’s Capital soundstage since November 2009.

Audience sizes have ranged from 65 to packed houses of 120, though organizers note that the lineup has always included 20 sets from crowd members.

At the open mics, locals have performed music, poetry, stories, monologues, play excerpts, and standup comedy.

“That’s the whole point of an open mic,” explains Jody Okabe, one of Sayso’s founding board members. “It’s all about supporting talent in Merritt and maybe inspiring people to create more.”

Mil Juricic, another board member, agrees. “If anyone wants to promote themselves, here is a venue.”

Spurred by the success of Sayso’s inaugural year, the board says the society is ready to expand on its goal of sharing locals’ artistic gifts in Merritt and beyond.

“There’s a lot of growth that can still happen,” says Sue Sterling, the third current board member.

“We have a lot of great ideas. It’s just knowing how to do it.”

In keeping with its focus on local self-expression, Sayso will host a public meeting at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology 7 p.m. Jan. 24. Anyone with ideas about how to improve Sayso is welcome to share them there. “How do we take this kernel that we’re playing with…and make it bigger?” asks Juricic.

The board notes that Sayso should be what the community wants it to be.

“We have a pretty horizontal structure,” says Juricic. “We don’t want to create an elitist sort of atmosphere.”

Among the possible changes to come are streaming videos of performances and interviews with open mic participants online, he says.

Okabe also notes that there are currently two vacancies on the board.

Membership fees will double this year as well.

Board members explain that the society’s expenses were higher than originally expected, despite community support in the form of a discounted rental fee at Iron Mountain and free sound work from local man Donny Lean.

“We’ve increased the membership to $20 a year instead of $10 mostly because we’ve done a lot of learning,” says Sterling.

While most of the locals who take the stage play music during their set, Juricic stresses that Sayso welcomes all forms of self-expression. For example, a painter or potter could show off their works at an open mic, he says. “Bring your stuff. We’ll bring the audience.”

“We’d really like to encourage stories,” he adds, inviting people to share their personal and family experiences from the Nicola Valley.

Sayso presents its next open mic night Jan. 14 at Iron Mountain. The doors open at 8 p.m.