Smithfield — Poets and musicians will have a new place to express themselves when Inflow Studio Lounge opens this Friday on Market Street.

The teahouse and poetry studio will celebrate its grand opening from 7 till 10:30 p.m. during downtown’s monthly “Third on Third” event.

“It’s a place where everyone can come together, where art, music and poetry meet at the center,” said owner Lawrence Davis. “A lot of musicians and poets around here don’t have an outlet, they can’t rent a building, so this is a place where they can showcase their talent.”

The grand opening, which is free, will welcome poets, musicians and a house band and allow artists and residents to meet-and-greet.

Each week, Inflow will have a free open-mic night on Thursdays, a spirituality-themed night with music and spoken word on Fridays, and a night of positive music on Saturday. Inflow will charge $3 for admission to the Friday events and $5 for Saturdays.

“It’s going to be an eclectic clash of arts and music, just poetry and rhythm, flutes and congas, we got DJs,” Davis said. “It’s really going to be something to behold.” Inflow will host music from gospel rap to bluegrass, as long as it’s spiritual or educational, Davis said. “We don’t work with that riff-raff,” he added. The studio also will have a house band or house DJ every weekend.

Tina Ray, a spoken-word artist, said Inflow will provide a much-needed performance space for Smithfield. “I went over there Tuesday, and the atmosphere is so conducive to just flowing,” said Ray, who serves on the board of the Johnston County Arts Council. “It’s a sense of poetic Shangri-la.”

Ray said Davis’s new studio could help foster the local poetry and music scenes by providing a comfortable space.

“I think there’s a lot of closet poets and there’s not really been a venue for them,” she said.

Some local poets already meet for the Smithfield library’s monthly poetry workshop, “Poetic Journey,” and its yearly “Poets Among Us” open-mic event.

“There is a huge interest countywide,” said Ruby Smith, manager of the library’s reference department. “Basically, there’s a lot of original poetry, people writing their own poems, and they like to have a forum where they can read those poems,” she added.

Davis, an electricity-meter technician for the town, has been involved in the arts for years. He previously owned another poetry studio and is working on his third CD of poetry and spoken word.

The new business also will focus on giving back to the community. At the free weekly open-mics, patrons will be asked to bring canned goods to donate to charity.

“Everyone’s going through a tough time,” Davis said. “We’re there to give back into the community, and we hope the community will come back and support us as well.”

Davis hopes to work with other businesses as well, allowing them to give vocal advertisements between performances. Inflow, which will be open only at night at first, also aims to boost other downtown shops by drawing in after-dark visitors.

“We’re really excited about what Lawrence is going to be doing,” said Chris Johnson, director of the Smithfield Downtown Development Corp. “It’ll give Smithfield residents another opportunity to come back down after 5 p.m.”

Davis expects great things out of his new venture. “I already know it’s a success,” he added, “because we’re trying to give back to the community as well, trying to hold up a good front.”

Inflow Studio Lounge, with space for about 60 people, is at 339 E. Market St. Hours will be 7 till 9 p.m. Thursdays, 7 till 10 p.m. Fridays and 7 till 11 p.m. Saturdays.