Beloved bibliophiles, Good news! We've extended the application deadline for Power to the Pen: Writing for Revolution. Applications for this grant-funded program will now close Wednesday, 2/26. Participants will choose from 2 classes: Poetry as Resistance: Crafting Your Revolutionary Voice with Saskia Kercy, and Write an Essay Clean as a Bone with Nicole Young. Those earning $20-40k/year and anyone impacted by the UArts closure will be offered 50% scholarships. Those earning less than $20k/year will be offered full scholarships. A small number of full-priced seats are also available. We're happy to offer payment plans to anyone who wants one. |
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Last week, Taylor and I made a guest appearance on WURD Radio for a short interview with Dr. James Peterson to talk about the program. We also discussed how writers are dealing with the current political landscape, shifts in nonprofit grant-making, and the importance of making art in tumultuous times. Tap the button below to listen to the segment, or let us know if you need a transcript for accessibility: info@bluestoop.org. |
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- Wednesday, 2/26, 3:30 – 5:30 pm ET: Creative Coworking on Zoom. A generative virtual drop-in session with peers. Stop by for a few minutes or stay for the whole session — it’s totally up to you. You can use this time to write, edit, read, daydream, or whatever best serves your literary life. We will open and close the session with 10 minutes to check-in about our writing goals, obstacles, and accomplishments. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Thursday, 2/27, 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET: Thursdays on the Stoop presents "Writing the Word, Writing the World" with Sakae Kikuchi. In this free, hour-long session, participants will read short excerpts from writers like Kao Kalia Yang and Audre Lorde, examining their use of narrative to explore power dynamics. Through discussion and generative writing prompts, we'll work to narrativize our own experiences in "reading the world." FYI: This session won't be recorded but you can always watch previous Thursdays on the Stoop on our YouTube channel. (FREE/VIRTUAL)
- Friday, 2/28, 11:30 am ET: Registration closes for “Writing the Wounded Character” with Emily Jon Tobias, an online class. In this generative 3-week class, students will take a deep dive into narrative structure by way of the wounded character. Through reading, writing, and discussion, we'll learn the foundations of story structure, including character roles and how they function, narrative timelines, and character motives and development. (FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE!)
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In solidarity, Julian Shendelman
Co-Director P.S. Looking for more local literary connections? Check out our community calendar and resource pages. |
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THE MOTHERLODE RETREAT:
MASTERING THE ART OF WRITING ABOUT OUR MOTHERS April 27 to May 1, 2025. Boyd’s Mill, Pennsylvania. Delve into the heart of your matrilineal story at The Motherlode Retreat, a transformative five-day writing experience in the tranquil foothills of the Poconos. Co-hosted by acclaimed writer and facilitator Amy Shearn, and writer, instructor and writing coach, Diana Friedman, The Motherlode Retreat is for writers of all levels looking to explore their complex relationships with their mothers. Through facilitated discussions, generative prompts, and craft workshops, we’ll examine themes such as the mother wound, inherited narratives, and how to transform personal experiences into powerful writing. Whether you're crafting fiction, memoir, poetry, or plays, this retreat provides a safe, supportive space to deepen your writing and bring your stories to life. |
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Got an event, organization, business, or book to promote? |
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~~~~~~~~~ Event title Temple Poets & Writers Series: Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Visiting Fiction Writer Start time 2/27/2025 12:00pm Location 821 Mazur Hall, 1114 W. Polett Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19122 Description The Poets & Writers Series is sponsored by the Temple University MFA Program in Creative Writing, with the assistance of the Department of English. Each year a number of poets and fiction writers are invited to read from and discuss their work to members of both the Temple community and the local Philadelphia arts scene. All events are free and open to the public. Mecca Jamilah Sullivan Ph.D., is the author of three books: the novel Big Girl, a New York Times Editors’ Choice and winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award for First Novel and the Balcones Fiction Prize; Blue Talk and Love, winner of the Judith Markowitz Award from Lambda Literary; and The Poetics of Difference: Queer Feminist Forms in the African Diaspora, winner of the William Sanders Scarborough Prize from the MLA. She has earned honors from Bread Loaf, the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, the Mellon Foundation, the Center for Fiction, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Originally from Harlem, NY, Mecca is a Professor of English at Georgetown University and lives in Washington DC. Link Contact info Pattiemccarthy@temple.edu Cost Free ~~~~~~~~~ Event title Opening Reception for Crescendo: How Art Makes Movements (1981-1999) Start time 2/28/2025 5:00pm Location Asian Arts Initiative 1219 Vine Street Philadelphia 19107 Description Come take a first look at AAI's new Spring exhibition and enjoy special cocktails and light refreshments at the opening reception of Crescendo: How Art Makes Movements (1981-1999)! This exhibition is a historical survey of multidisciplinary art projects created between 1981 and 1999, intersecting with Asian American social movements. Largely inspired by Jazz and improvised music that were central to the Black Arts Movement, the artists featured in the exhibition used music as a vehicle to build solidarity beyond races and ethnicities. Following the reception, do not miss a special concert featuring Salim Washington, a jazz legend and multi-instrumentalists, along with local Philadelphia musicians. The reception is free and open to the public. The concert is pay-what-you-wish and requires registration. Link Contact info Jino Lee, Brand & Publicity Director - jino@asianartsinitiative.org Cost Free ~~~~~~~~~ Event title Penn Appetit Food Summit Start time 3/3/2025 6:00pm Location Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104 Description Presented by Penn Appétit magazine, the annual Penn Appétit Food Summit covers a wide range of topics related to the food industry, typically featuring local chefs, restaurateurs, and food writers. Join us for this year’s event, hosted by Ashrit Challa (C’25), with panelists Justin Bacharach of Royal Izakaya, food and travel journalist Sarah Maiellano, and Christina Torres of Weckerly’s. Link Contact info wh@writing.upenn.edu Cost Free ~~~~~~~~~ |
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1315 Walnut Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States |
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