Spring break. Long days, sunshine, lots of visitors, and a little slowdown in writerly news. But what we’ve got is good. How about Willie Hensley takes Alaska back from Sarah Palin, by virtue of his 2009 memoir Fifty Miles from Tomorrow? That’s the word from the Alaska Ear in the Anchorage Daily News, reporting on a recent assessment in New York Magazine.
Arlitia Jones, one of Alaska’s leading women playwrights featured in a 49 Writers interview a few months back, opens her new play Make Good the Fires today at Cyrano’s in Anchorage. The drama takes place in territorial Alaska,1912-1917, as the railroad is being built, and Anchorage is in the process of becoming an official townsite. Socialism is a viable third party, women have the right to vote and Lena Morrow Lewis is making quite an impact as one of the nation’s most active women socialists. Performances are at 7 p.m., Thursdays – Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are available through CenterTix.net, 263-ARTS, the Performing Arts Center box office or at Cyrano’s the day of performance (274-2599).
Ten poets celebrate Alaska’s 50th Birthday this weekend at Palmer’s Fireside Books. Join in the celebration Saturday, March 14 at 6 p.m.
Good news for Alaska’s writers! The Rasmuson Foundation reports that the federal stimulus package contains $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) over and above its normal funding. The NEA is fast-tracking to get money out as soon as possible. The deadline for applying is April 2, 2009, with grants being awarded as early as July 1, 2009.
NEA will distribute 40 percent of the stimulus funds to state arts councils, including the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA). ASCA will meet with arts organizations this month to discuss the program.
Great news on the NEA and other grants — let’s go writers, and get that money while there’s still money to be had. (And before the PFD loses all its steam — $68 by 2012, according to the Daily News today.)
Congrats to Arlitia on her new play!
$68 by 2013, I meant. (Darn those typos.) No matter, but if someone out there knows how to go back in and edit one’s own comment (not delete) — let me know! I’ve been meaning to figure it out for a while.