Apologies for the late posting: Blogger, the software platform that hosts this blog and many others, was out of action for the past almost 24 hours. Thankfully, all is returning to normal now: thanks for your patience.
Happy Friday the 13th, and thanks so much to all who turned out for our volunteer Meet, Greet, Decide gathering. We came away with ten positions filled – a huge help toward our watchword for the year: sustainability. If you couldn’t make the meeting but would like to lend a hand to a great cause, we can still use a Clerical Assistant, a Membership Coordinator, and a Program Promotion Assistant. We estimate each position would require only an hour of volunteer time each week. If interested, email 49writers@gmail.com.
On the theme of sustainability, thanks so much to all who’ve responded to our annual appeal. Your support is crucial to maintaining and growing our support for Alaska writers and their work, and it is much appreciated. If writing that check is still on your to-do list, we’ve made it easy: just fill in the amount in the sidebar box to the right, and click the “donation” button to make a secure credit card payment. Our instructional programs are self-supporting, but for everything else we depend on your help.
A final note before leaving that theme: our grantwriting team meets Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m. at the 49 Alaska Writing Center to go over grants, guidelines, resources, and procedures, with the goal of making assignments for grants (no more than one each is the plan) to be written in the next three months or so. If you’re interested in joining us, email 49writers@gmail.com.
Other dates to keep in mind:
June 24-27 Memoir Writing Weekend with Kim Rich
July 18-29 Raven Words Summer Youth Writing Workshops
Aug. 31 Crosscurrents with Dani Shapiro
Sept. 2-5 Tutka Bay Writers Retreat with Dani Shapiro (only two slots remain)
If you missed our last Crosscurrents event featuring Susan Orlean in conversation with Julia O’Malley, you can now catch it in podcast on KSKA’s Addressing Alaskans. Thanks to KSKA and Mark Weber of the Anchorage Museum of Rasmuson for making that available.
The theme for Reading Rendezvous 2011 is “Many Stories–One World.” Come to Z.J. Loussac Library grounds, Anchorage, Saturday, May 14, for many free activities with a literary theme.
Also on Saturday, May 14, at 1pm at Barnes and Noble, 200 E. Northern Lights, Anchorage, the Pulpwood Queens will present a storytime.
On Sunday, May 15, at 2pm also at Barnes and Noble, there will be a talk on Modern Buddhism
. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has over 20 printed books, and a brand-new release called Modern Buddhism. Buddhist teacher Gen Kelsang Khedrub is an engaging speaker who has studied with the author and will be
. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has over 20 printed books, and a brand-new release called Modern Buddhism. Buddhist teacher Gen Kelsang Khedrub is an engaging speaker who has studied with the author and will bepresenting the book.
Wednesday, May 18 at 7pm is time for Poetry Parley at Out North, 3800 DeBarr Rd, Anchorage. This month’s featured poets are Rainer Maria Rilke and local poet Jason Eisert.
On Thursday, May 19 at 1pm, Dr E. J. David will present on Filipino-American Postcolonial Psychology at the UAA Campus Bookstore.
Dr David was born in the Philippines and raised in Pasy, Las Pinas, Makati, and Barrow, Alaska. He is assistant professor in the UAF/UAA Joint Clinical-Community Psychology PhD Program at the University of Alaska Anchorage and is author of the book Filipino-/American Postcolonial Psychology: Oppression, Colonial Mentality and Decolonialization.
The new issue of F Magazine is now on the stands. This issue is a retrospective of MTS Gallery, arts lifeline that is set to close this month. See the magazine for details of their big moving out party on May 21st.
Denali National Park and Preserve Seeking Artists-in-Residence for 2012
Denali National Park and Preserve News Release, Kris Fister, Kris Fister
Denali National Park and Preserve News Release, Kris Fister, Kris Fister
Denali National Park and Preserve is seeking applications from visual artists and writers for the 2012 Artist-in-Residence Program. This will be the first season with an open call to writers to submit for a residency. The program is in its eleventh year at Denali, and many of the works created by artists-in-residence from previous years are on display in the Denali Visitor Center and the Eielson Visitor Center. For the last three years, the program has had resident writers (John Morgan ’09, Nancy Lord ’10, Carolyn Kremers ’11) by invitation.
A link to the online application and more information about the program is available at http://www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm. Applications for the 2012 season must be submitted by September 30, 2011. Notification letters will be sent out by December 15, 2011.
Selected artists reside in the historic East Fork cabin, located 43 miles into the park, for a ten-day period between June and mid-September. In return for their residency, each artist donates a piece of artwork or written piece that was inspired by their time in the park, to the park’s collection. Artists also offer a public presentation for visitors at the end of their residency.
The Artist-in-Residence program is a national program that enables established artists to reside in a park while they create park-related art. Artists have played a significant role in raising public awareness of the natural wonders preserved within the National Park System and the need for their protection since the creation of Yellowstone, the first national park.