We are pleased to congratulate two Massachusetts-based literary artists who were recently recognized with prestigious honors. Martín Espada and Yara Liceaga-Rojas are among the inaugural recipients of the Letras Boricuas Fellowship. The first-of-its-kind fellowship was developed by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Flamboyan Foundation's Arts Fund to support 20 … [Read more...]
Sara Hendren: Who Is the World Designed For?
This summer marked the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a turning point in the history of disability rights. During her years of writing, art, design, and research, Sara Hendren (Fiction/Creative Nonfiction Fellow '18) has found the field of disability studies a rich and deep world to explore. "And in the course of all of those years of both writing … [Read more...]
20th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards
Last week, the Massachusetts Center for the Book announced the selections of the 20th Annual Massachusetts Book Awards. The Awards recognize achievement in five categories of literature written by current residents of the Commonwealth. Congratulations to all of the awardees and honorees. In particular, we are pleased that the list includes several past Mass Cultural Council … [Read more...]
How Has the Pandemic Impacted Your Creative Practice?
Periodically, we pose questions about issues artists face in their work and lives. It's hard to calculate the change and disruption the COVID-19 crisis has caused, on every level. We were curious about the ways it might have shifted the trajectory of artists' work. We asked artists in different disciplines: How has the pandemic impacted your creative … [Read more...]
Simone John: Poetic Inheritance
Even before the pandemic, Simone John's (Poetry Fellow '20) creative practice was headed in a direction that would serve her well during months of isolation and uncertainty. Since the 2016 election, she had been considering how her ancestors navigated times of turmoil. "Understanding that this is not the first crisis my community has had. And that we survived, because I'm … [Read more...]