In December, 2024 I learned that ArtsBuild in Chattanooga would be making grants to visual artists, writers, composers, and performers. From their website: “The Artists Work grant program provides project funding to individual artists or a group of artists to produce artworks … that conclude with an exhibit or performance within Hamilton County… This grant arose from the sudden loss of audiences, jobs, and patrons experienced by the region’s arts industry due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with the goal of providing economic stimulus that benefits both the creative sector and the public realm. The Artists Work grant program thrives thanks to the financial support of Mark Making, Lyndhurst Foundation, Benwood Foundation, Footprint Foundation and ArtsBuild’s individual donors.”

I was at my annual writers retreat in Cloudland Canyon, GA when I landed on my idea for my project, Writing Classes for the Curious. Here’s how it works: Three local writers and teachers will each create a two-hour introductory writing workshop for twelve to eighteen-year-olds in the genres of SCIENCE FICTION (Andrew Najberg), GRAPHIC NOVEL (Jonathon Wurth), and CREATIVE NONFICTION (Dana Shavin). These free, fun, and fully accessible workshops will include a short “get to know your teacher” Q and A, and will be available on YouTube to anyone who’s ever been curious about how to write sci fi, a graphic novel, or about their own life. At the end of the grant cycle, there will be a short talk and readings by the workshop leaders at Stoveworks, and select work from students who have taken the workshops will be circulated.

I wrote the bulk of the grant while at my retreat, and finished it while on a business trip with my husband to St Petersburg, Florida, during what was one of the coldest weeks on record (which was lucky for me–aside from Mazzaro’s Italian Market and my two dogs, there were no distractions!). I submitted the grant February 13th. In all, ArtsBuild received thirty-nine applications and funded just eleven projects, including Writing Classes for the Curious. 

If you’re interested in finding out how a young person in your life–or you!–can take the workshops, reach out me at [email protected].