From the Farmhouse Table: August 2022
Why is Hedgebrook doing a Writers Conference?
Sometimes it feels that Hedgebrook’s best-kept secret is the powerful alumnae community that grows out of our premiere Writers-in-Residence program (with a new application cycle opening this month)! We know and believe that women-identified writers are creating and shaping our world, and it is with great joy that we celebrate them and their work as they go on to refine, publish, and begin again. Our alumnae write genre-defying and groundbreaking books, plays, songs, films, television shows, and everything in between. And many of them work around the world to instruct and mentor the next generation of writers, becoming stellar workshop facilitators, teachers, and professors.
As our Programs Team worked with our alumnae to build virtual programs throughout the COVID quarantine, the wealth of knowledge these instructors bring to our Hedgebrook writing community at large is undeniable. Our first-ever Writers Conference was born from the idea that this wealth could and should be shared - not only with the women-identified writers who participate in our webinars, classes, and retreats, but with all intermediate and advanced writers. At Hedgebrook, we boldly state that learning from our alumnae will make you a better writer. You believe with us that these writers are changing the world - don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn directly from them.
We will continue to build stages, classrooms, and platforms that provide opportunities for everyone to engage deeply with the brilliance of our alumnae! This year, we launched our first-ever Screenwriters Showcase, completing the circle for us all to revel in the creative projects these writers brought to Hedgebrook in residency. You have an opportunity to enjoy these thought-provoking, funny, revelatory shorts and feature films from the comfort of your own home through August 12th - or join us on Whidbey at WICA for the closing reception on Saturday, August 13th. Don’t forget to stay tuned after the viewing to hear from the screenwriters themselves!
I am grateful every day to access the brilliance of a Hedgebrook writer, conjuring the words of a better world. It is an honor to foster space that allows us all the experience of their Radical Generosity. I look forward to “seeing” you all on Thursday, August 18th, for our next Cottage Chat with award-winning screenwriters Sonja Perryman and Jane Barr!
-Amber Flame | Program Director, Hedgebrook