Free Virtual Writers Workshop with Keynote from Delaware Poet Chet’la Sebree
The Delaware Art Museum Store presents a free virtual edition of its fifth annual Wilmington Writers Conference on Saturday, July 24, 2021, from 10 am — 1 pm. The Museum’s signature literary event serves to inspire writers at all stages of their creative journey.
The keynote speaker is award-winning poet Chet’la Sebree, who will read from her just-released second book, Field Study, and lead a workshop for writers. Sebree is the winner of the 2020 James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. She is also the author of Mistress, selected by Cathy Park Hong as the winner of the 2018 New Issues Poetry Prize and nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Poetry (2020). She is the Director of the Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts and an Assistant Professor at Bucknell University.
Sebree summarized plans for the multi-genre workshop, saying, “We never write in isolation. We’re always, whether we know it or not, in conversation with history, culture, art, family, etc. I’ll give a short craft lecture where we’ll walk through work that makes this multi-layered conversation transparent and discuss how we can apply some of those strategies to our own work. We’ll then do some generative writing exercises that prompt us to write ekphrastic poetry (poems that respond to art) or braided essays that make links between popular culture and our lives.”
Jessa Mendez, Lead Museum Associate, says, “I’m so excited that Chet’la is our keynote speaker and workshop presenter this year! She is a brilliant writer, and it is a gift to have her back at the conference. The Museum Store is so proud to be presenting this event. I know it will be a fun, engaging day for local writers as well as those who don’t live in the area but can now join us in a virtual space.”
Poetry, in particular, is a democratic art form that can strengthen an institution’s connections to the community, making this conference a good fit for the Museum’s mission and vision. The event is free and virtual for broad accessibility.
The Museum and Sebree have a history: she was the 2019 conference’s coordinator, and has contributed wall text to a current exhibit, Collecting and Connecting: Recent Acquisitions, 2010-2020. Between her keynote speech and workshop, she will participate in a chat with Museum employee and Brevity Bookspace owner Saliym Cooper.
Signed copies of Sebree’s books, Field Study and Mistress, will be for sale at the Museum Store and its website, delartstore.org.
Workshop registration is required, and can be made on our website.
More information about Sebree can be found on the Museum’s blog. For more information on the event, visit our website.
This event is sponsored by Happy Self Publisher. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Delaware Art Museum’s Wilmington Writers Conference
WHEN: Saturday, July 24, 2021, 10 am — 1 pm
WHERE: Virtual
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org
About the Delaware Art Museum
For over 100 years, the Museum has served as a primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. It is alive with experiences, discoveries, and activities to connect people with art and with each other. Originally created in 1912 to honor the renowned illustrator and Wilmington-native, Howard Pyle, the Museum’s collection has grown to over 12,000 works of art in our building and sculpture garden. Also recognized for British Pre-Raphaelite art, the Museum is home to the most comprehensive Pre-Raphaelite collection on display outside of the United Kingdom, and a growing collection of significant contemporary art.
Under the leadership of our Board of Trustees, the Delaware Art Museum is implementing a comprehensive approach to community and civic engagement. This exciting new strategic direction requires that we increase our value and relevance to all audiences. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.