Mississippi Arts Commission Awards Grant for Literary Center

The Mississippi Arts Commission recently awarded a grant to help support the development of the Mississippi Literary Center. Poet Aleda Shirley, who teaches writing at the University of Mississippi, is coordinator of the Literary Center.

"Mississippi is well known, nationally and internationally, for its rich literary traditions," Shirley said. "We believe that all Mississippians should have an opportunity to feel a sense of pride about this literary culture, and our central goal is to enable people to have that opportunity." Readings and workshops and lectures and signings are fairly frequent events in Oxford, Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Columbus, according to Shirley, but "we're interested in organizing readings and workshops in towns that aren't on a bookstore or university literary circuit."

Thus, plans are to offer three types of programs during the coming year: a touring reading series, with two writers reading at six sites throughout the state; a writing workshop series, with writers conducting three-hour workshops at five sites; and a workshop series in which a writer with extensive experience in arts education will conduct six workshops on the teaching of creative writing in schools, nursing homes, and community centers.

Tentatively scheduled for readings and workshops are Barry Hannah, Ellen Douglas, Cynthia Shearer, Charles Braxton, Richard Lyons, Angela Ball, and Steven Barthelme-all writers with published books of fiction or poetry.

The Literary Center will assist with arrangements, publicity, and other details. Each community hosting an event will need to provide matching funds for the writer's honorarium and travel. Flyers announcing events will list individuals and groups that provide financial support for the project.

For further information call Aleda Shirley, Literary Center Coordinator, at 601-232-5993 or 601-353-1342, or write her in care of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture.

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