Artist Residencies 101

Friday, April 10 | 1-3pm Eastern

FREE, registration limited to New England artists

Online, Zoom

Assets for Artists

Curious about artist residencies? In this workshop, we will go over different art residency models and what they have to offer, from artist communities to DIY and micro-residencies. We will discuss how to assess whether you are in the right season of your life and practice to apply, what residency model makes the most sense for you, and navigating residencies as a full-time worker or caregiver. Participants will leave with resources on where to find open calls, funding opportunities, and application dos and don’ts. This workshop will be discussion based and artists should come ready to journal. There will be time for Q&A.

Yasmine Ameli (she/her) is an Iranian American poet and essayist whose writing has appeared in POETRY, Ploughshares, The Sun, the Southern Review, and elsewhere. A fellow A4A grantee, she coaches creative writers on the business of thriving as an artist.

Suitable for artists of all disciplines. 25 participants max.

Crafting Your Teaching Artist Philosophy Statement

Wednesday, May 6 | 7-9pm Eastern

FREE

Online, Zoom

Bartol Foundation

A teaching artist philosophy statement is a brief reflection on your values and goals as an arts educator. This document is not only an essential component of many job applications but also can help attract your ideal student and serves as a tool to help you self-assess whether or not your pedagogical decisions align with your values. Through guided journaling prompts and discussion, this workshop will prepare teaching artists to draft their own teaching artist statement. Participants will leave with examples and resources to help them move forward.

Space & Time for BIPOC Writers

8 Mondays | June 8 - July 27 | 7:30-9pm Eastern

FREE (Spaces fill fast! Register early!)

Online, Zoom

Grub Street

This summer, GrubStreet is holding space for 90 minutes of writing time every Monday evening. Instructor Yasmine Ameli will be present to guide the group and facilitate connections with other BIPOC writers. Feel free to come with a blank page, or bring your works in progress, and use this time how you like: chip away at a draft, work on submissions, or start new projects.

Each session will begin with an optional writing prompt to spark creativity, as well as an invitation to set a personal writing goal. We'll then spend five minutes in small breakout groups to share our intentions for the session with each other. From there, the majority of our time will be dedicated to uninterrupted writing time in an encouraging, low-stakes environment. We will end our time together with an opportunity to share—whether that be an excerpt from that session’s draft, a writing conundrum you’d like help troubleshooting, or a favorite book you think everyone should read.

Writers in all genres are welcome to attend. Weekly attendance is not required – come as you like, whenever having this space and time feels like it would be useful for you and your writing.

*This program welcomes writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and was created to center and support BIPOC writers within our community.

Jumpstart Your Writing

6 Thursdays | July 23 - August 27 | 6pm-9pm Eastern

$415

Online, Zoom

Grub Street

Whether you’ve never written creatively before or you’re a more experienced writer looking for a recharge, your mission in this course is simple: devote three hours a week to your writing. With an eye on craft and openness to the muse, we will read and discuss short pieces, including poetry, essay, and fiction.

In class, we will discuss the process of writing with a focus on sustainable writing practices, creative play, writer's block, creative community, reading for inspiration, and revision as generation. Potential readings include works by Lucille Clifton, Sandra Cisneros, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Fatimah Asghar, and others.

At the end of six weeks, you’ll leave class with a fresh set of drafts, new ideas to keep you writing, meaningful connections with fellow writers, and a stronger sense of your own voice on the page.

Past Readings & Events

“Creating and Sustaining a Satisfying Writing Life.” WriteAngles Conference. Northampton, MA (2024).

Literary Reading & Open Mic for Palestine/UNRWA. Bookends, Florence, MA (2024).

Conversation with Ani Gjika. Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA (2024).

“Women, Life, Freedom: Iranian Writers Reading & in Conversation.” RAWIFest+Mizna 2023. Minneapolis, MN (2023).

RAWIFest+Mizna 2023 Reading. Minneapolis (2023).

The Elemental Salon. Florence, MA (2023).

The Thirsty Lab Reading. Zoom (2023).

2022 Edith Wharton / Straw Dog Writers-in-Residence Celebration. Lenox, MA (2022). 

AGNI Launch of Issue 95. Goethe-Institut Boston. Boston, MA (2022).

QTWOC + QPOC Winnipeg. Zoom (2022).

Radius of Arab American Writers Festival (RAWIFest). Zoom (2021).

Poetry Reading with Fatemeh Shams. Blacksburg, VA (2019).

Contemporary Iranian-American Creative Nonfiction. University of Maryland Summer Language Institute Graduate Education Panel (2018).

Past Workshops

Creative Writing Workshops: Introduction to Creative Writing (12-week class), Introduction to Creative Nonfiction (12-week class), Jumpstart Your Writing: Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction (6-week class), Introduction to Poetry (6-week class), Space & Time for BIPOC Writers (12-week class), Poet Tea: Making & Writing about Tea (3-hour class), Eat the Apple: Writing Sensual Experiences (3-hour class), Beloved: How to Write a Love Letter (3-hour class), Who Let the Dogs Out: Writing About Pets (1-hour class)

Arts Business Workshops: Submitting to Literary Markets & Magazines (3-hour class), Artist Residencies 101 (2-hour class), Fund Your Writing: Fellowships, Residencies, and Grants (3-hour class); MFA Application Crash Course (3-hour class), Writing the MFA Application (4-week course) Cultivating Sustainable Writing Practices (3-hour class); Finding Your Literary Community (3-hour class)

Teaching Artist Professional Development: Teaching Artist Summer Camp: Cultivating a Teaching Philosophy (6-week class)