Welcome to the first MV Times Islanders Write newsletter.
In this monthly newsletter, we plan to celebrate, recognize, explore, and test your knowledge about literary life on Martha’s Vineyard. Each newsletter will include a writing prompt, a Vin-lit quiz, essays, information about upcoming literary events, and more.
We are particularly excited to announce the full schedule for the first midwinter Islanders Write in this inaugural newsletter.
Ten years ago, The MV Times started bringing writers with ties to the Island together for an August writers’ festival. This year we decided to test the waters with a writers’ festival on March 15 and 16, to add to the creative conversation and do our part to liven up the March malaise.
Over two decades ago, Thomas Bena had a vision for a March film festival that would bring people together for an immersive day of movies, art, food, and conversation. Then on Sept. 5, 2012, the MV Film Society opened its doors for the first time with a screening of the documentary film “Searching for Sugarman.” From that night on, Richard Paradise, the founder and executive director of the Film Society, started showing independent films throughout the year. (Thank you, Richard!) In 2010, Pathways began holding salons in Chilmark that brought together artists in various disciplines throughout the winter. Featherstone Center for the Arts has long been active during the cold months, inviting Island artists to show their work in group shows and offering a wide range of classes. And of course, the Vineyard’s amazing libraries are filled with off-season programs.
I asked Brian Ditchfield, who has been involved with the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival since its inception and now runs it through Circuit Arts, about the March date. He said, “It’s the month when we are waking from our winter slumber. Our year-round community still has time, our summer residents can return for a spell, and visitors can enjoy the Island all to themselves. Twice, we’ve tried moving the festival closer to summer, and both times, we missed the alchemy of doing it in March. I love that more cultural events are beginning to spring up (pun intended) around that time.” (This year’s Film Festival begins on March 26.)
We too love that more cultural events are taking place during the cold months, and are eager to make the midwinter Islanders Write an annual event. It’ll be different from our summer event, which has both panel discussions and writing workshops. On Saturday, March 15, there will be a series of workshops focused on topics related to the art, craft, and business of writing. And on Sunday, March 16, the workshops will be exclusively for the Vineyard’s youngest writers — Island students ages 6 to 20. Every workshop is free to attend; however, we suggest pre registering for them because space is limited and they are already filling up.
In addition to the workshops, Edgartown Books will be hosting an all-Island book fair during the event. This is an opportunity to meet and chat with Vineyard authors and to continue to build your Island authors book collection. If you are a local author and would like to be part of this, please reach out to Mathew Tombers, manager of Edgartown Books, at mtombers@edgartownbooks.com.
We are very grateful to the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation for their support of Islanders Write, and for serving as our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor so we can receive tax-deductible donations that allow us to continue putting on this program and offering it for free. To make a donation, please go to: https://endowmv.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1106.
We are also grateful to The Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council for their ongoing support of Islanders Write.
And to our magnificent Islanders Write partners — Edgartown Books and Featherstone Center for the Arts. Thank you for being part of this adventure!
We look forward to seeing you in March at Featherstone Center for the Arts and here every month as we build our Islanders Write newsletter community. We invite you to scroll down for this month’s writing prompt, our quiz, an essay about “romantasy” –– the hottest genre in publishing these days –– information about upcoming book and writing related events, the complete schedule for the upcoming Islanders Write, and writing tips from some of the writers who will be giving workshops.
Please reach out to me if you have questions, thoughts, or feedback. Kate@mvtimes.com.
Kate Feiffer, Event Producer, Islanders Write