Category Archives: Workshop

Chat Topics, Event News, Resources, Workshop

Wordplay

What Is Wordplay?

The Loft’s Wordplay will launch May 11–12, 2019 and aims to be the biggest celebration of readers, writers, and great books that Minnesota has ever seen.

The Loft’s Wordplay will launch in May of 2019 and aims to be Minnesota’s largest celebration of readers, writers, and great books. Imagine a weekend full of famous authors and celebrated books; a weekend of readings, conversations, workshops, kids’ activities, demonstrations, and one-of-a-kind happenings with outdoor stages, cooking stages, book signings, quiet reading corners, boisterous parties, food trucks, beer tents, and books, books, books.

Minnesota has one of the most celebrated literary communities in the country. We are rich with presses, locally owned bookstores, author events, writing classes, and great writers. We are perennially ranked one of the most literate communities in the country. A community like ours deserves a celebration like Wordplay.

There will be something for every reader at Wordplay. Whether your book club reads literary fiction or paranormal zombie romance, whether you get your books at your library or on your e-reader, or even if the last book you read was a movie, this festival will be for you. Wordplay’s mission is to celebrate the ways in which people connect to and through words and welcomes anyone who shares a belief in the connective power of story.

For more information visit https://loft.org/wordplay/

Event News, Resources, Statewide Arts, Workshop

The Loft’s Wordsmith Save the date

The Loft’s Wordsmith: A craft, career, and connection conference for writers November 1-3, 2019

Wordsmith: a craft, career, and connection conference for writers will take place November 2–3, 2019 at the McNamara Alumni Center. Some pre-conference workshops and events will take place at the Loft on Friday, November 1 and there may be a workshop/public event on Monday, Nov 4. 

Wordsmith is sponsored by the Loft. They will be bringing esteemed agents, authors, speakers, and editors to town, and the content will include many aspects of the previous genre conferences and the Pitch Conference. But there will be a lot more too. Parts of the conference will be specific to certain levels, genres, and audiences, but much of the conference will bring together all attendees for keynotes, workshops, and networking.

The conference is intended for those ready to pitch their work, those already with a book out or with an agent, and those who want to get more prepared to publish their work. It’s intended for prose writers and poets, genre and literary writers, beginning and advanced. In short, they are working hard to pull together a gathering that will feature meaningful sessions, workshops, one-on-one pitch and craft meetings, and networking opportunities for writers of all levels and genres.

They plan to make lineup announcements in the spring of 2019 and open registration sometime in July of 2019. Please mark your calendar and save the dates.

Event News, Resources, Workshop

Making it public

Join Forecast Public Art MAKING IT PUBLIC, a one-day intensive workshop to help artists make public art. Free to all participants.

Please share or apply!

Making it Public is a free, 1 day intensive workshop designed for artists of any discipline [screen printing, sculpture, community engagement, painting and more] who are interested in exploring how to make their artwork public. Eligible applicants are individual artists new to working in public art. Preference will be given to artists based in northeast Minnesota, rural Minnesota and the Native Nations in Minnesota.

Making It Public offers:

  • Guest presentations from local artists and public art professionals
  • Discussions on the field, profession, history, and contemporary issues in public art
  • Explorations of your professional practice and possibilities in public art
  • An opportunity to apply after the workshop for seed money for a self-initiated public art project

Workshop Details

  • Saturday, March 30, 2019. Participants are expected to attend the whole day.
  • Workshops will cover topics including site analysis, community engagement, permitting, conservation, proposal preparation, project management, and project ideation.
  • Facilitated by Jen Krava and Candida Gonzalez from Forecast with guest speakers.
  • Workshops will take place at MacRostie Art Center in downtown Grand Rapids.
  • The workshop is a product of and facilitated by Forecast Public Art with generous support from the Grand Rapids Arts and Culture Commission and is offered at no cost to the participants.

Participant Qualifications

  • Artists of all media forms are welcome to participate.
  • Limit 20 participants.
  • Participants must commit to the full day.
  • Participants must be new to working in public art.
  • Preference will be given to artists based in northeast Minnesota, rural Minnesota and the Native Nations in Minnesota.
  • Forecast staff will notify all participants whether or not they have been accepted to participate in the workshop.

Click here to apply!

Application deadline has been extended to will close on March 8, 2019 at 5pm.

There are still spots available — consider applying and passing along to others who might be interested.

An additional opportunity has also been added to the workshop: The Grand Rapids Arts and Culture Commission is offering up to $2.000 for mini-projects. Funding applicants must first attend this workshop in order to be considered for funding to support projects this upcoming summer and fall. 


Please contact Candida Gonzalez at candida@forecastpublicart.org with questions. This workshop is made possible by the Grand Rapids Arts and Culture Commission.