The Board of Directors of the James Baker Hall Foundation recently approved a grant to enter into a partnership with the Bloodroot Writers Collective, a youth-led collective in Rowan County. Other partners in the project are the Rowan County Arts Center and Coffee Tree Bookstore.

The Bloodroot Writers Collective is a year-round literary arts program for young people 13-17 in Eastern Kentucky, hosted by the Rowan County Arts Center. Inspired by the resilient ephemerals of Appalachian forests—plants like bloodroot and ginseng that bloom boldly, briefly and with purpose—the program cultivates young voices through writing, critique, performance and mentorship.

Through monthly meetings, the Collective offers generative writing sessions, peer critique and performance opportunities. Students learn across genres, build community with one another and connect with established Appalachian authors through guest talks and mentorship.

The project will be led by Amy Richardson who earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University in 2009. She is a published author and her work has been featured in journals such as Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Kentucky Monthly, Untelling and Still: The Journal.

“We are so excited to be partnering with Amy Richardson, the Rowan County Arts Center and Coffee Tree Bookstore in Morehead in support of the Bloodroot Writers Collective,” states Larry Pemble, James Baker Hall Foundation Managing Director. “The Foundation has a strong commitment to Appalachian writers and culture with support for the Ironwood Writers Studio at the Hindman Settlement School.” He continues, “We have seen the power of bringing young writers together and supporting their work. Now is the time to engage them. We are proud to be nurturing the next generation of Kentucky writers.”

For more information, contact Jeanine Triplett, Executive Vice-President at (502) 693-3206 or jeanine@jamesbakerhall.org.