In the first year of any organization, there is a lot that goes into establishing your identity as well as sealing your mission and what your purpose is for existing. From the beginning people have encouraged us “to go where the writers are” and beginning in May, we plan to take the show on the road to begin to work in other parts of the state.

On Thursday, April 24th, Governor Andy Beshear said thank you to outgoing Kentucky Poet Laureate, Silas House, and introduced Kathleen Driskell, chair of the Nausland-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University as the new Kentucky Poet Laureate. She is an award winning poet, essayist, teacher and has been a leader in the professional organization of creative writers. The foundation has worked with Kathleen and Spalding University on several projects and we know . . . just like Silas . . . she will do an excellent job in telling the story of Kentucky’s rich literary tradition.

The James Baker Hall Foundation is proud to announce a collaboration with Christopher McCurry, owner of Workhorse LLC, a community publishing company that was created to make studying and publishing more accessible to working writers. The partnership with the foundation will provide funding for four programs.

Kentucky’s Writer’s Day is a yearly celebration of literary artists in the Commonwealth. The event was created by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1990 to be observed on or around April 24th which coincides with the birthday of Robert Penn Warren, a renowned Kentucky writer. Warren, a native of Todd County, was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes and served as the United States first Poet Laureate.

April 14, 1935 – June 25, 2009

It is hard to believe we are approaching the first year of our annual book award announcement. The foundation has grown significantly over the year in outreach and programming. But it is now time to celebrate and we would love for you to join us.