As the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Hudson Valley Writers Center (HVWC) will host The Word at 250, a 250-minute literary celebration featuring readings, performances, music, and conversation both in person and live streamed.
Open to the public on June 18 from 5pm to 9:10pm ET, The Word at 250 invites audiences to attend for five minutes or the full 250. “The Hudson Valley Writers Center can be a national space, and a neighborly space,” says HVWC Board Chair Michael Quattrone. “On June 18th, it will be both. The Word at 250 invites us to join in conversation with the values that make ‘We, the people,’ who we are. It’s a big ‘We,’ that has always been aspirational, and continues to grow, as we assemble with care.”
Throughout the evening, writers, artists, and members of the HVWC community will share poetry, prose, historical texts, and original performances that reflect on the stories America has told across generations as well as stories still waiting to be heard.
“The Word at 250 is both a celebration and an assertion of the essential role of literature, storytelling, and artistic expression in a healthy civic culture,” says Beth Whitaker, Executive Director of the Hudson Valley Writers Center. “At a moment when many stories are being challenged or silenced, HVWC will offer a space for reflection on 250 years of the written and spoken word, the diverse voices that shaped our history, and the stories that will inspire our future.”
Whether online or in person, participants will encounter a wide range of voices and genres spanning historical texts, contemporary poetry and fiction, music, and personal narrative. Program Director Dominika Wrozynski hopes attendees will leave with a renewed sense of connection.
“Language is a powerful tool—of self-expression, change, challenge, and celebration,” Wrozynski says. “If art and literature, by definition, show us what it means to be human, then my hope is that The Word at 250 will afford us the opportunity to be a little more human—together, in community.”
Confirmed The Word at 250 performers include:
Subhaga Crystal Bacon, Ann Bookman, Marion Brown, Andrew Colarusso, Tova Greene, Derek Dubrae Jackson, Matthew Johnson, Joël Simeu Juegouo, Aubrey Moncrieffe, Neptune in June, Michael Quattrone, Alex Rosenberg, Elaine Sexton, Margo Taft Stever, tarry literary magazine, Brian Turner, Christopher Vaughan, Phylisha Villanueva, and Char Weigel. Stay tuned for more confirmed participants.
Neptune in June, a nomadic curatorial & community project originally based in Port Chester, NY, will lead participants in the making of poetry mosaics during the event.
HVWC invites community members to become Champions of The Word at 250. In this time when many stories are being silenced, supporting independent literary organizations is an act of conviction. A sponsorship of $250 supports not just this milestone event, but HVWC’s programming that serves writers and readers across our community year-round.
Early Champions include: Emily Berger, Ann Bookman, Marion and Alan Brown, Garfield Charles, Brendan Condon, Mary Evelyn Hadad, Tom Mellana, Jennifer Miller, Lynn Moffat, Aubrey Moncrieffe, Michael Quattrone, Nicholas A. Robinson, and Margo Taft Stever.
The Word at 250 is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to come and go throughout the evening, whether joining in person or online. The Hudson Valley Writers Center is at 300 Riverside Drive, Sleepy Hollow and the event will also be livestreamed on Zoom (audience members will receive a link after registering online).
Details and registration: https://www.writerscenter.org/event-details/the-word-at-250
