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Fine Arts Work Center Newsletter - September 2023

Arts and Entertainment

September 26, 2023

From: Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown

As we say a fond farewell to summer and excitedly anticipate the arrival of a new group of Fellows who will join us this October, we find ourselves reflecting on all the writers and artists who’ve come before and enjoyed the precious, changing beauty of our community. They discovered a sense of belonging here, as so many of us have.

For over half a century, the Work Center has been dedicated to providing residencies for emerging visual artists, fiction writers, and poets. We carefully select a juried group of 20 Fellows each year for a seven-month program and provide them with the time, space, and freedom they need to further their artistic practice.

We take pride in the knowledge that every generation of Fellows leaves with an expanded sense of possibility and renewed confidence in themselves as practicing artists or writers. Thank you for participating in our mission to support artistic freedom, nurture creative connections, and make possible artistic achievements important to the larger culture.

Past Fellow Spotlight // Michael Cunningham

" 'He's written one of, if not the, best novels about the pandemic that I’ve encountered, but it’s also a novel about everyday life,' said writer [and past Fellow] Susan Choi, a close friend of Cunningham’s. 'What he did with the idea of a day, and taking a day from each of those particular years, reflects how all of us as a planet are still trying to process those three years in our lives.' "

Michael Cunningham's new novel Day is set to be published on November 14th. In a recent New York Times article, he credits Virginia Woolf "for helping me understand that a novel can have real scope without being physically large and without spanning a great deal of time'". Join us in pre-ordering your copy through our local bookshop partner East End Books here.

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Program Highlights // Summer at FAWC and 24PearlStreet

Thank you for another fantastic summer at the Fine Arts Work Center!

The summer was unforgettable thanks to the vibrant atmosphere of Provincetown and the artists, writers, and friends we engaged through our Summer Workshop ProgramSummer Awards Celebration, and Summer Exhibition. Our Facilities team is working hard to prepare the apartments and studios for the incoming Fellows as we transition into a new season of solitude and community.

If you are able, please consider making a donation here to help us welcome them. All gifts will be matched by a generous, anonymous donor.

New online writing workshops are now open for registration at 24PearlStreet!

Thank you to everyone who attended this week's Wilder Words, a free public event to meet our new faculty members. What a great night!

Learn more about our online writing workshops led by renowned authors! Use code FALL23EARLY for a 15% discount if you register before October 2nd.

Creative Corner // A Summer Illustration

We hosted many outstanding artist talks in the Stanley Kunitz Common Room during our Summer Workshop Program. Ryan Hartley Smith, a talented illustrator who participated in Cecilia Ruiz's printmaking workshop, recently tagged us in a post on Instagram featuring a sketch that reminded us of those excellent talks. Illustrated above is Mike Curato, an incredible writer and illustrator who taught during Youth Lit Week this past summer. His debut young adult graphic novel, Flamer, was awarded a 2020 Lambda Literary Award and the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Middle Grade/Young Adult.

Behind the Scenes // Lounge Renovation

Check out our renovation progress at 24 Pearl Street, as we make continued investments in our historic facilities! The award-winning LAB [3.2] Architecture and Cape Associates have thoughtfully designed and renovated this community space. The kitchen has been updated with new appliances, and we're excited to open the lounge in mid-October and host an inaugural welcome potluck with the new Fellows.