The Givens Black Writers Collaborative Retreat Program
"Thanks for inviting me to this gathering the woods, one of the most brilliant groups that I have encountered."
The Givens Black Writers Collaborative Retreat Program engages ten emerging African American writers from diverse genres in an eight-month program providing mentoring and peer support, building literary community, honing literary craft, and producing new works. Each year, the program launches with a four-day, Minnesota-based retreat that includes workshops and one-on-one sessions with National and State Mentoring Writers. Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Ishmael Reed, Patricia Smith, J. Otis Powell!, Carolyn Holbrook, Laurie Carlos, and Alexs Pate have served as Mentoring Writers for past retreats.
Download the Retreat Application (PDF)
Download the Retreat Application (Word)
2011 National and State Mentoring Writers
Retreat Mentoring Writers lead workshops and meet one-on-one with participants to review and discuss their literary works in progress. In November 2011, Percival Everett will serve as the National Mentoring Writer and Philip Bryant will serve as the State Mentoring Writer at the retreat.
Important Program Dates
- Program Information Session: September 28, 2011 -- 6:30p @ UMN Urban Research Outreach & Engagement Center/UROC, 2001 Plymouth Avenue, N. Minneapolis, MN 55411
- Application Deadline: October 14, 2011 (5pm; mail/email)
- Retreat Dates: Nov. 3 -- 6, 2011 (4 days, 3 nights)
- Program Workshops: Dec 2011 to Jun 2012
- Writers Performance: Jun - Aug 2012
Retreat Activities
Retreat activities will focus on workshops, free writing time, roundtable discussions, and one-on-one time with retreat mentors where writers can further develop their works.
Retreat Location
In the fall of 2011, the Givens Black Writers Collaborative Retreat will host an urban retreat at the Minnesota Humanities Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to individual rooms, this retreat setting will offer full access to internet research and resources in support of the development of writers' works.
http://minnesotahumanities.org/conferencefacility
Post-Retreat Program Activities
Following the retreat, participating writers will continue to meet monthly with each other and the State Mentoring Writer for the purpose of continuing to receive support and feedback in the development of their work. Retreat program activities will culminate with a writers’ reading series in which participating writers will perform their works before audiences in the summer of 2012.
Contact for More Information or Questions
Eartha Bell, Assistant Director
Quotes from 2010-2011 Retreat Participants:
“This is a unique learning experience for us, about us. Learning from those who have found success and can teach us skills, craft, and to listen to our instincts. We could not do this without this chance to incubate and immerse ourselves in the work.”
“I don’t know what I would have done next as a black writer in MN. I felt my voice being lost in the cultural divide.”
“I’ve never received so much constructive and specific feedback for my writing. I’ve never produced so much in such a short period of time. The encouragement from mentors and peers drove me to write madly.”
“This is the only place since moving to MN where I have felt at home. The retreat gives the many black writers in this state a chance to thrive. There are other national programs but we need this program to balance what comes out of other writing programs; -- a sense of cultural rejuvenation, an affirmation and acknowledgment of African American writers in MN.”
“Lord, this has been the most important and influential writing experience of my life. Working with other black writers allowed me to be myself and shed my anxious feelings about not being accepted or understood. This experience has been imperative for me to move forward. I see now and have specific names of a community behind me.”