GrubStreet, Boston Public Library offer free creative writing classes

GrubStreet, one of the nation’s leading creative writing centers, and Boston Public Library (BPL) have announced the relaunch of their neighborhood writing program, Write Down the Street. Together, the organizations will offer free creative writing workshops at BPL’s Egleston Square and Mattapan branches. This fall marks the second year of the program.

Participants can choose from low-commitment drop-in classes or a six-week bilingual writing workshop. Each drop-in session focuses on a unique theme, including natural disasters, immigration stories, and food.

The fall term of Write Down the Street will launch on Friday, October 6 with a six-week bilingual writing workshop at the Egleston Square Branch of the Boston Public Library, followed by drop-in classes at the Mattapan Branch of the Boston Public Library, beginning Tuesday, October 17.  BPL’s Teen Central at the Central Library and GrubStreet will also offer free teen classes, starting with a podcasting series that begins October 3.

“No matter your writing experience, these workshops are a great way to do fun exercises, get inspired by other writers, and receive feedback from classmates, if you choose to share your work,” says Denise Delgado, Write Down the Street instructor and GrubStreet Program Fellow.

Write Down the Street workshops not only provide free writing opportunities but also create inclusive spaces for writers. Workshop readings highlight literature by international writers and authors of color. The program also provides flexibility for caretakers, allowing participants to bring their families to drop-in sessions. With funding from the Calderwood Foundation, GrubStreet and the BPL will be expanding to offer free drop-in workshops for teens in the near future.

“The goal of Write Down the Street is to ensure that everyone in the city who wants to participate in the literary arts has access to great instruction and community,” says GrubStreet’s Executive Director, Eve Bridburg. “We believe in creating opportunity for communities currently underrepresented in publishing. Our hope is to help a diverse range of writers get inspired, hone their work and find audiences.”

“Boston Public Library is excited to collaborate once again with GrubStreet on the Write Down the Street program,” says David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “We had a great turnout last year at our Egleston Square and Grove Hall branches. This fall we look forward to engaging members of the Egleston Square and Mattapan writing communities, welcoming teens into the program, and we hope to expand this program to even more locations in the future.”

To learn more about these classes and for program updates, visit https://grubstreet.org/programs/neighborhood-classes/.

Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org.

Founded in 1997, GrubStreet has grown into the nation’s largest independent creative writing center. By rigorously developing voices of every type and talent and by removing barriers to entry, GrubStreet fosters the creation of meaningful stories and ensures that excellent writing remains vital and relevant. We offer over five hundred classes and events a year for writers of all genres and ambitions—from first-time poets or fledgling memoirists to MFA graduates and published novelists. Our flagship conference, The Muse and the Marketplace, was recently named “the #1 writing conference in North America” by The Writer Magazine, and attracts more than 800 attendees every year in Boston for three days of interactive sessions, meetings, and events.  For more information, please visit www.grubstreet.org and http://museandthemarketplace.com.