Today’s guest blogger is writer, educator and activist Louise Dunlap, author of Undoing the Silence.
It’s a thrill to be coming to Wordstock on this particular weekend—with the whole country taking on a new mandate for positive change and citizens across the old lines of red and blue brimming with the new energy of “yes we can!!” Fellow author William Cleveland and I have planned a conversation-session for Saturday at 1 pm to engage creative people (and that’s everyone!) in the “yes we can!!” spirit. Both of us have written books about the power of the arts—and in my case, especially “the word—to stir deep change in communities in crisis.
I’m very excited about being in conversation with longtime advocate of the arts in social transformation, William Cleveland. His new book, Art and Upheaval, tells the spellbinding stories of music, theater, and other arts projects pulling people together to resist nuclear devastation in Australia, apartheid in South Africa, oppressive rule in Serbia, and more. Mine, Undoing the Silence, shows how to put reluctance aside and write ordinary letters, articles and proposals that can help to change the world. With the icecaps melting, oceans rising, wars sapping our resources and moral strength—all of us can be part of the change. And this week, we’ve turned a corner as a country opening the doors to fuller participation. Both Bill and I will be giving workshops during Wordstock, on Saturday or Sunday, but our “Conversation on the Role of Art in Social Change” will stir the creative energy we can be using as citizens during these extraordinary times.
For more about us, look for Bill at http://www.artandcommunity.com/, for me at www.undoingsilence.org, and for our books and our wonderful publisher (who specializes in books to build vibrant communities) at www.newvillagepress.net.
With so much being said about Portland we thought it time we hear it from the people that say it best– local writers. So we asked the finest ones we know (who all happen to be featured at Wordstock) to write a 50-word piece on Portland topics and to turn it around in a couple of days. So was born “Portland on Portland”. You can view the project by clicking on the animated red button in the top right of our homepage.
We’re proud to announce that we’ll be doing literary trivia nights again this year with Shanrock’s Triviology. Trivia nights are happening all this week (Sunday – Thursday) with literary & pop culture questions. There will also be special Wordstock gift bags filled with goodies in addition to the normal prizes!
Questions are fresh every night, so you can play trivia all week if you like. They’re also done in different locations throughout the city every night so you can find one near you! So get a group together and head on down for some trivia fun!
Tuesday, 11/4/08 @ 7:30 PM
SEWICKLY’S (cash prizes!)
Directions & Info
Wednesday, 11/5/08 @ 8:00 PM
THE HUTCH
Directions & Info
Wednesday, 11/5/08 @ 8:00 PM
PETER’S 19TH HOLE
Directions & Info
Thursday, 11/6/08 @ 9:00 PM
KENTON CLUB
Directions & Info
Thursday, 11/6/08 @ 9:00 PM
LA MERDE (Montage Lounge)
Directions & Info
Did you know that Wordstock has a stage for kids? The Target Children’s Stage and Discovery Area is available to children of all ages, as well as accompanying parents and guardians, on Saturday and Sunday until 4:00 pm.
Devoted to hands-on activities, the Discovery Area is a great place to explore the basics of zine, comic, and book making. Visitors to the area are encouranged to create their own magazine under the guidance
of IPRC staff members, or lounge in ultra-comfy beanbag chairs, donated by Target, and listen to read-alouds between on-stage appearances of your favorite authors. Looking for a bigger challenge?
Kids can put together a first novel with Abe Books, or learn to draw their favorite Disney characters with artist Rob Howard!
The Target Children’s Stage is hosting a variety of readings (see Saturday and Sunday‘s line up) geared to a wide-range of readers throughout the weekend. Be sure to catch storytime with the Dairy Princess on Sunday, as well as two showcases
presented by OBA, one focused on Children’s Literature, the other on Young Adult literature. Other highlights include readings by Shannon Young and Teri Brown, as well as a panel discussion on historical
fiction in Young Adult literature hosted by Christine Fletcher, Susan Fletcher, and Graham Salisbury.
Please note: Young children must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.