Hedgebrook
In August 1988, Hedgebrook, founded by Seattle philanthropist Nancy Nordhoff, opened to its first session of writers. Over time, nearly 2000 writers have lived and worked in Hedgebrook’s cottages, generating thousands of novels, poems, plays, screenplays, memoirs, works of non-fiction. Literally millions of people have experienced the work that has been generated in our cottages. Our Farmhouse library is full of their books, and we happily promote every new release to our community of avid readers. We call the care and nurturing writers receive in residence “radical hospitality,” since it enables a woman writer to go to the places she needs to go, however dark or challenging, to tell her story. The impact of this gift is manifold: everyone who encounters this writer and her work is a recipient of her experience—of being recognized and valued for her work.
Nancy’s vision has evolved into a global community of writers enriched by diversity: of culture, nationality, voice, genre, generation, perspective, religious beliefs and political affiliations. Nearly two-thirds of Hedgebrook’s alumnae are women of color, and they come from all over the world, and all walks of life. They are emerging and published, ranging in age from 18-85, and writing in all genres. And their writing is exemplary: out of our rigorous two-round selection process, and a growing international pool of more than 1,800 applicants, 40 writers are awarded a residency each year. Hedgebrook’s commitment to our alumnae extends beyond their residency. Our public programs connect them and their work with agents, publishers, editors, producers, readers, and audiences. Working with our alumnae, we produce reading series’ and professional development workshops across the country and will be expanding these offerings globally via the internet. Our community is also open to women writers who have not yet come to Hedgebrook for a residency, through Salons, Master Classes, Vortext at the retreat, and the workshops offered by alumnae in other cities. We are launching a New Girls Network with other like-minded organizations, to expand our offerings to an even wider community of women writers, and to join the movement for equal voice for women writers to achieve a just and peaceful world.
Women Playwrights Festival
Over the past twenty years, the Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festival has proudly supported the creation and development of hundreds of new theatrical works by some of the most exciting playwrights of our time—who have gone on to become Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Obie,Emmy and Golden Globe award winners, as well as McArthur Genius Fellows. The festival begins with a “pre-retreat” weekend, in which the playwrights have the opportunity to get to know one another, hear each other’s plays read aloud, and share responses with an intimate group of theatre professionals in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. This is followed by a two-week retreat at Hedgebrook, where each playwright has her own private cottage, a dramaturg on-call, and the opportunity to work in Hedgebrook’s unique combination of solitude and community. The retreat is capped off with public presentations of excerpts from each play.
Participation in the Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festival is by invitation in collaboration with partner theatres from around the country. In recognition of the fact that fewer than 20% of the plays produced each year on US stages are by women, Hedgebrook is partnering with theatres who show their commitment to women playwrights through commissions, development and production opportunities. In this way, Hedgebrook forges opportunities for women playwrights to deepen their relationships with theatres and is becoming a major pipeline for plays by women to move from creation to development and production. Current partners include Center Theatre Group, Denver Center Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Southern Rep Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre.
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