Arts Council
Arts Council celebrates Kentucky Writers' Day at the Capitol

FRANKFORT, Ky. –The Kentucky Arts Council will celebrate Kentucky Writers’ Day at 10 a.m. EDT, Friday, April 23, 2010, in the Capitol Rotunda, Frankfort.

Past Kentucky Poets Laureate Jane Gentry Vance (2007-2008), Sena Jeter Naslund (2005-2006), Joe Survant (2003-2004) and Richard Taylor (1999-2000) will give readings of their work as part of the Kentucky Writers' Day event.

Kentucky state Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest first-place winner Barbara Gooding of Western Hills High School in Frankfort and second-place winner Torie DiMartile of Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell will recite selected poems. Barbara Gooding was also the 2009 state champion and went on to place second in the national finals sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

A special reception to honor all Kentucky writers will follow at 11 a.m. on the mezzanine level of the Capitol. "Five Kentucky Poets Laureate: An Anthology," "Abraham Lincoln of Kentucky" and poet laureate broadsides will be offered for sale at the reception.

This event is free and open to the public.

Kentucky Poet Laureate Gurney Norman, who will be teaching at the 14^th Annual Spring Writers Conference at the Hazard Community and Technical College on that day, commented, "I am amazed that a whole year has passed since I was named Kentucky's Poet Laureate. I have visited all the state's regions and met good people everywhere, people interested in education, literacy, writing, reading and appreciating Kentucky's unique contributions to American literature. The majority of my talks take place in local libraries where people with a strong civic interest sponsor many literary and artistic activities. I always come away from such events with more energy than I have brought. Being around Kentucky people on such occasions reminds me of the best qualities of our population."

Kentucky Writers' Day is officially April 24 in honor of the birth date of Kentucky native Robert Penn Warren, the first poet laureate of the United States and winner of three Pulitzer prizes. The Kentucky Arts Council's Writers' Day celebration is held on weekdays in years that April 24^th falls on a weekend or holiday.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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