For three days at the end of April, writers and readers from around the country converged on campus to celebrate 30 years of literary arts at Interlochen and to establish a new tradition of learning at the first Literary Arts Symposium.

The event was a joint effort of the Creative Writing Department and the new College of Creative Arts at Interlochen, which opens opportunities for life-long involvement in the arts. More than 130 writers, readers, teachers and students joined in the activities, which included workshops on subjects from writer’s block to poetry in popular music, as well as readings by writers attending the conference.

Creative Writing students Rebecca Chou and Laurie Murphy chat with novelist Nicholas Delbanco.

Anne-Marie Oomen, the Chair of the Creative Writing Department, felt that the diversity of those attending the symposium made the event unique; students, elders, poets, novelists and songwriters - all learned from each other.

Academy Creative Writing alumna Beth Bigler, who is currently completing her M.F.A in dramatic writing at Goddard College, returned to campus to present a workshop on playwriting for educators, but also attended many of the other sessions.

"The workshops were jam-packed with insights, strategies and ideas - from working with narrative structure to writing a song to examining the connection between politics and writing," she said. "Each offered a variety of experience and wealth of information to inform and inspire writers, teachers, students and literature lovers."

Many attendees were especially pleased to meet with and learn from accomplished writers including former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, Judith Minty and Nicholas Delbanco. Bigler felt that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to interact with such respected writers. "Haas brought so much to the whole weekend from his keynote address, his readings and his conversations with participants," she said.

With a growing pool of Creative Writing alumni, Oomen said that the writing symposium is a natural way to both celebrate and connect with alumni while also reaching new audiences.

"We would like to become a center for all generations to participate in and learn about the literary arts. This event was a wonderful opportunity for the growing number of people who have the dream of learning to write - and teach - and know about the literary world."

In search of more opportunities for youth

Among the many ideas exchanged and developed at Interlochen’s first Literary Arts Symposium, many writers agreed that more outlets are needed for young writers to share their ideas and to be published.

"Though young people are still developing as writers, many are ready to take on bigger, more sophisticated writing - work that reflects their unique perspective on things. That impulse should be honored," said Anne-Marie Oomen, Chair of the Creative Writing Department. "And as an organization with a history of opening doors for young artists, I think that Interlochen could lead the writing community in this effort."

In a workshop on Saturday, Oomen and other writers discussed ways that Interlochen could create new outlets for publishing the works of talented young writers at Interlochen and around the country.

"A national publication or publications juried by youth for youth clearly is needed," said Interlochen President Jeffrey Kimpton, "and Interlochen is prepared to lead such an effort if it can find the financial resources to make such an ambitious endeavor possible. We have the experience and the will. We just need to find the way."