Darton State College has received a grant from Georgia Humanities for a new program, Foundations in Family: A Literary Festival to be held on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at Darton State College.

“We are honored to receive this investment from Georgia Humanities,” says Dr. Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Darton State College. “The Humanities Department works each year to bring recognition to the importance literature plays in our society by celebrating students writing through our literary magazine, New Clay, and through larger events, such as our National Day on Writing. With this seed funding, we will able to organize and promote a free festival for students, as well as for the community.”

Foundations in Family: A Literary Festival will celebrate the ways in which the family serves as a foundation for the community, society, and self-identity. The festival will house four authors, who will give presentations on their writing, the writing process, and how their individual works affect and/or are affected by the foundation of families.

Addtionally, the fesitval will allow students, faculty, staff, and community members to present their work, as well. All forms of writing – poetry, short stories, fiction, non-fiction, drama, and academic research – will be welcome at this event.

“Albany and Southwest Georgia has so many literary talents. This event will allow us to highlight the significant contributions our area of the state has made to literature,” says Gassel Perkins. “With panel discussions, book signings, and keynote addresses, this festival will bring to life what is on the page for participants.”

The one-day festival includes a book signing hosted by the four published authors, and participants may also purchase a ticket to attend the optional luncheon. Authors will include Dr. Naida Saavedra, Dr. Ulf Kirchdorfer, Bummi Anderson, and keynote speaker, Shirley Sherrod.

"Grant funded programming allows Darton State College to offer valuable opportunities to our students and the community,” says Shalonda Heard, Director of Grants at Darton State College. “This new grant provides an opportunity for our students to hear from professionals in the literary field as well as share their original works.”

This project is supported by Georgia Humanites through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Humanities is a nonprofit organization working to ensure that humanities and culture remain an integral part of the lives of Georgians.