HUB-BUB and Hub City Writers Project Announces Partnership
Spartanburg, SC - February 5, 2019 -- HUB-BUB, a division of Chapman Cultural Center, and the Hub City Writers Project announce a partnership to bring their Artists-in-Residence and Writer-in-Residence programs together in 2019. The partnership will allow for more collaboration between resident writers and artists during their time in Spartanburg. Both programs recruit emerging writers and artists from a national pool of applicants to live and create in Spartanburg for an extended period of time and ask that selected residents provide 15 – 20 hours each week of service through community engagement projects.
Although originally formed as a partnership, the two programs have operated independently since 2013. The decision to bring the programs back together was made to allow residents to engage the Spartanburg community in a concerted and interdisciplinary effort.
About the partnership, Anne Waters, Executive Director of the Hub City Writers Project, said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with HUB-BUB and the Chapman Cultural Center. The HCWP Writer-in-Residence program has a long legacy of supporting writers like Akwaeke Emezi and Kali Fajardo-Anstine who have gone on to publish with major New York publishers. This collaboration will assure that future Writers-in-Residence have a thorough introduction to Spartanburg and peers with whom to share their experience."
Jennifer Evins, President and CEO of Chapman Cultural Center, said: “Partnering with Hub City Writers Project allows us the opportunity of shared resources and to leverage the strengths of both programs for the benefit of the artists and our community.”
Currently, HUB-BUB brings two visual artists to Spartanburg through the Artists-in-Residence program for an 11-month residency from September to July. The artists are housed in downtown apartments and have a studio space at the Chapman Cultural Center’s Creative Placemaking Studio.
The Hub City Writers Project currently houses their writer-in-residence in the Writer’s House on Spring St. They will be expanding their program from three 15-week residencies to one 9-month residency from September through May and include a summer publishing internship.
Eric Kocher, Director of HUB-BUB and Creative Placemaking at the Chapman Cultural Center and former Writer-in-Residence with Hub City, has been managing the Artists-in-Residence Program for HUB-BUB since 2014. “My residency experience in 2011 – 2012 was defined, more than anything else, by collaborations with the other artists-in-residence. I couldn’t be happier that these two wonderful programs will be reunited and that future residents will have the same opportunities I did to work together on community engagement projects.” Kocher will be overseeing both programs moving forward.
About the HUB-BUB Artist-in-Residence Program
HUB-BUB is an artist-in-residence program hosted by the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg, SC designed to provide time and space for emerging artists to live free and create. Two residencies will be offered to studio artists for 11-months, from September 2018 – July 2019, during which the artists will receive a monthly stipend, studio space, and housing with utilities paid. During their residency, artists are expected to hold regularly scheduled open studio hours for 15 hours each week during which they will be available to discuss their work and their process with the public. Visit www.hub-bub.com
About Chapman Cultural Center
Our mission is to provide cultural leadership for Greater Spartanburg by developing, strengthening, and promoting the scope, excellence and educational role of the arts, humanities and sciences, and to further their significance in the life of our community and all of its citizens. Visit our website to learn more.
Media
For media inquiries please contact Rachel Wilson, Marketing and Communications Director, at: rwilson@spartanarts.org, 864-278-9698