How many of us still pick up a book to read rather than our cell phones or switch on the television? Studies show: fewer and fewer of us. The Village of Vicksburg, Michigan, is doing something to change that with their inaugural PULP & PRESS LIT ARTS FEST. Events include an illustration art gallery exhibition, a workshop on writing cultural heritage poems, a Japanese stab book binding workshop, demonstrations of an antique printing press, and the Book Trail with more than 30 regional authors. Kimm Mayer is the planning committee lead.
“The Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest is the brainchild and the initiative of several different arts organizations here in Vicksburg,” says Mayer. “We all came together and said, you know there’s got to be something that we could do to take advantage of the arts environment and community that we have budding here and growing here in Vicksburg.”
The result of that community discussion is a two-day celebration of the written word featuring authors, illustrators, demonstrations and hands-on workshops. The Pulp & Press Lit Arts Fest is a literary arts festival with the intention of bringing people together for a lively, educational and inspirational celebration of books and literacy.
Collaborating in the planning of the event are Vicksburg Arts, The Prairie Ronde Artist Gallery/Residency, Gilbert and Ivy Booksellers, the Vicksburg District Library, The Vicksburg Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Village of Vicksburg.
“When we look at literacy rates once you get out of metropolitan areas, they drop dramatically, which is part of the reason for the importance of doing this in a rural location,” Mayer says. “But we also see that Michigan’s literacy rates and overall education rankings are going down. A lot of it is access to books … but it goes beyond that. Is there something that is drawing them into that, making it engaging, bringing that to life that inspires them to want to pick the book up. We’re really hoping that by bringing an event such as this that is going to be highly interactive that it inspires someone who may not be a big reader to say, that looks interesting!” The festival kicks off on Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m. with a reading by Shelby Van Pelt, author of New York Times bestselling novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures. Van Pelt will be speaking at the Vicksburg Performing Art Center. Events and workshops continue throughout the weekend. For more information and ticketing (most events are free), visit Eventbrite.
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