A message about Anthology, Inc. from Bob Nelson
Hi everybody,
This is your friendly neighborhood executive director for Anthology here. I wanted to send you a note, as things here at Anthology cemtral have gotten quiet, real quiet.
As you know, our ongoing Mesa Poetry Slam event ended in August, so with it, sort of the central thing that had kept the organization going over the last couplle years. That said, we are at a really great point in our evolution.
Anthology can be anything it wants to be.
That is, within reason of coarse of the 501(c)(3) charter, so we have to be something literary, of coarse, but beyond that, our path is completely open.
Now, that's why I am writing you today. I'd like to know what you think Anthology should be? I certainly have my ideas, but as has always been the case, I think that the community should drive the organization.
And sometimes that's been hard, because the community has not been necesarily interested in being involved, or there have been other challenges that have gotten in the way.
But now is the potential for a new day, and I'd like to hear your thoughts. On everything, from who should be on the board of directors (there does still need to be a board), to what anthology should do.
Things like
The overriding question is, if you could design a literary nonprofit from the bottom up, what would it look like? What would it do?
More specifically
Who should be the executive director? Does there need to be one? It will not break my heart to say that there should be someone else, so assume the questins asks "If not Bob, "
Focus, should we focus on
Just poetry?
Creative writing in general, poetry and prose?
Some other aspect of the literary community?
Should we have our own events?
another slam?
Open mic?
Writers conference?
Still do Poe?
Workshops?
School visits?
How should we generate income?
Memberships?
Event fees?
Begging poets with no money for money?
sell merchandise?
What else should we do?
Publish?
Recognize community members at some awards ceremony?
And then, the big answer, is should we do nothing? Is there no place for a np like anthology in the literary community?
Think about it, and send me your thoughts, by email, to bob@anthology.org. Based on your answers, Ill start to look at the future, and I'll let you know what that entails.