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Public Notice: Section 106

PUBLIC NOTICE

Regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Section 106 Review of the Evergreens Environmental Improvements at the Emily Dickinson Museum

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded The Trustees of Amherst College in Amherst Massachusetts, a Sustaining Cultural Heritage College Collections grant (PF-260799-18) to renovate, restore and make improvements to the Evergreens, including the replacement and expansion of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.

NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.  This public notice is issued as part of NEH’s responsibilities under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, the regulations which implement Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108.  NEH, a funding agency, is required by regulation to identify and assess the effects of any proposed actions on historic properties.  If any proposed action will have an adverse effect on historic resources, NEH works with the appropriate parties to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects.  Additionally, the Section 106 regulations require NEH to consider the views of the public on preservation issues when making final decisions that affect historic properties.

The Evergreens also known as the Austin Dickinson House is located at 280 Main St. Amherst MA 01002. The site is listed in the State Register of Historic Places (Massachusetts Historical Commission #AMH.448) and the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP # 66000363). The property is also within the Dickinson Historic District, a National Register District (NHRP # 77000182) and a Local Historic District (AMH.M). The historical significance of the house and historic district and their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places is available at: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63793717 and https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63795437.

Architectural
* reconstruct the area way foundation wall reusing the existing bluestone stairs and constructing a new wood plank bulkhead
* repair and repaint the brick and stone foundation masonry in the vicinity of the bulkhead and ramp
* install interior storm window panels and UV filtering shades
* selective plaster ceiling repairs utilizing traditional 3-coat plaster
* install an access hatch at the tower attic stairwell
* enhancement of attic insulation with added plywood catwalk
* selective roof repair, built-in gutter enhancement, additional drip edge flashing
* replace east chimney exhaust hood, stabilize upper chimney brick courses, install new chimney cap
* selectively replace all modern window and door weather stripping with traditional concealed stripping

Mechanical and Electrical
* install split heat pump system in basement
* install new gas boiler in basement to replacement two existing furnaces
* install new ductwork to serve existing floor registers and
* install new electric service and generator hookup from Homestead mechanical courtyard
* remove overhead electric system and provide new electrical conductors in conduits (conduit work completed)
* install Building Maintenance System (BMS)

In a letter dated May 26, 2022, Brona Simon, the State Historic Preservation Officer for the Massachusetts Historical Commission, determined that the proposed improvements to the Evergreen will have no adverse effect. Subsequently, NEH has determined that the project will have no adverse effect (36 CFR 800.5(b)).

As required by Section 106, NEH is providing the public with information about this project, as well as an opportunity to comment on any knowledge of, or concerns with, historic properties in the proposed project area, and issues relating to the project’s potential effects on historic properties. Comments may be submitted to the NEH by e-mail to FPO@neh.gov.  The deadline for submitting comments is Friday, June 24, 2022.

Photo of donors John and Elizabeth Armstrong standing in front of a bookshelf

Press Release:
Armstrong Carriage House Gift

THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM RECEIVES $600,000 COMMITMENT FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF THE EVERGREENS CARRIAGE HOUSE

Challenge gift from John and Elizabeth Armstrong kicks off major $3.5M 20th Anniversary fundraising effort, Twice as Bold, in support of Museum’s long range plan

Photo of donors John and Elizabeth Armstrong standing in front of a bookshelfWe invite you to join us by responding to the Armstrongs’ challenge to be part of the Twice as Bold initiative by making a gift to the Museum before June 30 in support of its program and core mission, in celebration of the 20th Anniversary, and in honor of Emily Dickinson and her enduring relevance.

DONATE

(AMHERST, Mass., February 9, 2022) – The Emily Dickinson Museum today announced a major pledge of $600,000 from former Board members and long-time friends John and Elizabeth Armstrong for the design and reconstruction of the Carriage House that once stood to the east of The Evergreens, the home of Emily Dickinson’s brother Austin and his wife Susan. The project flows from a recently-completed long range plan, which maps programmatic and capital enhancements over the next decade at the Museum’s historic downtown Amherst location. By significantly expanding access to the Museum and its programs for both onsite and online visitors, the changes firmly establish the Museum as the premier center for the study and celebration of Dickinson’s life and work, and as a source and site of inspiration for new generations of poets, artists, writers, and thinkers.

The Armstrongs’ commitment is the largest received to date in the effort to raise $3.5 million in operating, program, and capital support by the end of the Museum’s 20th Anniversary festivities, which kick off next year and run through the summer of 2024. The initiative, called Twice as Bold after one of Dickinson’s poems, aims to raise awareness and support for the Museum at a pivotal time in its history. Gifts from other Museum stakeholders will be sought to meet and amplify the Armstrongs’ generous start. “Elizabeth and I are delighted to be able to pledge our support to this important project,” states John Armstrong, “Emily Dickinson’s poetry and the place she called home have proven themselves to be enduring gifts to the world. It is both our pleasure and responsibility to give back, and to invite others at every level to join us.”

The reconstructed Evergreens Carriage House–scheduled for completion in early 2024–will initially serve as a much-needed site for visitor welcome, orientation, and services while a third and final phase of Dickinson Homestead restoration concludes. In the longer term, the Carriage House will be dedicated to student and visitor learning and engagement. Initial design plans call for reconstructing the historic appearance of the exterior of the Carriage House as faithfully as possible while optimizing interior functions and flow. In addition to this and the Homestead projects, the Museum’s plans include restoration of The Evergreens and the surrounding landscape and gardens, as well as significant enhancements to the Museum’s public and educational program offerings, in which tens of thousands of virtual visitors from around the world have participated during the pandemic.

“It is fitting that John and Elizabeth Armstrong have started us off with this truly inspiring challenge gift,” stated the Museum’s Executive Director, Jane Wald, “Their unwavering dedication before the Museum’s formal beginning twenty years ago has been a catalyst for the exponential impact the Emily Dickinson Museum can have as the true and generative center of the life and work of one of this country’s greatest poets. They are ever and always willing to lead by example.”

Lithograph aerial view of Amherst with Evergreens and HomesteadAdded Wald, “In addition to providing innovatively designed program space, the Carriage House will serve as a clear signal that the Museum is pivoting in important ways toward the public, is expanding Emily Dickinson’s outreach to the world from her home ground, and is committed to welcoming new Dickinson enthusiasts and tourists to Amherst.”

The Armstrongs chose Amherst as their new home in 1995 after John’s retirement from IBM, where he served for 30 years and was a vice president for science and technology and director of research. Their involvement with the Museum began when Elizabeth (Lise to family and friends) volunteered her time and talent as a seasonal guide at The Evergreens. Both John and Elizabeth served as founding members of the Board of Governors when the Homestead and Evergreens properties merged to form the Museum in 2003. They have continued to be involved in the Museum’s leadership, with John serving as Board Chair from 2013 to 2015, and Elizabeth a long-time and valued member of the Development Committee.

“We’ve always been proud of our association with the Museum, recognizing its importance to our regional community and now–through the wonders of technology–to the world.” stated Elizabeth, adding “We’ve been drawn over the years to supporting singular projects that open multiple possibilities for the Museum. The Carriage House is just such a project…clearing the way for other campus improvements and for enriching the visitor experience.”

The Museum is currently closed to the public while it completes the second phase of a three-part restoration project at the Homestead. Its much-anticipated reopening later this year will mark the start of the Museum’s 20th Anniversary celebration.

For more information about the Museum’s plans and fundraising effort, visit https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/twiceasbold/

For images, please visit: bit.ly/ArmstrongGiftEDMPhotos

ABOUT THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM

The Emily Dickinson Museum is dedicated to sparking the imagination by amplifying Emily Dickinson’s revolutionary poetic voice from the place she called home.

The Museum comprises two historic houses—the Dickinson Homestead and The Evergreens—in the center of Amherst, Massachusetts, that were home to the poet (1830-1886) and members of her immediate family during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Museum was created in 2003 when the two houses merged under the ownership and 501(c)(3) status of the Trustees of Amherst College. The Museum is overseen by a separate Board of Governors and is responsible for raising its own operating, program, and capital funds.

The Emily Dickinson Museum is a member of Museums10, a collaboration of ten museums linked to the Five Colleges in the Pioneer Valley—Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Emily Dickinson's handwriting on a letter and envelope

Poetry Discussion Group:
Spring Series

Emily Dickinson's handwriting on a letter and envelopeJoin us for a lively virtual discussion of Emily Dickinson’s poetry and letters, meeting once a month from February to May. This program is designed to welcome newcomers and seasoned readers of Dickinson alike. 

  • In February, meet-and-greet with fellow participants, share Dickinson stories, and learn from the Museum (and one another) about the poet’s publication story, editions of her work, and resources.
  • March through May’s sessions are facilitated by guest scholars, who will lead the group in discussion following a talk about their work. Brief reading handouts of 4-8 poems and/or letters will be distributed prior to the month’s program. May’s session will last an additional 15 minutes, giving the group time to celebrate, say goodbye, and reflect on the season’s poems.
Topics and Leaders:
  • February: Introduction with the Emily Dickinson Museum
  • March: Dickinson’s Natural Music with Gerard Holmes
  • April: Dickinson’s Long-Histories of Environmental Change with Ryan Heryford
  • May: Dickinson and Her Surprisingly Twenty-First Century Art of Trans Poetics with Joy Ladin

Please review full descriptions and bios below.

Format

As a registrant, you are signing up to join a small group of regular participants for four 90-minute zoom sessions. Meetings are participatory, with video and audio encouraged. Because we want everyone to feel comfortable speaking, sessions will not be recorded. The program is designed for adult audiences (18+).

Registration

We are offering an identical program for a Wednesday and Friday group. Please review the dates carefully. Because space is limited, we hope only those who can commit to attending will register. Refunds are not available for this program.

Wednesday Group, $75 program fee (inclusive of all sessions),  limited to 25 participants
February 23, 6-7:30 ET
March 23, 6-7:30 ET
April 13, 6-7:30 ET
May 11, 6-7:45 ET

Friday Group, $75 program fee (inclusive of all sessions), limited to 25 participants
February 25, 12-1:30 ET
March 25, 12-1:30 ET
April 15, 12-1:30 ET
May 13, 12-1:45 ET

Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. While our Wednesday group is now closed, we have just a few spaces left in our Friday group. Please learn more about registration and request a space via this form.

Questions: Don’t hesitate to reach out at edmprograms@emilydickinsonmuseum.org with any questions about the program.

MARCH

Emily Dickinson’s Natural Music 
Emily Dickinson knew music well as a performer and a listener in parlors, churches, and other indoor spaces. But she also spent a lot of time outdoors, in the garden, walking her beloved dog Carlo, and exploring Amherst. Like many other writers of her time, Dickison wrote of natural sounds as having musical qualities. Wind, rain, cicadas, and of course birds all show up in her poems as sources of music, and as inspiration for her own distinctive poetic music. We will discuss how poets important to Dickinson wrote about the sounds of the natural world, and how Romantic musical composers and performers built sounds of nature into their work, before exploring together some of Dickinson’s poems that treat natural sounds musically.

Gerard Holmes completed a PhD in English Literature at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2020, with a dissertation titled “‘Discretion in the Interval’: Emily Dickinson’s Musical Performances.” He has published in The Emily Dickinson Journal and Reception, co-edited a 2021 special issue of Women’s Studies with the theme: New Directions in Dickinson and Music,” and contributed a chapter to The Oxford Handbook to Emily Dickinson, forthcoming from Oxford University Press in April 2022. In addition to teaching writing and literature, he is a nonprofit administrator, program manager, and fundraiser.

APRIL

“…an instant’s act:” Dickinson’s Long-Histories of Environmental Change
This discussion will consider the importance of Dickinson as a poet of the Anthropocene, that proposed geologic epoch in which human activity has rendered irreversible transformations to our global climate and conditions for life on earth.  While Dickinson was certainly not aware of climate change, nor she could have possibly predicted our current ecological precarity, we will explore particular Dickinson poems that focus on geologic time, wide-scale environmental transformations, and human/nonhuman entanglements, as sites to better consider our own individual, communal and species-based relations to contemporary environmental issues.

Ryan Heryford is Associate Professor of Environmental Literature in the Department of English at California State University East Bay, where he teaches courses in nineteenth and twentieth century American literature, with a focus in cultural narratives of environmental justice.  Recent publications can be found in ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature and the Environment, The Mark Twain Annual, and The Emily Dickinson Journal.

MAY

Emily Dickinson and Her Surprisingly Twenty-First Century Art of Trans Poetics
As those who love her know, Dickinson often writes first-person poems describing states of being that don’t fit socially recognized categories, and which, as a result, have few terms or poetic conventions for expressing them. What kind of person, for example, would introduce themselves by saying “I am afraid to own a Body – / I am afraid to own a Soul,” or locates themselves in terms like these: “`Tis Miracle before Me – then – / `Tis Miracle behind – between”? Poets and scholars (including me) started using the term “trans poetics” – that is, poetic techniques for representing ways of being human that don’t fit conventional terms or categories – a little over a decade ago, to describe the growing body of work by transgender and nonbinary poets. But it didn’t long before critics began to realize that because “trans poetics” are required whenever poets represent unconventional ways of being human, the practice has a much longer lineage in American poetry, one that, as these examples show, reaches back at least to Emily Dickinson. In this discussion, we will examine a number of poems to see what Dickinson, in the middle of the nineteenth century, had already learned about the twenty-first century art of trans poetics.

Joy Ladin, who started leading classes on Dickinson’s poetry in the Homestead itself in the mid-1990s and has loved it every time, has been dubbed “the godmother of trans poetics.” She has published ten books of poetry, including National Jewish Book award-winner The Book of Anna, reissued by EOAGH Press, and just-published Shekhinah Speaks (Selva Oscura). She is also the author of a booklength study of Dickinson, Soldering the Abyss: Emily Dickinson and Modern American Poetry; a a memoir of gender transition, National Jewish Book Award finalist Through the Door of Life; and Lambda Literary and Triangle Award finalist, The Soul of the Stranger: Reading God and Torah from a Transgender Perspective. Episodes of her online conversation series, “Containing Multitudes,” are available at www.jewishlive.org/multitudes; links to her writings, readings, interviews and talks are at her website, joyladin.wordpress.com.

Twice as Bold Campaign

I took my Power in my Hand –
And went against the World –
’Twas not so much as David – had –
But I – was twice as bold –
(excerpt Fr660)

We invite you to be part of the Twice as Bold initiative by making a gift to the Museum in support of its program and core mission, in celebration of the 20th Anniversary, and in honor of Emily Dickinson and her enduring relevance.

DONATE

The Homestead garden. There are beautiful pink roses wrapping around a trellis.

During the Emily Dickinson Museum’s two-year closure, we opened a new chapter focused on the Museum’s evolving role as a site of unparalleled cultural significance and educational promise emanating from its mission to spark the imagination by amplifying Emily Dickinson’s revolutionary poetic voice from the place she called home. 

To fully realize and sustain this mission, the Museum has created a long range plan that empowers it to serve as the premier center for study, interpretation, creative expression, and celebration of Emily Dickinson’s life and legacy — to be “twice as bold.” Emily Dickinson’s worldwide resonance and the Museum’s tremendous growth in audience during the pandemic, demonstrates a clear path forward.

This new chapter and campaign, called Twice as Bold, prioritizes an expanded, fully restored, and accessible campus, leading-edge educational programs and resources, a singular visitor experience both onsite and online, and increased operational capacity for the Museum’s long-term sustainability. A first step in achieving this bold vision is a goal to raise $8 million for programmatic support and capital projects and $5.5 million in endowment by 2026.

The Emily Dickinson Museum is grateful to John and Elizabeth Armstrong and to Jane and Robert Keiter for leading the way in the Twice as Bold campaign. The Armstrongs’ kick-off challenge gift initiated in 2021 allowed the Museum to begin work on reconstructing The Evergreens’ Carriage House–critical space, first, for welcoming visitors, and ultimately for educational programming. And the Keiters’ endowment of the Museum’s directorship in 2022 has provided perpetual and budget-relieving support of the Museum’s core program and operating budget.

We invite you to be part of the Museum’s journey and the Twice as Bold campaign by making a gift to the Museum in support of its program and core mission support, in celebration of our 20th Anniversary, and in honor of Emily Dickinson and her enduring relevance. Additional funding opportunities are also available. 

FUNDING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES                      

$8 Million in Outright Support and $5.5 Million in Endowment

  • Create an expanded, restored, and accessible campus
  • Develop and deliver leading-edge public and educational programs and resources
  • Design and provide a singular visitor experience both onsite and online  
  • Build permanent ongoing support for the Museum’s core programs and operations                                                                                                                                                

Five-Year Funding Needs and Opportunities 

Opportunities abound for donors at all levels to positively impact and help shape the Museum’s bright future. Priority projects and programs in need of investment and support over the next five years are framed by the Museum’s essential mission. Gifts or bequests of unrestricted endowment are most welcome, as they provide critical support to each and all of these areas.

SPARK THE IMAGINATION         $1.9M

Audience Engagement and Communication $650K
Two children explore Dickinson's bedroomDigital Capacity and Resource Development ($200K)
Virtual Program Hosting and Conferencing Upgrades ($100K)
Website Accessibility and User-Experience Updates ($50K)
New CRM (Constituent Relationship Management) System ($150K)
Graphic Identity / Branding Updates ($150K)

Teaching and Learning (K-12, College/University, Lifelong) $1.25M
Resource Development (curricula, teacher training modules, etc.) ($550K)
Undergraduate Internships and Graduate Fellowships ($275K)
Honoraria for Visiting and Teaching Artists, Writers, Scholars ($190K)
Scholarships for Visiting K-12 Schools and Teacher Training ($95K)
Poets and Writers Workshops and Classes (FY23+) ($140K)

AMPLIFY EMILY DICKINSON’S REVOLUTIONARY POETIC VOICE           $2.6M

Interpretation and Visitor Experience $800K

image of Youtube pageThematic Tour Development ($330K)
Self-Guided Map and Interactive Guide ($85K)
Orientation Film ($300K)
Wayfinding ($85K)

Public Programs and Events $1.8M
Poetry Programs $540K

Poetry Festival and Marathon  ($315K)
Phosphorescence Contemporary Poetry Series ($135K)
Poetry Discussion Groups ($90K)

Collections, Restoration, Landscape, and History Programs $270K
Dickinson Book Club Series ($90K)
Buildings, Grounds and Collections Presentations ($90K)
Behind the Scenes Collections / Restoration Series ($90K)

Community-Building Events $450K
Birthday Celebration ($30K)
Poetry Walk ($25K)
Reopening Events and Launch of Dickinson Days ($150K)
Tell It Slant Awards / 20th Anniversary Gala ($245K)

Visual and Performing Art Programs $540K
Dickinson in Performance Series ($135K)
Conservatory and Landscape Installations ($270K)
Dickinson in the World Podcast ($135K)


FROM THE PLACE SHE CALLED HOME                         $3.5M

Completion of Homestead Restoration $1.0MRendering of the Dickinson barn
Design Development ($150K)
Construction / Restoration ($700K)
Decorative Arts and Object Conservation ($150K)

Rebuild Evergreens Carriage House $600K
Design Development ($100K)
Construction ($400K)
Furnishings and Fittings ($100K)

Conserve and Restore The Evergreens $1.0M
Interior Conditions Assessment ($50K)
Treatment Plan Development ($100K)
Conservation and Restoration ($700K)
Decorative Arts and Object Conservation ($150K)

Restore Landscape and Dickinson Gardens $400K
Homestead Gardens restoration ($200K)
Evergreens Gardens restoration ($75K)
Other Landscape restoration ($125K)

Collections Stewardship $500K
Collections Rehousing ($400K)
Conservation ($100K)

ENDOWMENT FOR CORE PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS          $5.5M

By providing budget relieving support in perpetuity, endowment gifts in support of core program and operating expenses allow the Museum to sustain and deliver its mission long-term.

Figures are for annual cost over 5 years. Endowment gifts intended to name and/or directly support a specific project or program must cover 60% of associated costs. 

the Homestead lights are on at night time

Call for Submissions:
Phosphorescence Poetry Reading Series 2023

The 2023 Phosphorescence Poetry Reading Series schedule will be announced soon! 
Sign-up for our e-newsletter to be the first to know

The Emily Dickinson Museum is now accepting proposals for the 3rd year of our Phosphorescence Poetry Reading Series — a virtual event held monthly from May-October in 2023! This year, opportunities for reading on-site at the Emily Dickinson Museum and remotely will be available. Please make sure to select your preference in the submission form.

Produced by the Emily Dickinson Museum, the aim of Phosphorescence is to celebrate contemporary creativity that echoes Dickinson’s revolutionary poetic voice. The Series features established and emerging poets who represent the diversity of the flourishing contemporary poetry scene, and fosters community through poetry. The Series is a place to connect virtually over a shared love of language and an appreciation for Dickinson’s literary legacy.

Featured poets are promoted on the Museum’s event web page, through an event mailing list of roughly 18,000 addresses, and through the Museum’s social media. Each participating poet receives a $200 honorarium.

READINGS:
This program occurs at 6pm ET on a Thursday each month. Each reading may feature 1-3 poets. Readings are 15-25 minutes long on average per reader, though this may depend on other program components each month. Group submissions are strongly encouraged. Poets who submit alone will be paired with other poets if selected. Poets are welcome to promote sales of their books, and/or awareness of other media on the evening of the program. Poets should be prepared to engage in facilitated conversation and/or a Q&A after their readings on subjects including inspiration, craft, and Emily Dickinson.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Only submissions made using our online form and Dropbox folder will be considered. We will not accept email or paper submissions.
There is no fee to submit proposals.
Group submissions from up to 3 poets are accepted.

The following submission qualities are especially encouraged:

  • builds community
  • features BIPOC and/or LBGTQ+ voices
  • highlights a connection to Dickinson’s life and legacy
  • pushes poetic boundaries

SUBMISSIONS DUE: Sunday, February 12, 2023, 12pm ET.

TIMELINE
All submissions will be notified of their acceptance status by early April. Participating poets will be asked to sign a letter of agreement confirming participation on assigned dates.

View last year’s Phosphorescence Schedule

Watch Phosphorescence on Youtube

 

Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon
September 20 – 26

Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon graphic with Tell It Slant Poetry Festival LogoPart of the 2021 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival:

An Emily Dickinson Museum tradition, the Marathon is a group reading of all 1,789 poems by Emily Dickinson over the course of about 14 hours. For this year’s remote Festival, we are partnering with five other organizations to host the Marathon in two-hour sessions each day of this week. We will be reading from Ralph Franklin’s The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Reading Edition.

There are two ways to participate in the Marathon: as a reader or as a listener. It can be especially rewarding to be a reader for some sessions and a listener for others:
  • Listeners sit back and enjoy the group reading, which beautifully blends the voices of volunteer readers coming to Dickinson from different places, times in their lives, and levels of familiarity with the Poet. Listeners need to simply click “register” in the platform to sign up.
  • Readers volunteer to read 6-10 poems as part of the circle reading. Reader spots are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested in being a reader, please click register in the Festival platform, then fill out the Register as a Marathon Reader form to learn more and request a space. Readers of all levels of experience are invited to participate!

REGISTER AS LISTENER

THE SCHEDULE:

Monday, September 20
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 1
with the Emily Dickinson Museum
5:00 pm ET

Tuesday, September 21
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 2
with the Jones Library
12:00pm ET

Wednesday, September 22
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 3
with the Houghton Library
5:00pm ET

Thursday, September 23
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 4
with the Frost Library
12:00pm ET

Friday, September 24
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 5
with the Folger Shakespeare Library
3:30pm ET

Saturday, September 25
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 6
with the Emily Dickinson International Society
5:00pm ET

Sunday, September 26
Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon Part 7
with the Emily Dickinson Museum 
11:30am ET

To reserve your spot and learn more about each program:
my.eventcadence.com/events/tell-it-slant-poetry-festival-2021

 

Support The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival and Honor Someone Special:
Admission to all Festival events is free, but online donations, especially those made in honor or memory of family, friends, or colleagues are heartily encouraged and vital to the future of this beloved annual event. All gifts are tax deductible and will be recognized as part of the Festival. 

2021 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival Schedule

 

The homestead parlor with 4 windows, a fireplace, two chairs, a rug and a side table.

The Props assist the House:
Restoring the Homestead (Part 3)
Saturday, September 25, 1pm

The homestead parlor with 4 windows, a fireplace, two chairs, a rug and a side table.Part of the 2021 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival:

In the final installment of this three-part series, go behind the scenes of the restoration of Emily Dickinson’s home with Museum Executive Director Jane Wald and special guest Jeff Baker, preservation architect and partner at Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects. The Emily Dickinson Museum is currently embarking on the most significant restoration project to date of the interior architectural features, finishes, and furnishings of the revered poet’s Homestead. This work will not only triple the amount of restored space in the Homestead accessible to guests, but will also add critical details to our understanding of Dickinson’s daily life by providing a more authentic experience of the house she inhabited. In this virtual program, learn how the documentary record yields clues about this historic house and hear first-hand about the research and decisions that go into restoration work. 

REGISTER

 

Headshot of Jeff Baker

Jeff Baker has been with Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker for over thirty years and has been a firm Partner for over twenty years. After his graduation from Hudson Valley Community College, Jeff attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he earned a Bachelor’s of Building Science and a Bachelor’s of Architecture. Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker specializes in Architecture, Planning and Historic Preservation, and has overseen the success of several previous restoration projects at the Emily Dickinson Museum, as well as numerous other National Historic Landmarks.

A few examples of Jeff’s work include the restoration of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia; Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest in Lynchburg, Virginia; James Madison’s Montpelier, in Montpelier Station, Virginia; and the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. Jeff has also been retained to assist in the restoration of George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia.

Learn more at mcwb-arch.com.

Support The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival and Honor Someone Special:
Admission to all Festival events is free, but online donations, especially those made in honor or memory of family, friends, or colleagues are heartily encouraged and vital to the future of this beloved annual event. All gifts are tax deductible and will be recognized as part of the Festival. 

2021 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival Schedule

 

poetry walk

2022 Tell It Slant Poetry Festival Call for Proposals

The Emily Dickinson Museum is now accepting proposals for the tenth annual Tell It Slant Poetry Festival, held September 19-25, 2022!

Produced by the Emily Dickinson Museum, with support from the Beveridge Family Foundation and Mass Cultural Council, the Tell It Slant Poetry Festival celebrates the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson and the contemporary creativity of the Pioneer Valley and beyond.

The Festival’s name “Tell It Slant” (new in 2020), was selected in homage to Dickinson’s poem, “Tell all the truth but tell it slant.” This title underscores the revolutionary power of poetry to shift our perspective and reveal new truths. The Tell It Slant Poetry Festival remains committed to featuring and serving established and emerging poets who represent the diversity of the flourishing contemporary American poetry scene, and to fostering community by placing poetry in the public sphere. To see our 2021 Festival schedule click here.

The 2022 Festival returns to the Emily Dickinson Museum with a combination of in-person and virtual programs. We invite you to “dwell in possibility” and submit your most inventive proposals for audience-centered performances, workshops, panel discussions, and programs.

The Steering Committee especially welcomes the following:

  • Submissions from groups of 2 – 5 facilitators
  • Submissions that engage young attendees and those new to poetry
  • Submissions that creatively encourage audience participation or that foster a sense of community

Honoraria are provided per event. 

Proposals should be designed for one of the following program types to be scheduled September 19-25 (You may submit separate forms if proposing more than one program):

IN-PERSON GENERAL AUDIENCE PROGRAMS:

  • Poetry workshops, panels, or other participatory programs open to the public. Event sessions are typically 60- to 90-minutes long. 
  • $250 honoraria offered per event.

IN-PERSON GENERAL AUDIENCE PERFORMANCES:

  • Music, theater, dance, or other performance open to the public. Submissions should be for 60- to 90-minute programs.
  • A $500 honorarium is offered for this program. 

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS:

  • Poetry workshops, panels, or participatory programs open to the public and hosted on the Festival’s remote conferencing platform. Virtual programs must be designed for a minimum of 50. Proposals may also be designed for an unlimited number of Festival registrants. 
  • $250 honoraria offered per event.

HIGH SCHOOL WORKSHOPS (to be held in person and scheduled during the school day between Monday, September 19th and Friday, September 23rd):

  • Private poetry workshops for classes of high school age students (grades 9-12). Submissions should be for 45-minute sessions offered up to four times between 7:50am and 3pm EST. Partner schools will be shared with selected poets and will include schools in Hampshire and Hampden counties.
  • A $350 honorarium is offered for the day’s workshops.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Only submissions made in the online form will be considered. There is no fee to submit proposals.
  • To complete your submission, please upload the following to this Dropbox folder:
    • The resumes/CVs of all presenters.
    • If appropriate, up to 3 sample poems per group member.
    • Any desired links, audio, or video files of performances or facilitation. 
    • High resolution headshots of all presenters. 
  • All your materials as listed above should be titled by your PROGRAM TITLE. You may upload materials as one zipped file or individually. We can accept .pdf, .doc, .doc(x) files. If applicable, you may upload images in .png, .jpg, or .gif form and audio files in .mp3, .aac, or .wav form.
  • Selected facilitators will be notified by the end of July and will be asked to sign a letter of agreement confirming their participation in the Festival.
  • Submissions Due: Sunday, July 17 at 11:59PM, EST.

Submissions will be judged on the following:

  • Originality – Is your idea bold and intriguing? Will it offer something new to our Festival?
  • Quality – Does the submission reflect thoughtful preparation? How are you uniquely qualified to facilitate this program?
  • Audience – Have you clearly outlined participatory elements? How does your proposal contribute to community-building for the Tell It Slant Poetry Festival? 
  • Special consideration will be given to Pioneer Valley and Massachusetts-based facilitators.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL

Questions? Email us at edmprograms@emilydickinsonmuseum.org

 

Two Anenomes grow in front of the Homestead

“Bloom – is Result – to meet a Flower”: Dickinson’s Flowering Favorites with Marta McDowell
Friday, June 25, 12:30pm

Anemone grows in the garden beside the Homestead

 

 

Bloom – is Result – to meet a Flower
And casually glance
Would cause one scarcely to suspect
The minor Circumstance

Assisting in the Bright Affair
So intricately done
Then offered as a Butterfly
To the Meridian –

(Excerpt Fr1308)

This program is free of charge, but participants must register in advance and donations are encouraged. 
Register

VIRTUAL PROGRAM

In this beloved poem, Emily Dickinson ends, “To be a Flower, is profound Responsibility – “. Indeed, as the poet knelt on her red wool army blanket to tend her garden across the seasons, she understood the weight of each bloom in her hands as a miraculous force. Observing keenly the lifespan of every blossom, the weather it endured and the fauna it encountered, Dickinson transformed her garden knowledge into hundreds of poems inspired directly by her garden.

In this virtual program, join Marta McDowell, master gardener, landscape historian, and author of Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life for a close look at blooming cultivars from the Homestead in Amherst. We’ll spend an hour savoring blossoms, stories, and verse gathered from Dickinson’s gardens. Learn to identify these Dickinsonian varieties and listen to the language they inspired from our favorite garden poet.

About Marta McDowell:
Marta McDowell teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and consults for private clients and public gardens. Her book Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life, was published in 2019. Timber Press also published The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder, New York Times-bestselling All the Presidents’ Gardens, and Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, now in its seventh printing. Marta’s newest book, Unearthing The Secret Garden about author Frances Hodgson Burnett, is due out from Timber Press in September 2021. She is the 2019 recipient of the Garden Club of America’s Sarah Chapman Francis Medal for outstanding literary achievement.

To learn more about Marta or purchase her books visit www.martamcdowell.com

Headshots of Alena Smith and Martha Ackmann

A Secret told:
An Evening with Alena Smith and Martha Ackmann
Wednesday, June 30, 7pm

VIRTUAL PROGRAM

Desk

Emily Dickinson is having a moment. The enigmatic poet’s popularity has surged in recent years, thanks in part to fresh interpretations and perspectives offered up by a new wave of curious and talented artists, writers, and thinkers.

We’re delighted to invite our donors to join Museum Director Jane Wald as she welcomes Alena Smith, creator of the award-winning Apple TV+ series Dickinson, and Martha Ackmann, author of These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson, to a virtual event broadcast from the Dickinson Homestead in Amherst, MA.

Enjoy a lively conversation about Emily Dickinson and her enduring legacy, while you sip on the evening’s signature cocktail:

The Bee’s Knees 

  • 2 ounces gin (for mocktail, substitute w/ 2 ounces of ginger ale)
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 oz honey syrup (1 TBSP honey mixed with 1/2 TBSP warm water)

Combine ingredients and shake with ice. Strain and pour into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.  Enjoy!

This program is free to donors who’ve supported the Museum this past year. To those who have already donated, we sent an email with a complimentary registration link. 
Please contact connect@emilydickinsonmuseum.org if you need another invitation by email.
In case you are unable to attend, a recording of the event will be shared to all those who register for the program.

Not a donor, but still want to attend? You’re invited!
Become a donor today and register.

About the speakers:

Headshot for Alena SmithAlena Smith Alena Smith is a playwright and TV writer. She is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of the critically-acclaimed series “Dickinson” starring Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, which recently aired its second season on Apple TV+, and is currently in production on its third. Dickinson won a Peabody Award in the category of Entertainment, and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy series.Smith previously served as a writer and producer for Showtime’s The Affair and HBO’s The Newsroom. Variety said of her play Icebergs, which had its world premiere in 2016 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, “Smith shows impeccable comic timing, and also knows how to layer her drama with pathos.” Other published plays include The Bad Guys, Plucker, The Lacy Project, and The New Sincerity, which The New York Times called “Splendid… entertaining and thought-provoking… comedy with a poignant edge.”
Learn more: New Yorker

 

Headshot Martha Ackmann

Martha Ackmann is a journalist and author who writes about women who have changed America.  Her essays and columns have appeared in The New York Times, Paris Review, and The Atlantic. She also is a frequent commentator for New England Public Radio, and has been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, and the BBC. Martha’s award-winning books include The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight, Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, First Woman to Play Professional Baseball in the Negro League, and These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson. A long-time member of the Gender Studies Department at Mount Holyoke College, Martha taught a popular seminar on Emily Dickinson in the poet’s house, now the Emily Dickinson Museum, in Amherst, Massachusetts. 
Learn more: marthaackmann.com