REGIONAL PARTNER: THE MASTHEADS; FIRESIDE POETS
Founded in 2016, The Mastheads is a public arts and humanities project in Pittsfield, Massachusetts that seeks to connect residents to the literary history of their region. A collaboration between The Mastheads, Pittsfield Public Schools and other local organizations, Fireside is a program that provides poetry programming for both children and adults. Elementary students work with local writers and artists to compose original poetry, culminating in an anthology of their student work and a community reading. Teenage through adults have access to a variety of workshops, tailored to each group of students. Each workshop is in partnership with a local organization and centered on a specific theme.
HOW THE BLACKWING FOUNDATION IS HELPING
The Blackwing Foundation supports The Mastheads and their Fireside Poets Program through the Ignite the Arts Grants for the purpose of training other poets and teachers to implement their curriculum at other schools outside of the Pittsfield community. The foundation believes that original poetry can have a profound impact on a child’s life and provide an outlet for self expression.
In addition to the Fireside Poets program, Blackwing Music Artist Johnny Irion, brings a unique dimension to the students’ creative journey by teaching them the art of songwriting. Johnny captivates students with the magic of a real guitar, guiding the students through crafting melodies, lyrics, and musical arrangements, and finally transforming their lyrics into soulful songs. Find the talented Fireside poets on spotify.
The culmination of this incredible partnership between The Mastheads and Johnny Irion is a community event where the students proudly perform their songs at a local park. Witnessing the transformation of their words into melodies and sharing their art with the community is a testament to the power of arts education in shaping lives.