December 2008

We are very pleased to announce another successful year at Inkberry. With the generous support we received from donors during our special appeal last year, Inkberry has worked to build a sustainable model for continuing to play a leading role in promoting the literary arts in the Berkshires.

By returning to an all-volunteer model and sharing space with the Northern Berkshire Creative Arts group, Inkberry has cut expenses substantially. With the help of Charles Coe of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, we have also gone through a much-needed strategic planning process.

Despite our slimmer operating budget, Inkberry has maintained its presence within our local community with a host of high-quality programs:

· The Write Stuff, our collaboration with Conte Middle School in North Adams and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, has evolved to offer one-on-one tutoring and mentoring of students.

· Our reading series has featured National Book Award Finalist Jim Shepard with poet Trudy Ames, Pushcart Prize winning Poet Carol Frost with guest poets Abbot Cutler and Peter Filkins, noted historical author Susan Quinn, and Science Fiction/Fantasy Author Paul Park.

· Our WordPlay series has featured authors such as sports and fiction writer Derek Gentile and noted J.R.R. Tolkien scholars Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull.

· Inkberry workshops have given the local community a chance to work on poetry with Derek Mong, light verse with humorist Seth Brown, and short play and skit writing with Kelly Newby of Main Street Stage.

· Our Community Critique Group continues to offer ongoing peer critique and support to local writers.

Your generous gifts have made this all possible. We now ask for your continuing support, which will allow Inkberry to carry on these programs as well as to explore new opportunities to make the literary arts an integral part of the cultural landscape in the Berkshires.

Sincerely, Dan Caplinger Treasurer and Fundraising Committee Member