Writers workshop a success

Southern Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (SIRC&D) brought the Iowa Writer’s Workshop to the Creston: Arts program June 6-7.

Brian Zachary, from Creston: Arts, hosted the two-day fiction-writing workshop, which took place at Gibson Memorial Library. Twenty-two participants attended, ranging from fourth grade to adults.

University of Iowa (UI) graduate students Raj Chakrapani and Anca Roncea taught the workshops, and because of its success, hope to return in the fall for an encore.

It was the second time the Writer’s Workshop, sponsored by UI’s Art Share program, visited the area. In spring 2015, graduate students held a workshop for East Union High School students in Afton. That evening, they read their original poetry and fictional works at Creston’s First Friday Open Mic Night.

SIRC&D partners with the UI’s Office of Outreach and Engagement to bring a variety of quality of life projects to its seven-county region which is made of Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union.

For more information, contact Alexi Groumoutis at 641-782-4033 or visit www.southerniowarcd.org.