ROCKPORT — Maine Media Workshops + College plans on building a world-class writing program, fund more scholarships and attract high-profile faculty with the generous $300,000 grant, from James S. Rockefeller, Jr. and Marilyn Moss Rockefeller.

Students already arrive from more than 44 countries around to world to the Midcoast to learn the art and craft of storytelling, taught by artists and professionals in their field. The Writers Harbor program will feature more than 12 different week-long writing workshops covering memoir, poetry, comedy writing, food writing, travel writing, graphic novels, poetry and more. 

Presidential inaugural poet and writer Richard Blanco will lead both a workshop and a six-month long Poetry Intensive, and often notes the importance of place in the creative process.

Students at The Writers Harbor workshops will have the opportunity to learn from established writers serving as faculty and writers-in-residence.

In addition to Blanco, nonfiction writer Richard Goodman author of The Soul of Creative Writing, and writer Natalie Goldberg (coming in 2019), author of Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within will guide students in multiple workshops.

Screenwriter Wayne Beach, who has written screenplays for major studios and networks, will offer several workshops in the 2018 season. And Annabelle Gurwitch, an accomplished Moth performer, will teach a workshop in Live Storytelling.

Known for its master of fine arts degree in media arts and workshops in photography, filmmaking and screenwriting, the new The Writers Harbor program will complement current offerings and expand workshop options for students. 

For more information on workshops and scholarships, visit www.mainemedia.edu/writing.

About Maine Media Workshops + College:
Maine Media Workshops + College is a nonprofit operating for more than 40 years. Located in Rockport, the school offers workshops, certificate programs, and an MFA degree in the media arts of photography, filmmaking, multimedia, book arts & design, and writing. The low-residency MFA program at Maine Media College was ranked by US News & World Report as one of the top 70 fine art graduate schools in the country.