Albany Poets and the Hudson Valley Writers Guild have announced their plan of coming together to support and grow a vibrant local literary community. The combined organization will operate as the Hudson Valley Writers Guild moving forward.
HVWG president Faith Green will continue in that position in the organization, while Albany Poets president Thom Francis will become vice president of programs.
“The Hudson Valley Writers Guild is thrilled to merge with Albany Poets,” said Green. “We have some exciting new programs that are being planned for the literary and artistic community!”
The two organizations have worked closely together over the past two decades on a number of events and publishing projects. This new partnership will continue what was started years ago to benefit the literary community.
Bob Sharkey, treasurer of the HVWG, adds “With our combined resources and energy, we hope to attract and support writers in a wide range of genres across the region.”
The merger of the organizations will be official on January 1, 2022, with all websites, social media, and digital assets being consolidated in the first quarter.
“Albany Poets and the Writers Guild coming together is a natural fit as we have complemented each other for so many years,” said Francis. “I am thrilled to continue the work that Albany Poets has done to promote poetry and broaden our focus to include anyone who puts pen to paper.”
In a tweet marking the announcement, NYS Writers Institute Director Paul Grondahl said:
About The Hudson Valley Writers Guild
The Hudson Valley Writers Guild (HVWG) was established in 1983 to enable writers to help themselves and one another, to create bridges between area writers and their communities, and to increase regional publishing opportunities for writers. Guild members include poets, fiction and non-fiction writers, journalists, playwrights, screenwriters, editors, and supporters of literary activities. HVWG provides an active and committed creative network for writers, and serves as a forum to share common concerns, focus on common issues, and provide constructive critical forums for creative development.
About Albany Poets
Since 2000, the mission of Albany Poets has been to give everyone a platform to share their words with the world. Whether at an open mic, on a website, or in print, Albany Poets strives to integrate poetry and spoken word into the Capital Region.