ARTS COUNCIL OF MERCER COUNTY 

Press release 

HARRODSBURG — Acknowledging that arts and culture have long been part of Harrodsburg’s history and with an early commitment to the community’s 250th celebration, a Celebration of Kentucky Writers series begins tonight (Thursday, July 11). The series opens with Kentucky writer Bobbie Ann Mason, who will hold a reading tonight at Kentucky Fudge Co. 

Nomadic Ink founder, Tony Sexton and Gemma Ziegler, Arts Council of Mercer County president, have announced that the two groups are co-sponsoring the new series featuring well known Kentucky writers. The series, called Celebration of Kentucky Writers, will continue with more events. 

Mason, who is best known for “Shiloh and Other Stories” and the novel “In Country,” has won many awards including the PEN/Hemingway. Her memoir, “Clear Springs,” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. At the conclusion of her reading, she will be interviewed by Tom Eblen, former Lexington Herald-Leader columnist.

Sexton explains, “Our Nomadic Ink group was formed in 2006 and today includes more than 15 writers. I mainly celebrate poetry and prose, but we have people from all genre, and all ages in this group. We have published five books since 2014.”

He said they will be bringing some “outstanding Kentucky writers” to the area for this series. “We want to contribute to Harrodsburg’s 250th birthday celebration by raising awareness of the written word throughout the history of this place. We also plan to work with schools to encourage students to tell the story of Harrodsburg as they see it, and also document youngsters’ hopes for the future of this community.”

Ziegler, who is also a member of Nomadic Ink, adds, “This is just a beginning and one of many ways, looking toward the 250th, that the Arts Council wants to work with other organizations to engage local artists and craftspeople in the history of arts and culture in Harrodsburg. We are looking for ideas and suggestions from throughout the community as we encourage membership and support.”

On Sept. 12, writer and editor Susan Lindsey will speak on “Writing Your Family Stories: Memoir, Family History Biography and More.” Lindsey’s new book “Under the Vine and Fig Tree: Slavery, Freedom, and Ties that Bind,” will be published by the University Press of Kentucky next spring.

IF YOU GO 

Kentucky author Bobbie Ann Mason will hold a reading at 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday, July 11) at the Kentucky Fudge Company, 225 S. Main St. in Harrodsburg.