Rooted in Story, Growing in Place: The Kickoff of the Bloodroot Writers Collective

Amy Le Ann Richardson (Bloodroot Director), Bloodroot Young Writers participants, and Gwen Akers (Bloodroot Intern)

The First Chapters and the Future of the Bloodroot Young Writers Collective

On an October afternoon in Rowan County, something quietly powerful began to bloom.

Young writers gathered in the historic 1899 courthouse, now home to the Rowan County Arts Center, carrying notebooks, curiosity, and stories shaped by creeks, backyards, barns, trails, and long conversations with the land. This was the beginning of the Bloodroot Writers Collective—a youth-led literary initiative rooted in Eastern Kentucky and grounded in the belief that stories grow strongest where they are planted.

Named for an Appalachian ephemeral that blooms early and boldly, Bloodroot exists to notice young voices, nurture them, and make space for them to rise.

From a Spark to Strong Roots

Bloodroot began with a Kentucky Rural–Urban Exchange (RUX) microgrant, which helped transform an idea into action. RUX—an initiative of Art of the Rural—works to bridge divides across Kentucky by connecting people, place, and story. Their early investment made these first gatherings possible, and we offer our deepest thanks for that foundational support.

Just as importantly, Bloodroot itself is shaped by the relationships and skills cultivated through RUX. Amy Le Ann Richardson, founder and director of the Bloodroot Writers Collective, participated in a RUX cohort during 2022–23, gaining tools, confidence, and a statewide network that helped turn a long-held vision into a living program. Amy now continues that work as a RUX Host Committee member, carrying forward RUX’s values of connection, shared place, and collaborative leadership. Bloodroot is, in many ways, a living example of what RUX makes possible when ideas are nurtured over time.

Rowan County Arts Center Director, Waylan Coffey; James Baker Hall Foundation Managing Director, President and Treasurer, Lawrence Pemble; Bloodroot Intern, Gwen Akers; and Bloodroot Director, Amy Le Ann Richardson

That initial spark has now taken root. With funding for 2026 from the James Baker Hall Foundation and a home at the Rowan County Arts Center, Bloodroot is growing into a sustained, year-round program. The Foundation’s mission to support literary excellence across the Commonwealth and ensure Kentucky writers reach national and international audiences aligns perfectly with Bloodroot’s purpose: helping young writers understand that their voices matter, right here and right now.

The First Meetings: Belonging, Craft, and Courage

Meeting One was about belonging. Writers sat together, helped shape shared community agreements, and ended the day writing together—low stakes, open hearts, pens moving. Students named what they wanted to grow: confidence, honesty, courage.

Students work on writing prompts in the RCAC classroom

Meeting Two invited writers to look closely at home. In a workshop called From Home to Fantasy, students transformed familiar places into imagined worlds, learning the power of sensory detail and show, don’t tell. The magic didn’t replace Appalachia—it amplified it. Creeks glowed, barns held secrets, woods whispered rules.

Meeting Three brought story to the stage with our first guest artist, Andrew Preston of A.p. Harbor. A writer, producer, and musician from Van Lear, Kentucky, Andrew shared songs, stories, and his creative process. A featured songwriter with the International Bluegrass Music Association, faculty at the Appalachian Writers’ Workshop, and a widely published poet and lyricist, Andrew reminded students that songs are stories that learned how to breathe out loud. By the end of the night, writers were experimenting with lyrics, rhythm, and performance—and seeing new possibilities for their work.

Students with Andrew Preston, group with Andrew Preston, and Andrew performing and leading a generative writing session in the Rowan County Arts Center auditorium

Words from Bloodroot’s first intern, Gwen Akers:

“Participating as this year’s intern has been an exciting experience for me to give back to the writers and community that have helped me find my voice in writing. Attending Ironwood allowed me to find my writing community, and Bloodroot aims to help these students find a writing community as well.
Working as Bloodroot’s intern, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other writers, learn from and work with younger writers, and continue to experiment with my writing. Through this program, I have been able to work closely with these students and learn from their own budding inspiration and creativity. In the future, I hope to continue to work with other writers, finding my voice and my inspiration alongside them.”

A Place That Makes This Possible

None of this happens without a home. The Rowan County Arts Center, established in 2003 and housed in the restored historic courthouse, offers galleries, studios, and performance spaces that welcome creativity of every kind. Its mission to honor heritage while embracing contemporary expression makes it the perfect place for Bloodroot to grow. Walking through the building, students feel it immediately: this is a place where my work belongs. This program also wouldn’t be possible without the welcome, encouragement, and support of RCAC Director, Waylan Coffey.

Looking Ahead: Building a Statewide Network of Young Writers

As Bloodroot grows, so does our vision.

In the coming year, students will begin building connections beyond Rowan County linking their work to a broader ecosystem of Appalachian and Kentucky writing programs. Partnerships with organizations like Ironwood Writers Studio at Hindman Settlement School will open doors for students to imagine themselves as part of a statewide literary community: attending residential workshops, learning from published Appalachian writers, and experiencing what it means to live for a week inside a creative practice. Our inaugural intern, Gwen Akers, was an Ironwood participant and now an active member of the Appalachian writing community and brings her background and experience to Bloodroot.

These connections matter. They show students that writing is not a solitary path, but a network of mentors, peers, places, and possibilities.

Youth Leadership & the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival

Bloodroot writers will also step into leadership roles as planners and presenters for the first Appalachian Literary Arts Festival in Morehead. Through a Literary Leadership Cohort, students will help shape programming, curate readings, and participate as artists and organizers.

The festival’s mission is to celebrate and sustain the creative spirit of Appalachia by connecting writers, readers, and artists across the region. Rooted in community, equity, heritage, and education, the festival will amplify diverse Appalachian voices and build bridges between tradition and innovation while giving young writers a visible, valued place in the region’s cultural life.

Learn about ALAF partner, local bookstore, CoffeeTree Books here: https://www.coffeetreebooks.com/

What’s Taking Root

After just a few months, Bloodroot Writers Collective is already becoming what it set out to be:

A space where young people trust their voices
A program grounded in place, not abstraction
A community shaped by generosity, curiosity, and courage
A bridge connecting local stories to a wider Appalachian and Kentucky literary world

We are filled with gratitude—for the Kentucky Rural–Urban Exchange, the James Baker Hall Foundation, the Rowan County Arts Center, our partner organizations across the state, and most of all for the young writers who keep showing up with open notebooks and brave hearts.

Like the flower it’s named for, Bloodroot may bloom briefly each season, but its roots run deep.

And this is only the beginning.

—Amy Le Ann Richardson & Rowan County Arts Center

Learn more

The Kentucky Intercultural Microgrant Program is a seed grant to support two or more individuals or organizations collaborating across distance, difference, or sector on projects that celebrate and connect Kentucky's people and places. Our 2025 funding partners included Kentucky Arts Council, Fund for the Arts, Kentucky Foundation for Women, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, EarthTools, and individual donors. Learn more at kyrux.org/microgrants