Statements

Mission

The Porch inspires, educates, and connects writers and readers of all ages and stages through classes and literary events.

Background

Founded in 2014, The Porch was launched by two writers who longed for a space dedicated to the art and craft of the written word. Modeled on existing literary centers in cities such as Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, and Denver, co-founders Susannah Felts and Katie McDougall saw an opportunity to serve the Nashville literary community of writers and readers like never before. Building on the rich literary traditions of the South, The Porch became part of Nashville's creative community ecosystem and diverse arts landscape.

Each year since, classes have increased in number and variety, with a steady rise in total registrations. Since 2014, The Porch has received a multitude of grants; secured a consistent and loyal donor catalog, developed an innovative youth arts curriculum; and forged outreach and artistic partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and academic institutions. The organization's annual event has brought to Nashville esteemed writers such as Lauren Groff, Jericho Brown, MacArthur Fellow Kiese Laymon, US Poet Laureate Ada Limon, and most recently, Ross Gay. The Porch remains the only organization of its kind serving Nashville, and it is the largest literary arts organization in the Southeast.

Impact

During FY24, The Porch served approximately 6000 community members, including 75 adults from 12 different countries through our Immigrants Write program; 1000 Nashville youth who participated in 60 workshops; 550 attendees at our Visiting Writers Series; and over 800 individuals from at-risk populations who participated in therapeutic writing classes through our Writing for Good initiative. Additionally, The Porch offered 170 adult workshops covering topics such as fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and specialized subjects.

Furthermore, The Porch introduced several inclusive affinity writing groups, including AAPI, Black Storytellers, LGBTQ+, Latine, Songwriters, 20s/30s, Over 40, and a Parent group. In total, The Porch hosted over 50 affinity group meet-ups, attracting over 500 attendees. FY24 also signifies a significant milestone for our organization with the successful launch of our new literary magazine, SWING, with over 450 copies distributed.

Needs

• Growth in our donor and membership base
• Funding and/or partnerships toward permanent real estate for Porch headquarters
• General operating support
• Corporate backing for our annual sponsorship and patronage program
• Funding to support Porch literary journal, SWING
• Funding, ongoing to support our Youth programs
• Funding, ongoing to bring top-tier literary talent to Nashville for our Visiting Writers program
• Funding, ongoing to support Writing for Good programming

CEO Statement

This endeavor began out of a love for the written word and the writing life, and with this spirit at its core, The Porch has filled a niche in Nashville's creative culture and has become part of the fabric of our city's rich cultural identity. We consistently hear from local writers and publishing professionals that what we're doing is sorely needed in Nashville. After all, a literary life in the present means a future literary heritage.

We're also firmly dedicated to creative writing as an outreach tool. Its benefits and applications are many, from a way to build communication skills, self-esteem, and critical thinking to a means of empowering marginalized groups. The Porch believes in the power of the written word as a means to empathy, connectivity, creativity, knowledge, and advancement. We believe the world needs writers. There are so many voices, so many stories, so many perspectives, and literature in all its varied forms is one of the oldest, most powerful channels of building empathy into experiences outside of our own.

Writers understand perhaps better than anyone else the primacy of story and the incredible power and agency that comes with knowing how to wield words. In a world in which reading is at risk and the literary arts are in battle with twenty-first century distractions, fostering the art of writing is vital.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Arts & Culture
Secondary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Arts Services
Tertiary Category:	Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Printing, Publishing

Areas Served

While The Porch is located in Davidson County, workshop participants have come from a number of locations. Over the past ten years, and through in-person and virtual programming, The Porch has served participants from 50 states, 30 different countries, and 53 counties within Tennessee.

TN - Davidson