The Bourgeon Book Project

Artwork and Writing by 40 District of Columbia Artists to be Published in Book by non-profit Day Eight

Since 2005, Bourgeon has been helping local artists develop quality articles about their work to help them gain exposure and reach new audience. Day Eight created the arts magazine Bourgeon to amplify artists’ voices, because of our belief that involvement in the arts strengthens individuals, organizations, and communities.

To share the value of the articles published online, the Board of Directors of Day Eight is supporting creation of a book containing articles published in the first five years of the magazine’s existence. Through the compilation and distribution of online-published Bourgeon articles in book form Day Eight will preserve the work of artists in the Washington arts community, and provide increased exposure for those artists.

The book project will also increase accessibility to the arts for youth and residents in Washington, D.C., especially for D.C. school children who lack access to the arts in their own communities. DC is filled with museums that showcase the work of artists from around the world, but it is rare for students to be inspired by a collection of artists that live in the District. Bourgeon articles substantively document the personal and artistic journeys of the authors as professional artists in D.C. These articles are currently only available online, and they preserve important local history inspiring to D.C. students and future artists.

The project is supported by an Advisory Committee:
George Jackson
Kathryn Boland
Laura Smith
Cheryl Palonis Adams
Jack Hannula
Kate Kretz
Dr. Judith Hanna
Dr. Naima Prevots
John Shields
Michele Banks
Sara Hill Isacson

And the Editorial Committee:
Kate Kretz
Heather Delands
Diana Dinerman
Kathryn Boland
Cheryl Palonis Adams
John Shields
Robert Bettmann

And Editorial Assistants: Nate Hochstetler, Clare Donnelly, Melissa Brooks

The Bourgeon book will be professionally designed, and will feature a preface and introduction written for the book. The publisher of Bourgeon, the D.C.-based non-profit Day Eight, hopes to place the book in local libraries and public schools, thereby informing and inspiring the youth and future generations of DC residents. The Bourgeon book will be available for sale at Bourgeon events, on the internet, and may also become available at local independent bookstores. Day Eight will manage creation of the book in the winter of 2011 into the spring of 2012. Day Eight expects the book will be published and distributed in May 2012.

Day Eight is currently seeking funding to allow distribution of the book free of charge to DC Public Schools and DC Public Libraries. If you are interested in supporting the book through donation or sponsorship, or in assisting in editorial production, please contact Managing Editor Robert Bettmann at Rob@DayEight.org.