The Free University of NYC will host free classes in Madison Square Park this week, including a number of courses for writers.
You can read the complete class schedule at this link. The school was founded on May Day 2012, offering “free and open” education in city parks. This week, you can study comic writing, songwriting and personal writing in the park–we’ve collected the literary classes below…
Here’s more about the organization: “The Free University has subsequently organized numerous days of free and open education in parks and public spaces in New York City. Our project is born out of a recognition that the current system of higher education is as unequal as it is unsustainable. With increasing tuition at public and private institutions, the increasing use of precarious adjunct labor, and the larger and larger amounts of debt that students are expected to take on, a university education is systematically becoming a rarefied commodity only available to the few.”
The NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium led by Ben Katchor
Tuesday, September 18 – 4:30 pm 6:30 pm in Madison Square Park Pool
About the class: “A weekly symposium for artist/writers working in various text-image forms: comics, picture-stories, animation, etc. at which to present and critique current work. The symposium will examine new ideas for the distribution of print and electronic work that move beyond the existing models of publishing and advertising. We will re-examine the relationship between readers and autographic writers. Emphasis will be placed on self-initiated work and the development of a self-sustaining economic model for such work.”
NY Comics & Picture-story Symposium presents artist Bishakh Som with Adam McGovern
Wednesday, September 19 – 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Occupy Theory: A conversation with writers from TIDALWednesday, September 19 -2:00 pm until 3:30 pm
Writing for Home, School, and Everyday Life led by Susan Naomi Bernstein
Wednesday, September 19 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm
About the class: “For new and experienced writers: This course presents the processes of writing for anyone who struggles to write. Together we will develop our own practices of writing for audiences and purposes that connect to our visions of social transformation for home, school, and everyday life.”
Discussion of “The Alienated Librarian” led by Chris Alen Sula
Thursday, September 20 -3:30 pm until 5:00 pm
About the class: “Join students from Pratt Institute’s School of Information & Library Science for a discussion of Marcia Nauratil‘s “The Alienated Librarian,” which examines the work of librarians from a labor perspective. We will discuss the book (published in 1989) as well as its relevance for our current, technology-based profession.”
Occupy Guitarmy Social Justice Musicianship Certificate Program: songwriting workshop
Saturday, September 22 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
About the class: A half-day immersion on of music as social justice through history, song teach-ins, songwriting workshops, and collaborative brainstorming on organizing actions with music, led by various members of the Occupy Guitarmy and friends.