Spark! Workshop – Virtual

In the Communal Pen workshop, we will write to celebrate and explore our connections to place and community. The writing process can help us awaken and preserve thoughts and traditions, offering insight, understanding, and respect to present and future generations. This four-hour writing workshop draws inspiration from the Smithsonian exhibit Spark! Places of Innovation is a springboard for igniting our own stories, giving voice to our shared and individual experience of place.

No previous writing or storytelling experience is necessary! Writing supplies are provided, but you are welcome to bring your favorite writing tools. This two-hour workshop is free, but registration is required.

Join Bobby Harley as he leads you expertly through writing prompts on innovation, technology, and community. We invite participants to view the exhibit before the workshop, and to pay special attention to those images and ideas that are most relatable to you.

Event Itinerary

Introductions
Writing Prompt 1
Writing Prompt 2
45 minute Break (Lunch provided)
Writing Prompt 3
Writing Prompt 4
Conclusion + Evaluations

Event Details

Date:
May 10, 2025 10:00 am

Duration:
2 hours

Virtual

Location:

Follow this link to register for the event

Stories from this Collection

I enjoyed this experience very much. I enjoyed meeting people and other writers and being able to hear their stories. This is a great opportunity to cold write and get something done off the cuff and, in many ways, has helped me reconnect to writing.

Rob McManus
I appreciate the freedom of expression, the community, the sharing, and the encouragement the Communal Pen offers. It goes beyond just the individual writing or putting things down on paper… it allows you to be inventive and to see things in a different way.

Janice Johnson
The facilitators really cared about what everyone had to say. They really cared, and I feel like that was unique. They give everyone space to share their stories from our community. The black culture is so strong in tying stories together and handing things down over the generations, and I am excited that this workshop seems to share that goal. Connecting to a community that wants to listen to stories and share them like that is powerful.

Patricia
I love folklore, and sharing stories of people’s families. The family stories that may or may not have been embellished over the years… it made me think back on my family stories. Hearing the stories of other attendees made me realize that we have such a rich history of folklore and stories in South Carolina. Listening to the stories gave you a wonderful front porch feeling. It was immediately so comfortable and welcoming.

Eden
No matter what the topic is, the Communal Pen makes you go deeper and share the stories that inspire you. I loved going a little deeper with the other writers, then going deeper into what people see and think. There are no barriers to stop us from expressing ourselves. I learned how to relax and tell my stories to the people in my community.

Sandy