Northwest Institute Of Literary Art

THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS WRITERS AND PROMOTES THE LITERARY ARTS THROUGH: 1. MASTER OF FINE ARTS COLLEGE PROGRAM; 2. LOCAL CLASSES AND PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY; 3. CONFERENCES WITH CLASSES, CRITIQUE, AND NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS; AND 4. THE SOUNDINGS MAGAZINE THAT OFFERS WRITERS OPPORTUNITIES TO PUBLISH SMALL WORKS.

THE NORTHWEST INSTITUTE OF LITERARY ARTS (NILA) MASTER OF FINE ARTS PROGRAM IS THE FIRST TO BE OFFERED, NOT BY A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, BUT BY AN ORGANIZATION OF WRITERS. IN THIS, IT RESEMBLES MANY FREE-STANDING ARTS INSTITUTIONS OFFERING DEGREES INMUSIC, ART, DANCE, AND THEATER. IT IS AUTHORIZED BY THE WASHING STATE HIGHER EDUCATION COODINATING BOARD AND IS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COUNCIL. THE NILA MASTERS OF FINE ARTS PROGRAM HAS THREE MAJOR OBJECTIVES: TO PRODUCE PRODUCTIVE, PUBLISHING AUTHORS WHO ARE PREPARED FOR A LIFE OF WRITING; TO PREPARE GRADUATES TO ARTICULATE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS OF WRITING THROUGH ESSAYS, INFORMAL OR FORMAL TEACHING, AND OTHER METHODS; TO PREPARE GRADUATES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COMMUNITY OF WRITERS. AS A LOW-RESIDENCY (OR BRIEF RESIDENCY) PROGRAM, THE NILA MFA PROGRAM REQUIRES STUDENTS TO ATTEND INTENSIVE TEN-DAY RESIDENCIES ON WHIDBEY ISLAND EACH AUGUST AND JANUARY. RESIDENCIES ARE FOLLOWED BY SIXTEEN-WEEK, ON-LINE SEMESTERS. THE NILA MFA PROGRAM HAS A LIMITED NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE. APPLICATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION FORMS LINK ON THE WEBSITE.

PUBLISHES SOUNDINGS REVIEW SEMI-ANNUALLY. THIS MAGAZINE OF CREATIVE WRITING PUBLISHES POETRY, FICTION AND PROSE, INCLUDING ESSAYS AND INTERVIEWS. SOUNDING REVIEW IS PASSIONATE ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND DEPTH, STORIES THAT MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON THE FIRST READ, AND, WITH SUBSEQUENT READING, CONTINUES TO ELECIT THOUGHT AND UNDERSTANDING. SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOMED FROM EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED WRITERS. GUIDELINES ARE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE FOR PERSONS CONSIDERING SUBMISSION. CONTESTS WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLICATION ARE HELD ANNUALLY.

CONDUCTED CONFERENCE FOR ASPIRING WRITERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND LITERARY AGENTS IN ADDITION TO THE WORKSHOPS. OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

WHIDBEY ISLAND WRITERS ASSOCIATION IS OPEN TO WRITERS AND ASPIRING WRITERS THROUGOUT THE WORLD. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR WRITERS AND ASPIRING WRITERS TO CONVERSE WITH EACH OTHER AND TO LEARN ABOUT WRITING THROUGH CLASSES AND MINI-SEMINARS.