Free classes for adults 55 and older continue to be offered as part of our "Experience/Arts" partnership with the Grafton County Senior Citizens Council, made possible by one of only 15 national grants awarded by Aroha Philanthropies through its Seeding Vitality Arts initiative. These programs are intended to inspire and enable older adults to learn, make and share the arts in ways that are novel, complex and socially engaging. You can sign up now for Creative Movement in Haverhill (begins October 4), Choral Singing in Lebanon (October 12), or for the waiting list for Nature Photography in Plymouth (begins October 3). The ukulele class in Littleton is full. Learn more and register at www.experiencearts.org.

Children's author Alicia Potter joins us as Artist in Residence the last weeks of September and October, as part of our partnership with the Vermont College of Fine Arts Young Writers Network. On Wednesday, September 27 at 6 pm White Birch Books in North Conway hosts a free reading and discussion for adults interested in the art of writing for children. Alicia – author of books including Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats, Mrs. Harkness and the Panda, and Jubilee! – will also offer family readings of her work, parent/child writing sessions and school programs including large-group presentations and hands-on writing workshops. We also invite schools, libraries and community groups to contact us to book a session!

We welcome back the husband/wife team of Ross Malcolm Boyd and Jamie Feinberg, who have been traveling the country for the past year; they'll be spending a month in New Hampshire from mid-September to mid-October, and are available for performances and singalongs for all ages from preschoolers to nursing home residents. They'll also offer songwriting workshops in schools. Contact us for details!

Registration is now open for Teaching Innovation & Creativity, the annual education conference offered by the NH State Council on the Arts. We're excited to partner again with the Arts Council – and to announce that the conference is back in our region: in Littleton, Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4! Presenters include Alan November (one of Tech and Learning Magazine's 15 most influential thinkers of the decade), on "Critical Thinking & Media Literacy; artist in residence Gowri Savoor ("Building Lanterns and Community"); and choreographer Yo-EL Cassell. There were also be panel discussions; workshops led by juried teaching artists in media, dance, theater, visual arts, music and design; and much more. Early-bird registration is open through September; read more and register here.

We've designed a great program list – including exciting regional residencies – for our 2017-18 anniversary year. As we start the 2017-2018 school year, we're eager to work with you. If you're interested in cultural programs, partnerships and outreach opportunities, we encourage you to email or call us to let us know, and we'll be glad to talk or meet with you. Check out our upcoming residencies here. Full details will be posted soon.

Our Annual Reading/Writing Conference for educators, dedicated to the memory of Donald Graves, will take place Saturday, March 31 at Kennett High School, North Conway. Presented in partnership with the Conway School District, the 2018 conference features Kylene Beers, a author of many highly respected books on literacy. Register by September 15 and save! Learn more here.

Our 2017 WMNF Artist in Residence Steve Wilkes, a professor in the percussion department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, spent three weeks with us this summer. Steve started his Hear the Forest project, a process of creating an aural map of the Forest through field work that will include recordings of wildlife and insects, waterfalls and rivers, as well as human activity. The recordings are being mapped and made accessible online at heartheforest.org. Let Steve know about your favorite forest sounds!