Clarion Foundation: nonprofit that oversees sf writers workshop

By Cory Doctorow at 1:10 am Wednesday, Jan 11

The Clarion Foundation is a nonprofit charity that serves as caretaker for the Clarion Writers' Workshop, a legendary "boot camp for science fiction writers" that I was privileged to both attend (1992) and teach (2005). Now I'm on the Board of Directors for the organization.

We've just launched our new site, with information on how to support Clarion through cash and in-kind donations, how to participate in an online version of the Clarion workshop, and how to participate in the workshop, which runs every summer for six weeks.

Across the country we have witnessed an extraordinary plunge in financial aid to public institutions of all kinds, including state university systems. MSU has not been spared a severe loss of funding, and consequently the Clarion Workshop has suffered such significant funding cuts that for a time its future appeared imperiled. Started in 1968 and in continuous operation from that time, Clarion has been hosted by MSU since 1972 and has survived many advances and retreats in the level of support from the university, but never to the extent of the present reduction of financial aid.

In response to what we saw as a looming crisis, a group of Clarion alumni and instructors has come together to create The Clarion Foundation, Inc., with tax-exempt status as a charitable non-profit organization. Our sole purpose is to ensure that the Clarion Workshop continues to function at the same high level of excellence that has made it one of the most acclaimed writing workshops in the country, evidenced by the many, many success stories of its alumni.

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