Illustration adapted from “Perpetual Motion” by Norman Rockwell, “Popular Science Magazine,” Vol. No.4 (October 1920)

Stockbridge, MA, January 6, 2016—Norman Rockwell Museum is partnering with the WordXWord Festival to present the Rockwell Project, a visual and performing arts contribution to the annual 10×10 Festival being held at the Whitney Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Friday, February 12, at 7 p.m. Admission to the Whitney Center for the Arts event is free, with parental guidance suggested.

Leading up to the February event, WordXWord has challenged 11 poets to create ten original performance pieces in response to Norman Rockwell’s illustrations. Each poet’s images will be chosen by lottery, and created onsite at Norman Rockwell Museum on Sunday, January 10.

The invited poets represent a wide range of styles and wider range of age, each experiencing Norman Rockwell’s works in different ways. Participating poets include: Bruce Garlow, Epiphany Thomas, Cory Desmond and Jonathan Stinson (creating a two-voice piece), Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib, Kevin Peterson, Alex Hicks-Courant, Kate Abbott, Eliza Ryan, Curtis Asch, and Grace Rossman. How the “illustration as prompt” is put into application is entirely up to the individual poets. Poet and storyteller Stan Spencer is project coordinator (aka “Senior Rockwell Correspondent”) for the WordXWord Rockwell Project.

WordXWord Festival uses spoken word, poetry and storytelling in shared space and time to celebrate diversity and creativity, empower the individual, foster understanding and empathy, and make real human connections. For more information on WordXWord Festival and the Rockwell Project, visit wXw365.org.