Sheree Greer
Hillsborough County
Artist and Founder, Kitchen Table Literary Arts, Partner and contributor to Division of Cultural Affairs strategic planning
I quit my corporate job in 2005 to pursue writing full-time. Since graduating with my MFA in Creative Writing in Chicago and ultimately calling Florida home, I’ve been published in several journals, anthologies and magazines, presented at national and local conferences and founded a literary arts nonprofit, Kitchen Table Literary Arts (KTLA).
I have two traditionally published novels, a self-published short story collection and a student writing guide, and have given several book talks and panel appearances throughout the state of Florida. My organization, KTLA, was founded in 2014 with a mission to showcase and support the literary work of Black women and women of color poets and writers. Since then, KLTA has produced public programs and creative writing workshops and residencies for Black women and women of color writers in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. With support from DCA, I’ve been able to set aggressive and expansive goals for myself and my organization, then to see those goals to fruition through community partnerships, training opportunities and financial support.
|
|
The division has shaped my development as an artist, director and community arts advocate. Being able to pour into DCA as DCA pours into others, myself included, has been a true joy. My organization continues to grow its public programs and raise its visibility and viability. My own work as an artist and arts advocate has been fortified by my relationships with individuals within DCA and the agency as a whole.
Individual artist support and participation in the division’s professional artist training has encouraged me to take more risks as an artist, particularly in applying for creative residencies and submitting my work to higher profile publications, resulting in a Pushcart Prize nomination and residencies at Yaddo and Ragdale.
