Atlanta — South Arts is pleased to announce the upcoming release of its inaugural literary anthology titled “What We Are Becoming”, a collection of fiction work from nine writers awarded the 2024 Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts. Published in partnership with Hub City Press—the South’s premier independent literary press—the publication will debut at the Mississippi Book Festival on September 14, coinciding with a special award ceremony announcing the first-ever winner and finalist of the Southern Prize in Literary Arts.
PRE-ORDER THE ANTHOLOGY
Beginning with this initial cohort of recipients, the Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts is the newest annual fixture in South Arts’ program portfolio, demonstrating a commitment to the literary landscape of the region. The 2024 State Fellows for Literary Arts are recognized for their exceptional contributions to Southern literature. This anthology marks a significant milestone in supporting and enriching the region's literary arts community.
Each author represents a state within the South Arts region: Randi Pink (Irondale, AL), Ashley Blooms (Lexington, KY), Joanna Pearson (Carrboro, NC), Camille Boxhill (Coral Springs, FL), Maurice Carlos Ruffin (New Orleans, LA), F.E. Choe (Columbia, SC), Constance Collier-Mercado (Atlanta, GA), Melissa Ginsburg (Oxford, MS), and Yurina Yoshikawa (Nashville, TN). Their distinct voices and diverse backgrounds create a rich, vibrant portrait of the Southern literary landscape.
“The 2024 State Fellows for Literary Arts are a remarkable group of individuals, including educators, musicians, historians, advocates, and caregivers,” said Susie Surkamer, South Arts President and CEO. “Their writing spans from poetic lyricism to direct, powerful prose, encompassing genres from fantasy and magic to the stark realities of everyday life. This diversity is what inspired South Arts to bring their voices together in a new anthology, celebrating and exploring the complexity of Southern identity through their unique perspectives. This publication marks an exciting moment to uplift their voices, and we look forward to sharing these compelling narratives with a wider audience soon.”
In addition to inclusion in the literary anthology, each State Fellow for Literary Arts receives a $5,000 cash award. At an awards ceremony which will be held at the Mississippi Book Festival, two of the State Fellows will receive the larger Southern Prize for Literary Arts awards. The Southern Prize for Literary Arts winner will receive an additional $25,000, and the Southern Prize for Literary Arts finalist will receive an additional $10,000. Both of the Southern Prize recipients will also receive a residency valued at $5,000 in The Writers Room at The Betsy-South Beach, which is South Arts’ newest partner offering artist residencies for the Southern Prize for Literary Arts.
The anthology also features contributions from South Arts leadership and community members, including an introduction by John T. Edge, writer and former director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, and a foreword by Susie Surkamer, President and CEO of South Arts. These writings reflect both the culmination of years of planning and the beginning of an ongoing journey to support Southern writers.
The publication will be for sale on the Hub City Press website and nationally distributed to the trade by Publishers Group West, making the book available in independent bookstores, gift shops, and other retail entities nationwide. For more information about the publication or for pre-order options, please visit hubcity.org/becoming.
About South Arts
South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.