As the foundation celebrates its first year, we look back on a year of not only getting our legs under us, but of funding two special programs that live our mission. As we will throughout the year, we want to share the good work they are doing and how you can help.

Save the date, as the foundation will be announcing the first winner of our annual book award competition. This year, the focus was on poetry and we are happy to announce we had 70 entries! The guidelines for entry were that poets had to be unpublished and submit a manuscript of a minimum of 50 pages.

One of the two programs funded by the foundation in 2024, Write to Recover, is one segment of programming for inmates housed in the Bullitt County Detention Center (BCDC). As part of the Kentucky Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Program (SAP), the creative writing program helps inmates with healing and teaches a creative outlet for their emotions.

As a new foundation, we are looking for ways to introduce our work to people around the Commonwealth. Holding house parties for 15-20 people at a time is an easy way for supporters of the foundation to invite their circle of friends to hear about the work we do in supporting Kentucky artists.

The James Baker Hall Foundation was created by James Baker Hall’s family to ensure his legacy of mentoring Kentucky writers. While still in its infancy and less than a year old, the directors are working on the issues of policy, finances and ethics. We would love to introduce you to our 2024-2025 Board of Directors!

The James Baker Hall Foundation, in collaboration with Accents Publishing, is launching the James Baker Hall Book Award. The inaugural award is for poetry.

In 2024, the award recognizes an unpublished manuscript of poetry over 50 pages by a Kentucky author who has not yet published a full-length poetry collection. For the purpose of the award, a Kentucky author is defined as someone who lives in Kentucky, has strong ties to Kentucky or whose work features a prominent Kentucky theme.