From a major metropolis of the world, New York, to the heart of Mount Parnon and the small village of Vamvakou! A group of postgraduate literature students from NYU is being hosted this year too, from July, 20 to August, 4, by Vamvakou Revival, within the framework of the initiative for the revival of the village, realized with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). So, what are five students from NYU doing in Vamvakou? How come they are in the village?
The idyllic and serene environment of Vamvakou is the ideal setting for the NYU group, which is in the process of a dissertation boot camp – an intensive programme allowing participants to write their dissertation – for about 20 days, accompanied by their professor and poet Maya Popa. The group consists of one fiction writer and four poets.
Crawford, the fiction writer, is writing a novel about home. Devi is writing poems about multilingualism, family history, and geography. Christine is writing about love. Suchita is writing poems in conversation with Indian epics. Margaret is writing about walking. Vamvakou is making its way into all of their projects!
The schedule of the students includes study at the school of the village, excursions in Lakonia, participation in cultural and athletic activities, acquaintance with the place and its people, as well as interaction with the community, which will serve as a source of inspiration for the literary work of the five guests
The NYU group itself says about the programme in the village: “Our three weeks in Vamvakou will be dedicated to working on various writing projects in poetry and fiction. We are so grateful to the village of Vamvakou for the warm welcome and for allowing us to use the school as our work space. Thanks to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for supporting young artists like us!”
The residency is realized for a second year in a row. Last summer, seven students from NYU and their professor and poet Major Jackson had the chance to live in Vamvakou for a whole month. Every year, the participants have the opportunity to get to know the village and the wider area, while the local community has the opportunity to get to know young people leaving their mark through their interaction with the inhabitants of the village.
