12 spots left
From Start to Finish: The Art of the Concept Album
$195.00
12 spots left
For this writing workshop, a tuition rate of $145 is available for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ writers. Email Emily (emily@austinbatcave.org) for more info. In addition, scholarships are available to those demonstrating financial need.
Class meets on the following dates: January 12th, January 26th, February 9th, & February 23rd
A “concept album” historically has been defined as a collection or cycle of songs expressing a particular theme or idea. From David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars to Beyoncé’s Lemonade, concept albums function similarly to a poetry collection or novel: intimate and subversive conversations are held under the protective umbrella of an overarching project. So why is it that when we’re working on writing projects, concept albums don’t come up on our reading lists?
In this 4-week generative workshop, which meets every-other week to give ample time for exploration and writing, we’ll explore the ties that exist between concept albums and literary projects as we work as a community to undermine what the world tells us art should be. We’ll examine form, language, plot, character, and narrative in these innovative musical works as we create our own projects, be they poems, stories, or even a concept album of your own! The class will also include optional take-home prompts and further music and literature recommendations each week, as well as the opportunity for short one-on-one “office hours” sessions with Bridget at the end of the class. You’ll come away with a new understanding of craft, lots of new drafts, and – if nothing else – one killer playlist.
This workshop is for anyone who wants to inject new life into their writing through experiments and tangential explorations…and especially for anyone who feels like they’d love to learn some new stuff about music along the way!
This Austin Bat Cave adult writing workshop is limited to 12 students and is open to writers of all levels.
About the Instructor
Bridget Brewer
Bridget Brewer is a queer writer, artist, and performer based out of Austin, TX. Currently at work on both a concept album about the patron saint of non-binary teenagers, as well as a geo-erotic horror novel, s/he currently serves on the board of directors for HIVE, an arts collective that primarily serves learners of historically marginalized genders, and seeks to facilitate learning spaces that ask more questions than they answer. Their work has appeared in McSweeney’s, The Best Experimental Fiction of 2020, Tarpaulin Sky Magazine, Puerto del Sol, and Awst Press, amongst others, and has been supported by fellowships and residencies from Brown University, Surel’s Place, and the Disquiet International Program in Lisbon, Portugal. Their work can be found at bridget-brewer06.com.
