Frontier Fellowship: Ashley Hanson & Brian Laidlaw

Ashley Hanson & Brian Laidlaw, Teaching Artists / Musicians (Granite Falls, MN)

ASHLEY HANSON is a theater artist, community organizer and advocate for the arts in rural areas. She is the founder of PlaceBase Productions and the Department of Public Transformation, and was recently named a 2018 Obama Foundation Fellow for her work with rural communities. BRIAN LAIDLAW is a poet-songwriter nearing completion of a Ph.D. in Creative Writing at the University of Denver. His books include THE STUNTMAN and THE MIRRORMAKER (both from Milkweed Editions); he has also had lyrics in American Songwriter Magazine and Songwriting Consultant credits on multiple Grammy-Award- winning and -nominated albums.

Ashley’s life as a site-specific artist and Brian’s life as a Creative Writing educator and craftsperson intersect here: at a commitment to helping communities and individuals create powerful, issue-based poems, songs and stories about their towns and landscapes. They work with local artists, musicians and theater-makers to offer workshops in a variety of genres and formats, all with the goal of helping residents reflect – both compellingly and accurately – the joys and challenges of living in rural places.

What are you most looking forward to in regards to Green River and the Frontier Fellowship?

Brian and Ashley have previously visited Epicenter and spent a little time in Green River, but they are overjoyed to have the opportunity to get to know the community and its surroundings in a deeper and more concentrated way. The duo will be on a month-long tour in partnership with the Utah Humanities Festival, and will get to have Epicenter as a home base for their travels and programming throughout that time!

Laidlaw & Hanson’s residency is supported by Utah Humanities.