A two-day celebration of Appalachian writer, documentarian, advocate, UK English Professor Emeritus, and UK Alumnus (BA '59), Gurney Norman. Norman is the author of Divine Right's Trip: A Folk-Tale (1972), Kinfolks: The Wilgus Stories (1977), One From Crazy Quilt: A Novel in Progress (1990), Ancient Creek: A Folktale (2012), and Allegiance (2019). He served as Kentucky Poet Laureate in 2009-10 and has been inducted into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame (2019) and into the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame (2021).

Events include a musical performance, master class, panel discussions, film screenings, and readings of Gurney's works.

Please fill out this form for free (but required) registration: https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3lv996trKXMJ5Ns

Schedule:

Friday, November 17, 2023

10:30am -1:30pm: Check-in - Ballroom in King Alumni House
11:30am: Gurney Fest! kickoff and new documentary by Sean Anderson. - John Jacob Niles Gallery in Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library
12:00pm: Musical performance by Jack Wright, brought by the Appalachian Center and Appalachia in the Bluegrass Series. - John Jacob Niles Gallery in Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library
1:15pm: Lunch and screening of KET documentary, Time on the River. - Ballroom in King Alumni House
2:10pm: Morris Grubbs, "Living with Kinfolks: Gurney as a Master of the Short Story." - Ballroom in King Alumni House
3:00pm: Panel discussion on Teaching Gurney. Speakers include Erik Reece, Morris Grubbs, Chris Green, Leatha Kendrick, and Theresa Burriss. Moderated by Robert Gipe. - Ballroom in King Alumni House
4:30pm: Student and alumni readings, Graphite Creative Writing Club. - Ballroom in King Alumni House
7:00pm: Film screening, The Wilgus Stories. - Ballroom in King Alumni House
8:00pm: Panel discussion on The Wilgus Stories Film with Director Andrew Garrison and Actors William Johnson, Robin Mullins, and Frank Hoyt Taylor.

Saturday, November 18, 2023

9:00am: Screening of KET documentary, Wilderness Road. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
10:15am: Screening of Coal Black Voices. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
11:15am: Panel on Coal Black Voices. Speakers include Theresa Burriss, Frank X Walker, and Crystal Wilkinson. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
2:00pm: Panel on Gurney's Writing Community. Speakers include Robert Gipe, Chris Holbrook, George Ella Lyon, Maurice Manning, and Bobbie Ann Mason. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
3:30pm: Panel on Gurney and his Homefolks. Speakers include Mandi Fugate Sheffel, Nick Smith, Pam Meade, Angie Debord, Jack Wright, Dee Davis, and Scott McReynolds. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
5:00pm: Screening of KET documentary, From this Valley. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
6:00pm: Reception - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center
7:00pm: Closing event with readings of Gurney's works and filmed tributes by distinguished authors. - Harris Ballroom in Gatton Student Center

When:
November 17, 2023 - 11:00 am - 09:00 pm
November 18, 2023 - 09:00 am - 09:00 pm

Where:
- King Alumni House, 400 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40506
- Lucille Little Fine Arts Library, 160 Patterson Drive, Lexington, KY 40506
- Gatton Student Center, University of Kentucky, 160 Avenue of Champions, Lexington, KY 40506

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