First Person Arts transforms the drama of real life into memoir and documentary art to foster appreciation for our unique and shared experience. We believe that everyone has a story to tell, and that sharing our stories connects us with each other and the world.

Throughout the year, First Person Arts presents programming that pulls from the rich source material of real life. We host semi-monthly StorySlams, storytelling competitions in which anyone can share a five-minute story based on a predetermined theme. The Salon Series is an opportunity for new and emerging artists to discuss and present their memoir and documentary-based work. Edible World uses food as a foundation for storytelling. In addition, we host an annual photography and writing competition, as well as educational programming.

The capstone of our yearly programming is the First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art. The Festival brings together writers, musicians, actors and other artists from across the country for five days of workshops, presentations and more. This past year, we presented such notable figures as Mark Bowden, Rita Mae Brown, A.J. Jacobs, and Ruth Reichl. Our 2010 Festival will be held in the fall at the Painted Bride.

You can also find us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter and on the First Person Arts Blog. Become a member here.

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