A New Year...A New Decade...aaduna is ready!

bill berry, jr., Publisher/CEO aaduna, Inc. [Photo credit: Lisa Brennan]

A new year and the start of a new decade. It is a intriguing moment in time that prompts reflection, remembrances, recognition of disappointments and the re-living times of jubilation.

In February 2011, the inaugural issue of aaduna was launched.  Most folks could not pronounce the name let alone knew what it meant. The entity was complex in its simplicity. A multicultural, diverse online literary journal exploring poetry, fiction, non-fiction and the visual arts. A platform for emerging writers (especially people of color and other marginalized folks who unfairly struggled to get their creativity in the public consciousness.) A bridge for established writers and poets to explore other facets of their writing and possibly try different pathways without the dictate of doing what had been done before.


aaduna board members
aaduna Board of Directors (left to right)   Ellen Blalock, Billye Chabot, Madelaine Whalen (summer intern) Sheila Applegate, Bill Berry, Sean McLeod, Walt Aikman, Lisa Brennan. Photo taken 09/15/2014 Board Meeting 

 2011 aaduna Winter Issue Home cover, "Shaman's vision," David Roche, Digital Photographer

2011 aaduna Spring Issue cover "Father Daughter Fishing," Lisa Brennan, Photographer
aaduna sought to develop a different paradigm in how creatives were treated. We eschewed established publishing customs and sought to initiate artist-friendly structures in everything that we did.  We combined video readings with print. We explored the juxtaposition of visual images and the written word. We welcomed and continue to publish creatives from all societal "tribes" and then help to nurture their writing and/or exhibition career through honorarium driven public readings and exhibitions in museums, art galleries, and public institutions that routinely explore and curate national and regional progressive social movements such as women's rights, civil rights and the strength of inclusion and respect for all humankind.

http://www.aaduna.org
2014 aaduna Winter/Spring issue cover art, "Boho Dancer," Manya S. Goldstein, Artist


2013 aaduna Spring issue cover art, private collection, bill berry, jr.

So, in our tenth year of online publishing we start anew...somewhat.  Throughout 2020, we will endeavor to remain bold and unrelenting in maintaining our Mission and philosophies.  We will continue to embrace differences of opinion and endeavor to present a quality of creative material that sparks and emboldens the human spirit and in a small way, reminds the world that creative voices are not defined by homogeneity but rather a pluralistic weaving of different cultures, creative thinking, unparalleled imagination and universal themes. So, with that said...



 2012 aaduna Summer Issue Cover Art, "Drummer's Hands" from the private art collection of bill berry, jr.


aaduna will publish a joint celebratory issue that will combine the fall 2019 and winter/spring 2020 issue to kick off the 10th year of continuous publication. This special issue will bring on new contributing editors, a special ongoing commentary segment, the announcement of an aaduna literary prize, the re-introduction of "Conversations" from a long hiatus, and a few other "surprises." The tentative time frame for the special issue's launch is mid-March to mid-April and there will be a more specific timeline available early February. Contributors' promo blogs will commence in mid-February. 

2012 aaduna Winter Spring Cover Art, "Untitled," Rick Nicholson,  photographer


And most importantly, this year, aaduna will kick-off new directions, a strategic movement into print publication and a retreat center. The initial publication venture involves a collaboration with Karen Faris, poet, writer, and visual artist based in Rochester, NY and will explore a paradigm of limited, numbered and signed copies of the publication of her "The Death of Compassion" a compilation of her poetry and visual images. 




What we have termed "aaduna House"may be our most daunting and intriguing strategic objective to date. While we penned a preliminary funding proposal in 2018, it did not garner local governmental support since the structure fell one block outside of the geographical boundaries for consideration of a multi-million downtown revitalization project.  However, that door remains open in a competitive process for funding and it appears that local leaders are prone to be supportive. Our plan is to site this retreat center in a 19th century carriage house located in the Auburn Historical District that is in walking and easy travel distance to downtown Auburn, local hotels, B&Bs and restaurants, as well as nightlife venues.  aaduna house would provide space for creatives in literature, music, visual arts and possibly dance to develop and then workshop new work or previous work looking to be transitioned to another level.  




Please follow these exciting projects via the blog, and thank you for your continued support and interest in aaduna.

Stay creative,

bill



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aaduna - an online adventure with words and images - a globally read, multi-cultural, and diverse online literary and visual arts journal established in 2010.  Visit us at www.aaduna.org where we put measurable actions to our words.

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