PoemSugar Press to Create Literary Arts Center at the Strand-Capitol

Downtown York's historic Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center will welcome PoemSugar Press, an independent publishing imprint company into their office space. As a supporter of education and the arts, the Strand-Capitol hopes to foster the poetry community and would like to create a literary arts center here in the next year.

"I am very excited about this partnership," said Ken Wesler, president and CEO of the Strand-Capitol. "For us to be a true home for the arts, we want all art forms, and the literary arts are an important part of that scene."

The new office space will allow PoemSugar Press to increase their ability to offer more authors the chance to create new works. This new space will aid in creating a more focused and productive work environment as well as help promote the professional and quality image the press has been working hard to develop. The office will be used to provide a space for performance, author training and development, and to provide opportunity and equipment for collaboration between graphic designers and layout/proof artists.

Immediate past Poet Laureate, Carla Christopher, currently serves as the founder and director of the York Independent Press, PoemSugar along with a board of published regional poets. The independent publisher does everything from selecting, and editing pieces to producing, publishing, and marketing collections. In the past two years PoemSugar Press has published 12 collections from authors who belong to marginalized communities including African-American, female, gay and lesbian, mentally ill, disabled, or other racial minority groups. They also assist with writing coaching, performance coaching, teaching the basics of desktop publishing and self-marketing, and hosting readings and book launches.

About the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center: The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center is Central Pennsylvania's premier venue for dynamic live entertainment, presenting an array of Broadway productions, comedy performances, live music, and family shows. Located in downtown York, the historic Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center is committed to serving as the cultural center of the community, offering a diverse number of arts and education programs to enrich the quality of life for all area residents. Sponsors for 2013-2014 include Glatfelter Insurance Group; M&T Bank; The Art Institute of York - Pennsylvania; Perform Group, LLC.; New Standard Corporation; Moxie; Wells Fargo; Kinsley Construction; PeoplesBank; and the Vigilant Social Club. For more information about the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, visit www.StrandCapitol.org, Facebook.com/StrandCapitol or on Twitter @StrandCapitol.