Greenfield Farm Writers Residency Moves Forward

The celebrated University of Mississippi has taken a significant step forward in its project to establish a unique residency program for writers at its Greenfield Farm. The institution has secured vital backing from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, which has provided a generous grant of 2 million dollars for the initiative.

Marlon Blackwell Architects Assigns to Lead Design

As part of ongoing developments related to the residency, the University has also chosen the esteemed design expertise of Marlon Blackwell Architects, an award-winning firm based in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Greenfield Farm, a humble yet culturally rich 20.4-acre farmland located between Oxford and New Albany, was once the abode of William Faulkner, a renowned American writer and Pulitzer Prize Laureate. The farm is set to act as a retreat-like compound for the writers.

Funding and Project Objectives

With the newly obtained grant, an impressive sum of $4.6 million is now available for the project. It comprises both private funds and those committed by the University itself. The residency aims to host and nurture between 50 and 60 writers each year, focusing on those with strong links to Mississippi itself.

Each invited writer will have the option to stay at the farm for an average of two to three weeks completely free of charge, with an added stipend of $1,000 per week for those utilizing the overnight studios.

Foundation’s Support and Vision

“We invested these funds so Greenfield Farm can steward excellent writers and writers who demonstrate the potential to be excellent,” shared Matt Holleman, a trustee at the Hearin Support Foundation.

The foundation firmly believes that the residency will host arts programming that is both transformative and economically beneficial to the state, campaigning for more entities to contribute towards making the initiative a success for Mississippi.

Projected Opening and Facilities

The Greenfield Farm is planned to open in 2026 and will feature an assortment of amenities for the resident writers. These include four studios, a gathering pavilion with the Julia Evans Reed Kitchen at the core, a restored farm shed, and the relocated cabin of Rev. Will D. Campbell, a late writer.

Natural walking trails and communal areas will also be included, allowing residents to feel a strong connection with the natural world.

Selection of Marlon Blackwell Architects

Marlon Blackwell Architects was thrilled to be chosen for this project, expressing their anticipation at contributing toward transforming Greenfield Farm into a hub of creativity and potential.

“This visionary project will transform William Faulkner’s property into a ‘front porch for the South,’ supporting writers with roots in Mississippi, especially those whose roots may have been torn by racial and economic pressures.”

said Marlon Blackwell, design principal at the firm.

Local Collaboration

Several Mississippians are set to collaborate with Marlon Blackwell Architects on the Greenfield Farm project, including Susan Haltom, who worked for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History on the Old Capitol Restoration, and Robert Poore, who has dedicated his career to creating imaginative, functional and sustainable designs inspired by Mississippi’s natural habitats. Bob Brzuszek, who recently retired from Mississippi State University, will serve as the project’s ecological consultant.

Creating a New Generation of Writers

The University plans to utilize the cultural and literary legacy of this land to foster and connect a new generation of writers, students, and change-makers. “Greenfield Farm will focus on the future, as Mississippi’s first significant infrastructure investment in contemporary writers,” expressed John T. Edge, director of the Mississippi Lab.