Dear New City Friend,

 As you may or may not know, New City is now shepherding the SquareRoom (www.thesquareroom.com) on Market Square at Cafe4.  The room is a state of the art listening venue positioned perfectly in the middle of Knoxville’s downtown.  I say perfectly because The SquareRoom has the capacity—like the downtown itself—to serve as a bridge between the various communities that make us who we are as a city, linking east and west, north and south. 

 At least this is the vision we are carrying into the SquareRoom, and it is this vision that will shape and inform the diverse and eclectic artists, events, and conversations we plan to cultivate within these walls in the coming weeks and months.

 I am both happy and humbled to be in this position.  Above all, I consider it something of a sacred trust, an opportunity to engage the imagination of our culture in creative ways and for redemptive purposes in a space specifically set aside for such a purpose.   

 Here are a few items to keep an eye out for.   First, starting Thursday, February 1 the Square Room will launch a weekly singer-songwriter community.  Here, in an environment committed to fostering local and regional creativity, we will develop a unique experience for artists and audiences alike, an organic gathering that will consistently provide unprecedented access to the creative process as well as opportunity for artistic growth and experimentation.    

 Second, please get in the habit of watching out for national touring artists like Michael Card (www.michaelcard.com) and Andrew Peterson (www.andrew-peterson.com) gigging in the Square Room.  Michael will be with us as soon as Tuesday, February 12.  Tickets are now available.  I’m thinking it’s a great date night Valentine’s week, guys!  Andrew will do a revised version of his Light for the Lost Boy show with the very cool band, Caleb, Friday, April 12.  Heads up: if I have my way, we will get Andrew to read a snippet from Book IV (which is not yet released) of his critically acclaimed Wingfeather series.

 Third, on March 2, we have the privilege of hosting four of East Tennessee’s best loved storytellers (Jim Claborn, Bill Landry, Elizabeth Rose, Sam Venable).  The show is called “Talk is Cheap.”  In fact, the evening of songs, stories, remembrances, and reflections is a rich experience—and one that we are happy to host in what will be its Knoxville premier.   Come find your story in theirs, and be enhanced.    

 Details for all this—and much more—are available online now, or will be very soon, both here and at The Square Room.  Hope to see you and yours soon.  Thanks. 

 Kenny Woodhull

kenny@newcityresources.org