Project Threadways Symposium and a Songwriters Retreat
Wait…THAT’S Happening in Alabama!?
We all do it. We hear the name of a place and immediately paint a picture in our minds. Colorado? Mountains. California? Beaches. Florida? Sunshine. It’s just human nature, right?
And if we’re being honest, the pictures we paint in our minds are a liiiiitle more detailed than the one-word descriptions I shared above. We create images…narratives, even…in our minds of the people, the food, everything about a place…even if we’ve never been!
As I recently made the short drive from Birmingham, Alabama to Florence, Alabama for an event called the Project Threadways Symposium, I giggled to myself. I couldn’t help but think, “Wow. I bet people have no idea this kind of thing is happening in Alabama”.
Because yes, I’ve asked people from other areas of the country (or the world!) what they think about Alabama…or I just mention that I’m from here…and here’s what they think:
Front porches and sweet tea. Football Saturdays and church on Sunday. Fried food, slow talkers, and maybe a roadside boiled peanut stand (if you're lucky). Tailgates and turnip greens, and the barbecue joints that don’t need a sign out front because everyone already knows where they are.
Truth be told…you don’t have to be here for long to realize that yes, those things are absolutely woven into the fabric of this state. How could they not be? But the thing is, they’re only part of the story.
What most people miss, unless they pause, stay a while, and really look, is the Alabama that’s rewriting the script. The Alabama where creativity runs just as deep as tradition. Where makers, musicians, and designers are crafting world-class work in unexpected corners (aka what some may call the back woods 😂). Where people are pushing boundaries without losing touch with their roots.
Despite what some may think, Alabama is not stuck in time or lagging behind. Far from it! I’ve experienced firsthand the many ways that our state is actually redefining what it means to be Southern.
Think world-class chefs plating seasonal dishes in tiny towns. Independent fashion labels crafting editor-worthy pieces right here in the heart of Dixie. Musicians, artists, architects, and storytellers creating magic in unexpected places (like my very own backyard 🤩🥰).
And what I love most is that all of this is happening not in spite of being in Alabama, but because of it.
My drive to Florence got my wheels turning about all of the things that would surprise people about the state of Alabama, so I thought it would be fun to put a little list together. Heck, even if you’ve lived here your entire life like me, sometimes it can be easy to forget or just not know about the remarkable, innovative things happening right here in our neck of the woods ✨
💫 Alabama Chanin’s Project Threadways Symposium
Of course, I couldn’t not include the event that started this whole train of thought to begin with. The Project Threadways Symposium is an annual gathering hosted by Alabama Chanin and its nonprofit arm, Project Threadways, in Florence, Alabama! The event brings together scholars, artists, designers, and makers from all over the place to explore the intersections of textiles, culture, and community. Talk about inspirational…
I couldn’t believe the stellar lineup of speakers I had the honor of being in the room with…people like Windy Chien (artist and author of The Year of Knots), The Kitchen Sisters (renowned NPR documentarians), and many many more.
Plus, being around Alabama Chanin’s insane talent ALWAYS inspires me in meaningful ways.
Wanna come with me next year? Learn more HERE.
💫 InSpero’s Songwriters Gathering
When my husband and I built our new home (with old things 😉), I envisioned magical gatherings happening with people from all walks of life. And last month, it happened! # of creative songwriters gathered on our back patio for an afternoon of connection and inspiration. A total dream.
And these are really incredible musicians and people, y’all! People like JJ Heller, who’s angelic voice I love hearing floating through my home on a regular basis.
Needless to say, Nashville ain’t the only Southern city where incredible songs are being written.
By the way, this event isn’t the only amazing thing happening with InSpero, a Birmingham-based creative community. This organization’s (which I’m proud to be a part of) entire mission is to gather people through beauty, hospitality, art, music, stories, food, and HOPE. So incredible and definitely not what some may imagine would be happening in sweet home Alabama.
Learn more & get involved HERE!
I hope this inspires you to 1) think outside the box about places you think you really know, but maybe still have room to learn and 2) get out there and be a PART of the special things happening wherever you live!
Remember…inspiration is all around, especially and most often in the sneakiest of places. We just have to look for it ✨
Is there something happening/being created in Alabama or wherever you live that you think would surprise people!? I want to know about it! Email me at lucy@lucysinspired.com or send me a DM on Instagram @lucysinspired.
