Grantee "We Declare"

2026 marks two anniversaries - the 250th of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the 20th of Ellen Schmidt’s Ithaca-based writing community, Writing through the Rough Spots (WTRS). From across the US and 15 countries, more than 100 people have participated in Ellen’s classes. 

The "We Declare" project received a CAP "GAP" grant. The project is a recent outgrowth of WTRS, is a storytelling project which shares a curated selection of writing from both past and present WTRS workshop attendees, and includes live readings, video recordings and a self-published book. These personal stories are not editorials, but provide a snapshot into this moment in American history, a period with uncanny parallels to 1776. The stories amplify compelling voices with the goal of building greater community through increased understanding and empathy. 

Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM
Location: Kitchen Theatre Company, 
Cost: Free or sliding scale (tickets are required) 
kitchentheatre.org/wedeclare

Future Performances:

Two fall performances are set and there may be a third! . 

Sat., Sept. 12th, 2:00pm, Tompkins County Public Library
Sat., Sept. 26th 2:00 pm, Dryden Community Center 

Facebook Page: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584347735727

Image: “Liberty through Mist and Haze,” Terry Plater

Thank you to Triphammer Arts for fiscally sponsoring this grant application.

The GAP Grant ("Grants for Arts Programs") is part of New York State Council on the Arts ((NYSCA) "Statewide Community Regrant" (SCR) program, administered in Tompkins County by the Community Arts Partnership. SCR is made possible by NYSCA with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA's Facebook page and Instagram @NYScouncilonthearts.