A major downpour in July inundated great swaths of Vermont with up to nine inches of water, washing out neighborhoods across the state just twelve years after Hurricane Irene wreaked similar destruction. Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events like these. As Vermont’s literary organizations and businesses attempt to regroup, they are doing what many others may increasingly be called to do in a more treacherous future: leaning on community support, including from other arts institutions that have survived similar disasters.
In Johnson, thirty miles north of Montpelier, flooding severely damaged two buildings at Vermont Studio Center (VSC), which hosts residencies for writers and artists. The residents’ lounge took on four feet of water, and first-floor studios in another building were destroyed. One staff member lost…
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Poets & Writers (Digital) - 1 Issue, November/December 2023