ProgressLex, a nonprofit component under the umbrella of Blue Grass Community Foundation, is now accepting applications for the second annual “EngageLex” Fellowship, which provides those funded with an opportunity to learn about community journalism in a seminar environment. The program aims to equip fellows with storytelling and media production skills “to help them build a grassroots movement around a project or issue that improves quality of life and/or quality of place in Lexington,” according to a press release.
The inaugural “EngageLex” last year featured seminars and panels led by John Carroll, former editor of the Herald-Leader and Neiman Fellow at Harvard, At-Large Council Member Steve Kay, Julie Wilson and Mark Kidd, among others.
Partly funded by a $25,000 matching grant received by The Knight Community Information Challenge in 2013, this year’s summer fellowship will feature a host of regional media leaders, including Appalshop’s Mark Kidd, Shaker Steps’ Derek Feldman and Story Magazine’s Julie Wilson, who will speak on a range of topics such as interview techniques, local media 101, audio and video editing, etc. Fellows will have access to a mobile media tech toolkit, will build a network of journalist peers and will learn to disseminate or publish articles.
The seminars will take place on Saturday mornings from May 30 - June 27 at 9 a.m. until noon, at the Plantory, located in the Bread Box (501 W. Sixth St., Ste. 250). To find out more about the program or to apply, visit www.progresslex.org/engagelex. Applications are due April 30, 2015.