Creative Writing Workshop at Ijams Nature Center

The Sundress Academy for the Arts is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a generative creative writing workshop celebrating Earth Day and mental health awareness on April 25, 2026, partnered with Ijams Nature Center and hosted by Shelby Hansen. This two-hour event will be hosted at the Ijams Nature Center Glass Room in the Visitor Center from 2-4pm. Participants will have the opportunity to explore nature, learn about local plants and wildlife in East Tennessee, and reflect inwardly on their own connection to the natural world followed by a quick hike and open mic session.

The event will be open to writers of all backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels, and all exploration and movement is ADA accessible. While the event itself is free, parking at Ijams Nature Center costs $5.00. All proceeds go back to operation and conservation efforts for the organization.

Shelby Hansen (she/her) is a creative writer and self-proclaimed fantasy maestro hailing from the northern plains of Texas. She recently graduated from the University of Tennessee’s English program with a focus in Literature and Creative Writing, where she won several awards for her fiction. Her writing often focuses on womanhood, identity, and the reclamation of the self through a speculative lens. This is reflected in her debut novel, which she hopes to publish soon. When she is not writing or teaching today’s youth, she enjoys reading, crocheting, swimming, and spending time with her two cats, Stella and Gemma.

An image of a young blonde woman sitting down, arms to the side, posing for the camera. She is smiling, wearing a white top, blue jeans, and a light blue button up.

Ijams Nature Center is a nonprofit environmental education center that relies on member and donor support. Funding helps maintain the more than 318 acres of protected land managed by the nature center as well as allows Ijams to offer low-cost education programs so that more people can take part in them. Their mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences.