How 1455 Literary Arts Began
Sean Murphy on the origins of the nonprofit
What a joy to sit down with my dear friend Jenna Blum (NYT bestselling author and co-founder of A Mighty Blaze) to talk about 1455’s newest venture, 1455 books! Jenna, being the generous literary citizen she’s always been, invited me onto the Blaze media empire for a spirited conversation that covers everything from founding a nonprofit from scratch to navigating the corporate world, building business plans, attracting donors, and assembling a team.
1455 Literary Arts is named after the year Gutenberg’s printing press first put books into the world—a momentous cultural shift that took the creation and distribution of literature out of the hands of the clergy and elite, making books, newspapers, and magazines accessible to everyone. Inspired by my transformative experience at the now-defunct Noepe Center on Martha’s Vineyard, I created 1455 to continue that vision of celebrating storytelling and cultivating creativity.
What began as plans for a year-round writing retreat in Virginia evolved during COVID into a virtual platform dedicated to promoting the art of storytelling through programming, podcasts, events, and community-building. 1455 functions as a catch-all space where writers, readers, and creative people can connect—cutting across artistic, political, and academic boundaries. It’s a labor of love that keeps me in contact with amazingly creative, generous, kind people while championing the democratization of storytelling in all its forms.
Visit 1455litarts.org to find out more, get involved, or help support our mission.