Austin Bat Cave 

In 2007, Kirk founded Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit organization that provides free writing workshops to students (6–18) in the greater Austin area. Instructors and volunteers work in classrooms and in other community spaces with young people to find their voices, explore different creative forms, and empower students along the way. Each year, Austin Bat Cave serves about thirteen schools and two thousand students (all for free). The model is inspired by 826 Valencia, the writing & tutoring center in the Mission District in San Francisco that was started by the author Dave Eggers and educator Ninive Calegari. 

Kirk’s own experience as child and teen of struggling with language and writing informed her desire to begin teaching writing throughout New York City—both in the classrooms of New York City’s schools (with Teachers & Writers Collaborative and the Nutcracker Project with the New York City Ballet) and in a public hospital through the Goldwater writing program (that serves disabled individuals at Goldwater Hospital and founded by the poet Sharon Olds). Then, when she moved to Austin with her husband, Kirk formed the idea of Austin Bat Cave with a group of writers and the organization was born in 2007. Currently, the organization serves about 2,000 students a year and about thirteen schools throughout the city. 

Free writing workshops

If you are a school, a parent, or a student, please visit the Austin Bat Cave website to learn more about our programs and offerings. Register now for Summer 2018 workshops and programs. 

Volunteer 

Volunteer opportunities are available. Reach out to our program director, Ali Hader, or connect with Austin Bat Cave on Facebook or Twitter to learn more. Volunteering with Austin Bat Cave is great way to connect with the larger Austin community (literary and otherwise) as well as serve the younger generation of up-and-coming voices.

interested in the board?

Austin Bat Cave is always looking for new board members to help out and engage with the organization’s mission, events, and more. To learn about ABC’s Associate Board, the core Board, or the Advisory Board, reach out to Board President, Deb de Freitas at debdefabc@gmail.com.