Creative Writing Masterclass

Swan Dao is a psychotherapist, writer, and educator dedicated to transforming lives through creative expression. As the director of the Institute of Devotional Arts, Swan leads a global network of artists, therapists, and educators who use art and imagination as catalysts for collective healing and self-discovery. Their writing spans social philosophy, children’s literature, and environmental aesthetics, with recent works published by Oxford University Press, Palgrave Macmillan, and Routledge. With over a decade of experience teaching and leading individuals and groups across 13 countries, Swan’s work integrates psychology, mind-body practices, and the performing arts, inspiring deeper understanding and meaningful engagement with the human experience.

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Kythe Maryam Heller is an award-winning poet, interdisciplinary artist, and founder of Vision Lab, a global art and research collective exploring the future of the human spirit. As the author of Firebird (Arrowsmith), a poetry collection nominated for the Massachusetts Book Award, Kythe’s work explores the intersections of mysticism, spirituality, and social justice. Her writing spans poetry, essays, and critical studies, with recent publications in Cambridge University Press and Akron Series in Contemporary Poetics. Kythe’s artistic endeavors extend beyond the page to include film, performance, and installation works exhibited across North America. As the founder of Vision Lab, a global art and research collective, and editor-in-chief of Forecast Journal, she explores the future of art and its role in cultural transformation. Kythe is also a faculty member at Bard College and Villanova University, where she inspires others to push the boundaries of creative writing and artistic expression and is a faculty member at Bard College. Her art engages contemporary spirituality and social justice, pushing the boundaries of how we experience art and the human condition.