Belladonna* Collaborative promotes the work of women and feminist writers who are adventurous, experimental, politically involved, multi-form, impossible to define, unpredictable, and dangerous with language. Belladonna* is committed to publishing and building literary community among women and LGBTQIA+ authors who write off-center, producing work that is political and critical; situational rather than plot-driven; inter-subjective, performative, or witnessing rather than personally revelatory; work that reaches across the boundaries and binaries of literary genre and artistic fields, and that questions the gender binary.

Since 1999, we have hosted a series of readings and salons in New York City and virtually, which are documented in our chaplet series and as an audiovisual archive at PennSound. In 2010, we began the publication of full-length poetry books, many of which have received broad critical recognition and which have entered multiple printings. In 2020, we launched Matters of Feminist Practice, a journal which brings together scholars, writers, poets, and artists of different identities and backgrounds to confer on the urgent topic of “feminist practice.” And in 2021, we launched the Belladonna* School for Feminist Practice and Poetics, a workshop series and experiment in collaborative and alternative pedagogy.

In 2024, we added the Belladonna* Regional Annex—another node of Belladonna* activity—in Florence, MA.

To receive updates on our activities, including new books and forthcoming readings please subscribe to our newsletter here.

To make make a tax-deductible donation please click here.

To inquire about volunteer and internship opportunities please write to belladonnaseries@gmail.com.

PEOPLE:

Founder: Rachel Levitsky

Program Director / Florence, MA Studio Manager: Zoe Tuck

Brooklyn Studio Manager: Summer C.J. Wrobel

Director of Programming and Communications: Seoyoung Park

Brooklyn Studio Intern: Jay

Interim Board Members: Q Lee, Krystal Languel, Caroline Crumpacker, Rachael Wilson, James Loop

Workers / Volunteers / Interns / Collaborators (partial, and in no particular order): Lee Ann Brown, Ru Puro, Caroline Joseph (Fall 2018 Intern through The New School), Karla Kelsey, Ryan Rosenberg, Jane Kennedy (Summer 2011 Intern).

Have you been part of Belladonna*? We would love to list your name. Send an email with “WORKER” in the subject line to belladonnaseries@gmail.com.

Belladonna's programming is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

Belladonna's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.