VIDAHLIA PRESS & PUBLISHING HOUSE 2013 Prison Writing Contest Sponsorship Package
Summary of Presentation About Vidahlia Press History of Literature by Prisoners The Cause Press Release The Contest Sponsorship Links
About Vidahlia Press Vidahlia Press & Publishing House is a start-up press designed to identify talented artists worldwide. While the digital age has brought an increased number of entertainment options and online outlets of every description; the search for quality content and intellectual property offers unprecedented commercial opportunity. Vidahlia hopes to identify new and unexplored literary talent.
History Some of the best literature was written in prison. Examples of these works are: Don Quixote by Cervantes The Travels of Marco Polo by Rustichello de Pisa Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau Letters from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. De Prefundis by Oscar Wilde Conversations with Myself by Nelson Mandela Our Lady of the Flowers by Jean Genet The Enormous Room by E.E. Cummings In the Belly of the Beast by Jack Abbott
The Cause Incarceration in the U.S. The U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world, and the cost of incarceration in the U.S. was $80 billion in 2010. Nearly half of the more than 219,000 federal inmates behind bars are serving time for drug-related crimes, according to the DOJ, most of which were nonviolent. The punitive agenda of the early 1980s led to mass incarceration and a nearly five-fold increase in prison population over three decades. Federal prisons today are operating at 40% over their capacity. American prisons continue to overflow with inmates and high rates of recidivism. It was estimated that in 2011-12, the cost of looking after short-sentenced prisoners was $396 million, not even including health care and education.
Press Release At the 2013 American Bar Association Annual Meeting, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder unveiled a comprehensive plan that seeks to ease federal prison overcrowding and correct unfairness in the justice system. We must pledge as legal professionals to lend our talents, our training and our diverse perspectives to advancing this critical work, he said. Under the plan, the Justice Department will modify its policies so that low-level, nonviolent drug offenders without ties to large-scale drug organizations or gangs will not be charged with offenses that impose draconian mandatory minimum sentences, the attorney general said. The policy changes also include offering compassionate release to nonviolent elderly inmates who have served significant portions of their sentences as well as finding alternatives to prison for nonviolent criminals, such as drug treatment and community service initiatives.
Vidahlia s Prison Writing Contest Poster This contest will reach thousands of organizations, commercial entities and federal, state and county institutions across the United States.
Categories: (Accepted submissions) Poetry: Writers will be able to submit 1 poem of any form, no more than 2500 words total. Fiction: Writers will be able to submit a short story or selected excerpt from a longer piece, no more than 25 pages total. Drama: Writers will be able to submit Monologues, Scenes or Plays intended for stage or screen, no more than 25 pages total. Nonfiction: Writers will be able to submit Essays, Observations, Journals, Excerpts, Editorials, Articles or Memoirs (personal experiences from childhood or later life) no more than 25 pages total. Graphic Novel: Writers will be allowed to submit a Graphic novel including Artwork no more than 25 pages in length. (Collaborative work between 2 or more inmates will be accepted.)
Prizes Prizes will be awarded in each of the categories as follows: First place: One year tuition payment to an online or correspondence fine arts or creative writing program at a selected college or $500.00 Second Place: $250.00 The deadline for submissions is January 1, 2014. Winners will be announced on May 17, 2014. Third Place: $100.00 All winners will be offered an Agency and Publication Agreement with Vidahlia.
Who Benefits from Sponsorship? NGOs Fraternal Organizations Commercial entities with a broad social agenda Commercial entities looking to be identified with a social agenda, (i.e. Ending mass incarceration in America) Entities and individuals who have had negative experiences with the criminal justice system Stakeholders Law firms, law schools and students, bail bondsmen, contractors (people who build prisons), jail and prison supply companies, governmental subdivisions.
Sponsorships Vidahlia Press & Publishing provides opportunities for our sponsors to enjoy the visibility of and recognition provided in print, online, and in our publications. Sponsors receive added benefits in gaining wide-spread recognition for social leadership. Maximize Your Exposure at Vidahlia Enhance your company s image, expand your brand, and leave a lasting impression to increase your product and brand recognition Put your company name and logo in front of some of the most powerful professionals in the nation Be recognized as a leader in your industry Stand out from the competition and increase sales Position your company for future business growth The partnership opportunities provide your organization with exposure to a target market segment comprised of individuals whose responsibilities include purchasing and implementing in the fields of K-12 Education, Higher Education, For Profit Business, Not For Profit Business, Medical, Government, and Vo-Tech Education.
Partnership Levels With this in mind, we would like for you to seize the opportunity to become a Vidahlia Partner at one of the listed levels. You may also choose to sponsor several levels if you so desire. Available sponsorships are listed below the partner levels. There are also a limited number of in-kind donations if you choose to do so.
Sponsorship Levels: Sponsorship Choices The following sponsorships are available. You may choose any of the events within your partnership level up to the amount of cash you are providing: Ambassador Event Sponsorships (please contact Vidahlia for sponsorship opportunities) Platinum ($5,000) Gold ($2,000) Silver Event Sponsorships ($1,250) Bronze Sponsorships ($500) Quartz Sponsorships ($250) Onyx Sponsorships ($100) In kind donations: Any amount (limited amount available)
Sponsorship Levels Ambassador Event Sponsorships available: Please contact Vidahlia for available sponsorships. Sponsorship Platinum Sponsor Gold Sponsor Silver Sponsor Bronze Sponsor Quartz Sponsor Onyx Sponsor Levels $5,000 $2,500 $1,250 $500 $250 $100 Your sponsorship noted on Vidahlia Website & media Logo and name on promotional items Logo recognition on Website Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Logo Display at Event Yes Yes Yes No No No Acknowledgement in Public announcements (circulation 10,000) Recognition in Event Speech Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Free VIP Tickets to Reception Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Free VIP Table at Reception (includes VIP Tickets) Yes Yes No No No No 1/4 Page ad in Event Program Yes Yes Yes No No No In kind donations: Any amount (limited amount available)
Links Check out these already well entrenched projects already underway for Prisoner Art programs benefiting Prison reform: PRISON ARTS PROJECT: https://www.facebook.com/prisonartsproject BROTHERS IN PEN: http://hostedp0.vresp.com/458689/9f83df0309/archive THE ACTORS GANG: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-timrobbins-actors-gang-inmates-20130604,0,2537478.story Our program is geared to any and all prisoners across the world, no limitations on talent, subject matter or education. THE CHILDREN S PRISON ARTS PROJECT: www.childrensprisonart.org THE PRISON ARTS COALITION: http://theprisonartscoalition.com/
OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
Though simple words cannot express our true gratitude, we would like to take this opportunity to express a sincere thank you for your consideration of sponsorship. Prison contests like ours are completely self funded and it is essential for us to reach out to the community for assistance. You may not believe your single sponsorship would have a significant impact on a production that can cost between $80,000 - $110,000 to produce, collectively, our production could not survive without generous sponsors like you. On behalf of our entire staff, the many prisoners who have entered this contest and those who will be helped by it, thank you for your support. Thank you!