FLINT, Mich. — Buckham Fine Arts Project has announced Flint-based writer and educator Qiana Towns Williams as its 2025–2026 Writer in Residence, a yearlong program that blends visual and literary art to amplify local creative voices.
As part of the residency, Towns Williams will attend eight exhibitions at Buckham Gallery between October 2025 and September 2026, creating original written works inspired by the art she encounters. Alongside an honorarium, she’ll join the Buckham Arts Collective as an Artist Collaborator, connecting her writing practice with the gallery’s growing network of multidisciplinary artists.
“The Buckham Gallery residency offers me the gift of time and support to think deeply and create freely,” said Towns Williams in a press statement announcing her selection. “I’m here to write, rewrite, and be rewritten by the art and artists I encounter at Buckham.”
She added that she hopes to collaborate with partners to host discussions and workshops “that center art and imagination,” encouraging shared creative expression within the Flint community.
The Writer in Residence program, launched in 2021, was designed to connect Buckham’s visual exhibitions with Flint’s literary scene, particularly writers from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Each year, it provides a platform for local writers to engage with visual art and expand their creative reach.
Buckham Executive Director Michele Leclaire said in the press statement that the selection committee was captivated by Towns Williams’ expressive use of language.
“Qiana manipulates words the way visual artists use paint and materials to create images with texture and shape,” Leclaire said. “We are overjoyed to work with her for the 2025–2026 residency.”
In addition to naming Towns Williams as the resident writer, Buckham also announced Kirei, an Emmy Award–winning poet and curator from Flint, as this year’s Guest Writer.
Kirei will respond to three exhibitions during the season, with her compositions featured on Buckham’s website.
“This gallery was one of my first glimpses into the creative storytelling that takes place when writing and visual art meet,” Kirei said in the press statement. “I hope to find new sparks of inspiration and witness how Flint’s art and community reflect one another.”
The Guest Writer role was reintroduced this year after jurors struggled to choose between two standout applicants.
“We were blown away by the scope of impactful writing,” Leclaire said. “During the interview process, Kirei impressed us when she took the initiative to respond to one of the works currently installed without prompting.”
Towns Williams’ career spans education, public service, and community leadership. She teaches English at Delta College, serves as legislative staff in the Michigan Senate, and has led organizations like the YWCA Greater Flint and Flint YMCA. A Cave Canem fellow and author of This Is Not the Exit, her poetry has been featured in Harvard Review Online and adapted for film.
Meanwhile, Kirei continues to make her mark as a slam champion and arts advocate, with her forthcoming 2025 poetry collection Volume Zero reflecting themes of healing, mindfulness, and community resilience.
To learn more about Buckham Gallery, visit: buckhamgallery.org