Academy of Intentional Magic Launches with Labor Day Call to Artists
The Academy of Intentional Magic (AIM), a new arts learning community, builds on the nearly twenty-year legacy of the Poetry Barn with programs that cultivate creativity, imagination, and connection.
NEW YORK (Newsworthy.ai) Monday Sep 7, 2026 @ 11:30 AM EDT
"Work is love made visible," said founder Lissa Kiernan, citing a line from Kahlil Gibran that has stayed with her since high school. "For artists, that work is what we can't stop returning to — the poem revised for the tenth time, the scale practiced ad nauseam, the scrappy xeriscape garden. That's the spirit behind the Academy.
The Academy of Intentional Magic (AIM), a new creative learning platform, today announced its launch, building on the nearly twenty-year legacy of the Poetry Barn and expanding into a broader commons for artists, writers, teachers, and creatives.
"Work is love made visible," said founder Lissa Kiernan, citing an aphorism from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" that has stayed with her since high school. "For artists, that work is often what we can't stop returning to — the poem revised for the tenth time, the scale practiced ad nauseam, the scrappy xeriscape garden. That's the spirit behind the Academy."
"Work is love made visible," said founder Lissa Kiernan, citing a line from Kahlil Gibran that has stayed with her since high school. "For artists, that work is what we can't stop returning to — the poem revised for the tenth time, the scale practiced ad nauseam, the scrappy xeriscape garden. That's the spirit behind the Academy.
Poetry remains AIM's first love, but the frame has widened. The Academy now makes room for artists of all kinds — and especially for what happens between disciplines, when one way of seeing alters another. That interdisciplinary exchange continues year-round in Murmurations, AIM's online community for works-in-progress, questions, discoveries, and creative invitations.
Academy of Intentional Magic provides a comprehensive ecosystem for working artists, encompassing eight interconnected areas:
- Community — An online social community where artists network, collaborate, and share practices for maintaining balance between creative work and life.
- Education — Curated Studios, Craft Labs, and Circles spanning the arts, continuing a tradition that began with AIM's pioneering online poetry workshops.
- Mentoring — Access to a vetted consortium of master mentors, available from single consultations to ongoing relationships.
- Publishing — Opportunities to share work through AIM's press and journal.
- Library — Free public access to 4,000 volumes of poetry, with a specialization in single-author collections and rare, out-of-print titles.
- Retreats — Immersive retreats and community-wide arts events led by master teaching artists.
- Outreach — Partnerships with high schools to deliver multidisciplinary arts workshops and education.
Fall Offerings and a Labor Day Invitation
AIM makes no distinction between art and craft, or between formal and popular traditions. A classical form and a rock lyric, a folk craft and a fine art, can be held with the same seriousness and the same welcome.
Accordingly, fall offerings wander through myth, wonder, and the stars. One of the first offerings is "Sky Writing: Write Your Own Horoscope, a workshop led by somatic astrologer Cory Nakasue, taking place on September 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 6–8 p.m. ET. The workshop approaches the horoscope as a creative and symbolic form — part interpretation, part storytelling, and part poetry.
To mark Labor Day, AIM is inviting artists to share what they're working on in Murmurations — a messy draft, a half-finished painting, a melody, a collage, an outline, an experiment, even the seed of an idea. The invitation, in keeping with AIM's philosophy, comes with no expectation of polish: the Academy wants to see the work while it's still becoming.
AIM is also currently inviting teaching artists to propose a practice, experience, or learning module for future offerings.
The Academy of Intentional Magic's programs are available now at www.academyofintentionalmagic.com.
About the Academy of Intentional Magic
The Academy of Intentional Magic (AIM) is a commons for creative practice, celebrating art, imagination, and mystery. Growing out of nearly twenty years of Poetry Barn workshops, readings, and retreats — including its pioneering online MFA-quality poetry workshops launched in 2007 — AIM has grown into a full ecosystem of community, education, mentorship, publishing, and outreach for artists across disciplines.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Academy of Intentional Magic?
- The Academy of Intentional Magic (AIM) is a new arts learning community that expands on the Poetry Barn's nearly twenty-year legacy. It offers a comprehensive ecosystem for artists, including community, education, mentoring, publishing, library access, retreats, outreach, and scholarships. AIM aims to cultivate creativity, imagination, and connection across disciplines.
- What is Murmurations in the context of the Academy of Intentional Magic?
- Murmurations is an online community within the Academy of Intentional Magic designed for artists to share works-in-progress, pose questions, make discoveries, and extend creative invitations. It is part of AIM's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary exchange and creativity year-round.
- What new programs does the Academy of Intentional Magic offer?
- AIM's new fall offerings explore myth, wonder and the stars, catering to artists looking for flexible learning opportunities.
Media Contact
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