Bronx Memoir Project (BMP) Workshop Series: The Heart Next Door

Happy New Year! The Bronx Memoir Project (BMP) Workshop Series returns in 2026. The Bronx Council on the Art (BCA) is thrilled to announce the return of a cherished program that empowers Bronx residents to share their unique stories. This free virtual workshop series is open to all regardless of writing experience.

The Heart Next Door is a four-week creative writing workshop that explores the idea of an inner architecture—the unseen rooms, stairwells, and doorways through which our emotions move. Just as the heart beats behind the walls of the body, guiding us even when we cannot see it, this workshop invites writers to follow that quiet knocking and step deeper into the home of the world within.

Through somatic writing practices, embodied prompts, and mindful observation, participants will navigate the mazes of memory, myth, and meaning to uncover new pathways into their stories. In a welcoming and inclusive community of kindred writers, we will gather lived experiences, reshape them with curiosity, and channel them into a budding collection of poems and prose. By the end of our four weeks together, participants will leave with a toolkit of prompts and grounding techniques, a renewed connection to their creative process, a deeper trust in their inner compass, and at least one completed piece of writing that feels true to the heart that guided it.

Class I: Trusting the Ghost

Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST

In this first room of the house, we begin by listening for the faint knocks of memory—the ghostly impressions that guide us toward the stories wanting to be told. Through genre exploration, sensory prompts, and sample texts, participants will choose the form that best carries their emerging work.

Class II: Feeling the Way Inward

Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST

Here we learn to move through the hallway of the self via our senses, discovering how voice, style, and emotional truth light our path even when the facts blur. Guided practices help writers bridge memory and imagination as they continue shaping the piece they’ve chosen.

Class III: Arriving at Light

Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST

As we inch toward the threshold, we embrace stumbling as part of locating the small, steady light within that illuminates our stories. Expanded literary tools and forms will help participants deepen their piece and navigate their creative practice with confidence.

Class IV: The Skeleton Key

Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM EST

In our final chamber, we gather what we’ve uncovered and refine our chosen piece, preparing it for supportive feedback and future growth. Through reflection and mindful grounding, we identify the hidden key each writer has found—insight that unlocks the next door in their creative journey.