THE LOFT LITERARY CENTER, Minneapolis, Minnesota, received $45,000 in support of the 2010-11 Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose. The Loft Literary Center, one of the nations largest independent literary centers, supports the artistic development of writers, fosters a writing community, and builds an audience for literature. The Mentor series was launched in the late 1970s as a vehicle for emerging Minnesota writers to work in small group settings with nationally recognized writers, and to be mentored in ways ranging from review of their work to providing inspiration and examples for the writing life. Twelve emerging writers (four in poetry, four in fiction, and four in creative nonfiction) are selected through an open competitive process to work intensively with six nationally acclaimed writers, over the course of a year. Program components include seminars, discussions, manuscript conferences, public readings, public craft talks, and intensive workshops.