Interviews with a veritable Who’s Who of local writers, poets, historians and other creative personalities will be preserved for generations with the gift of a local cable television show’s archives to the Cape Ann Museum.
Gloucester’s John Ronan, producer and host of “The Writer’s Block with John Ronan,” which began in 1990, will be part of the celebration 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar St. in Gloucester. Ronan will be joined by a panel of five past guests reflecting on the show’s legacy and its lasting connection to the Cape Ann literary community. The featured guests are Deborah Cramer, John Christie, JoeAnn Hart, Heidi Wakeman and Ken Riaf.
The writers featured on the show are diverse, ranging from the late local historian Joe Garland to the avant-garde with the late poet Vincent Ferrini. The list of nearly 500 guests includes artistslike Theresa Bernstein, musicians like Gloucester’s celebrated jazz trumpeter Herb Pomeroy, writers of fiction and non-fiction, as well as long-time newspaper editors. The list is as endless as topics to write about and encompass all genres.
“Widely recognized as one of the longest-running and most successful public access programs in the country, the series has played a vital role in documenting and celebrating the region’s literary voices,” according to a program statement.
Looking back over the decades, Ronan said he is indebted to his guests who shared their stories, showcasing the “huge, creative flow of Cape Ann writers — and other brands of artist.”
“No guests, no series,” he said. “And now that the series is archived at Cape Ann Museum, all of those talented folks can be seen and appreciated and inspirational all over again.”
In 2025, Ronan gifted the program’s archives to the museum, which ensures the preservation and public accessibility of the series. In turn, the gift supports the museum’s commitment to sharing stories of contemporary Cape Ann, according to a museum spokesperson.
Cassie Anderson, the museum’s librarian and archivist, said Ronan’s donation of “The Writer’s Block” film archives is important to the documentation of the diverse literary community of Cape Ann.
“John has created an incredible research tool for anyone interested in the history of writing on Cape Ann. We are excited to share these materials with the public on our online catalog, Quartex,” Anderson said.
A poet, writer, filmmaker, teacher, and journalist, Ronan has been a central figure in Cape Ann’s literary life for decades, according to a program statement.
He is professor emeritus at North Shore Community College and served as the City of Gloucester’s poet laureate from 2008 to 2010. His work has been recognized with honors, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. He continues to write and publish poetry, most recently with the release of his latest collection, “The Idea of Light.”
Ronan is dedicated to fostering a love of poetry in the community and nurturing emerging voices, and in that spirit, he founded a poetry scholarship at Gloucester High School and established the city’s annual Poetry without Paper contest. Winners of the contest also have been featured guests on the program.
His website, Theronan.org, has a list of guests, links and more details.
Gail McCarthy may be contacted at 978-675-2706, or gmccarthy@northofboston.com.