North Country storyteller and spoken‑word artist Tanya Roy has received seven arts grants this year, fueling a powerful lineup of community‑driven projects created in partnership with regional organizations including Spoken Word of Northern NY, Young People’s Theater of Clayton, Clayton Jazz Fest, and Craig Thornton (fiscally sponsored by Watertown Lyric Theater). Her work—ranging from a 25th‑anniversary reflection on 9/11 to a multi‑artist performance exploring the meaning of “home,” plus expanded jazz education initiatives—embodies her mission through her company, Third Places: to build spaces where people connect, share their stories, and recognize how deeply we are linked across every demographic line.