Did JRRT encourage new ME stories?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

So then, to honor the intentions of JRRT, I can take what he has created and use the medium of drama, or art or music to add to it?

Is this a correct assumption based on the words of JRRT?

You can do what you like. Whether it would breach any legal right is a different question.

As has been noted, fan-fic, fan art and the like is produced (and published on the internet) all the time with little or no objection from the Estate or anyone else. Even where this is strictly in breach of a legal right, it is generally not worth the right holder objecting, unless it is done for profit.

If you were to publish such material on a commercial basis, however, you would be at risk of legal action, unless this were done with the permission of, and under licence from, the holder of the relevant legal rights (which will be the Estate in most cases, although the film, stage and merchandising rights to Tolkien's works are owned, I believe, by Saul Zaentz).