Each month, Literary Arts staff will round up news, events, and more happening in Portland, and beyond. Let us know if you have any events or news to share.
EVENTS
GLORIA (Profile Theatre)
Through Sunday, January 30
Imago Theatre, 17 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR 97214 | Buy Tickets
This funny, trenchant, and powerful play follows an ambitious group of editorial assistants at a notorious Manhattan magazine, each of whom hopes for a starry life of letters and a book deal before they turn thirty. But when an ordinary humdrum workday becomes anything but, the stakes for who will get to tell their own story become higher than ever. Closes January 30.
Social Beings: Poetry-Inspired Art Exhibit (Maude Kerns Art Center)
Through February 11
Maude Kerns Art Center, 1910 East 15th Avenue, Eugene, OR
As part of the gallery exhibition “Social Being”, the Maude Kerns Art Center is pleased to present the work of visual artist Kathleen Caprario, whose mixed media art installation “Patterns of Privilege – Now Hear This” is inspired by and incorporates the works of three Oregon poets: Carter McKenzie, Benjamin Gorman, and Authors Guild member Bobbie Calhoun. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Books by each of the poets will be available for purchase at the Art Center.
Portraits: 20 Oregon Writers
Photographs by K.B. Dixon
Through February 18, 2022
PLACE Galeria, 735 NW 18th Ave, Open M-F 9AM-6PM | Mask Required
Because of ongoing health and safety concerns there may be limited access to this exhibition. Appointments are recommended. You can make an appointment here: place@place.la.
2022 Fertile Ground Festival (Portland Area Theater Alliance)
Through Sunday, February 6
Virtual format | Register here
The Fertile Ground Festival of new works will be held January 27–February 6, 2022, in a virtual format. The festival will showcase new “acts of creation” submitted by producing organizations and artist-producers. Fertile Ground, with the GROW Panel adjudicating applications, will select 5 GROW Award recipients to receive $500 to be used in production of their Fertile Ground project. Click here for more information about the GROW Panel and the GROW Awards. One of the pieces is SOUL’D: the economics of our Black body, a new performance piece adapted for film, engaging questions of how our Black bodies have participated in the American Economic Dream. Conceived by Damaris Webb and devised by a cohort of local Black performers, designers and filmmakers.
When Battling Bias Is Your Superpower: Vishavjit Singh in conversation with Sarika Mehta (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesday, February 2, from 6:00–7:00 p.m.
Free to attend | Register here
Part of the 2022 Everybody Reads, Multnomah County Library’s annual community reading project. Sikh Captain America is the alter ego of Vishavjit Singh, who is a storyteller, speaker, activist, performance artist and the creator of Sikhtoons. He uses his superpowers for good, traveling around the country dressed as a superhero and educating people on the stereotypes and prejudices that harm us all.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
Artist Resilience Program (Oregon Arts Commission)
Deadline: February 10
Oregon artists may now apply to the Artist Resilience Program, administered by the Oregon Arts Commission in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation and the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation. The Artist Resilience Program provides relief funding to Oregon artists who have experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic due to loss of income, loss of opportunity or other unanticipated impacts to their artistic practice. Awards generally range from $1,000 to $5,000. The Arts Commission determines awards based on peer panel review, number of applications and available grant funds.
Call for Submissions: The De-Canon + Fonograf Ed. Hybrid-Lit Anthology
(De-Canon and Fonograph Editions)
Deadline: January 31
The De-Canon + Fonograf Ed. Hybrid-Lit Anthology will feature hybrid-literary works by women and nonbinary BIPOC writers. This anthology will explore multimodal forms of writing that navigate the restless intersections of writing, visual art, and other media, and that innovate in their contemplations—and complications—of language and form.
Colleen Cavin Fellowship (Focus on Book Arts)
Deadline: January 31
Focus On Book Arts (FOBA) will award up to three fellowships for their July 2022 conference. At least one position will go to a Book Artist from a traditionally underrepresented group. In exchange for three days of work at the conference, you can receive two days of tuition, six nights of room and board, early registration, opportunities to work with leaders in the Book Art Communities, and more.
Neahkahnie Mountain Poetry Prize (The Hoffman Center for the Arts)
Deadline: January 31
You may have an award-winning poem! Join other poets in the annual Hoffman Center’s contest and compete to win a $100 prize and publication on the Hoffman Center’s website. The first place winner receives $100 cash and has their poem published on the web site, along with an interview. Second and third place winners also get their poems published on the website. Contest judged by poet Lana Hechtman Ayers.
Short Memoir Prize (Fish Publishing)
Deadline: January 31
A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,164) and publication in the Fish Publishing anthology is given annually for a short memoir. The winner is also invited to give a reading at the West Cork Literary Festival in July 2022. Qian Julie Wang will judge. Submit a memoir of up to 4,000 words with a €18 (approximately $21) entry fee for online entries or €20 (approximately $23) entry fee for postal entries by January 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Short Story Award for New Writers (Master’s Review)
Deadline: January 31
A prize of $3,000 and publication in Masters Review is given twice yearly for a short story by an emerging writer. The winning story will also be reviewed by a select group of literary agents. Writers who have published a book with a print run of 5,000 or more copies are ineligible. Submit a story of up to 6,000 words with a $20 entry fee by January 31. All entries are considered for publication. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Writing Fellowships (A Public Space)
Deadline: January 31
Three six-month fellowships of $1,000 each are given annually to emerging fiction and nonfiction writers who have not published a full-length book. The fellows will work with the editors to prepare a piece for publication in A Public Space and will also have the opportunity to meet with publishing professionals and participate in a public reading. For fellowships from June 2022 to December 2022, using only the online submission system, submit a short story or essay of any length with a cover letter and a brief written statement between January 1 and January 31. There is no application fee.
Call for Submissions: Poetry of Place (Windfall Journal)
Deadline: February 1
Windfall Journal is calling for submissions of poems of place for the Spring 2022 issue—our last issue! Windfall is ceasing publication after this issue. As always, we’re looking for poetry that captures the spirit of any particular place in the Pacific Northwest. It might be a natural place or human-built, urban or rural, with or without people. Submission guidelines and suggestions on our website: windfalljournal.com Send submissions to bsiverly@comcast.net
Soapstone Winter/Spring Study Groups
Reading Madeleine Thien’s Do Not Say We Have Nothing, led by Tricia Snell
Saturdays January 22–February 26, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST | via Zoom
Small, Potent Packages: Reading Short Stories by Women Writers, led by Anndee Hochman
Sundays February 20–March 27, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PST | via Zoom
Study Group on Deborah Levy’s memoir trilogy: Things I Don’t Want to Know, The Cost of Living, and Real Estate, led by Natalie Serber
Saturdays April 2–May 14, from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PST | via Zoom
Perfect that Picture Book Weekend Writing Retreat (Second Story Retreats)
Friday, February 4– Sunday, February 6, 2022
South Beach, Newport, OR
Price varies | Register here
Come with an idea and leave with a picture book manuscript. Led by award-winning Oregon author Elizabeth Rusch, this workshop will take you through the most vital steps in picture book writing. Through studying the picture book form, reading successful picture books, and focused writing exercises that help you develop your characters, narrative and voice, this all-inclusive weekend writing retreat at an oceanfront beach house will help you turn your picture book idea into a polished manuscript.
Our Gorge Connections Photo Contest (Friends of the Columbia Gorge)
Deadline: February 6
Everyone who loves the Columbia Gorge has their own special ways of feeling connected to this unique natural environment and distinct Gorge communities contained within. Added together, the multitude of our connections forms a web of experience and inspiration resulting in a shared desire to see the Gorge protected for future generations to love. Showcase the most “connective” of your Gorge photos in Our Gorge Connections, Friends’ seventh annual photo contest.
Dear Stranger: Beyond (Oregon Humanities)
Deadline: February 28
Oregon Humanities is inviting Oregonians to write about what lies beyond the here and now in the next round of Dear Stranger, their letter-exchange project. When you think of the future, what do you see? Think about yourself, your life, your surroundings, the world in general: What are your hopes, your dreams? What are your fears? Do you see parts of the past, or something completely new—or perhaps both? When you write to Dear Stranger, your letter will be swapped with one from another writer. They will get your letter; you will get theirs.
Call for Submissions: Spring Issue (3Elements Literary Review)
Deadline: February 28
3Elements Literary Review is accepting submissions for their spring issue. The three elements for the current submission period are: Thursday, Pendulum, and Quilt.
2022 Waterston Desert Writing Prize (High Desert Museum)
Deadline: May 1
The mission of the Waterston Desert Writing Prize is to strengthen and support the literary arts and humanities in the High Desert region through recognition of literary excellence in nonfiction writing about desert landscapes, through community interaction with the winning authors of the annual prize, and presentations and programs that take place in association with the Prize. They began accepting submissions for the 2022 Waterston Desert Writing Prize on Saturday, January 1, 2022. The submission deadline is Sunday, May 1, 2022.
FOR KIDS/ TEENS
Bank of America Student Leaders Program (Bank of America)
Application Deadline: January 28, 2022 | Apply here
Since its inception in 2005, the Bank of America Student Leaders Program has recognized more than 3,000 exemplary high school juniors and seniors who have a passion for improving their communities. The program recognizes community-minded students by connecting them to employment, skills development leadership training and service through two components:
- A summer eight-week paid internship with a local nonprofit organization. This internship is designed to provide opportunities for the students to develop and apply leadership skills through hands-on work experience, while raising their awareness of community issues addressed by a local nonprofit organization.
- The week-long, all-expense paid Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. Conducted in partnership with the Close Up Foundation, the Summit introduces students to aspects of civic, social and business leadership and provides them with knowledge and skills they will use throughout their life to create positive community change.
*In-person events will be in line with local and national guidelines around gatherings and travel and may be subject to change.
Teen Summer Reading Art Contest (Multnomah County Library)
Submission Deadline: March 4
Artists in grades 6–12 are called to enter designs for the 2022 Multnomah County Library Teen Summer Reading Art Contest. The theme is “Read Beyond the Beaten Path.” A panel of library staff and artists will select a winner from the entries. The winning design will appear on the cover of all teen gameboards. The winning artist will be awarded a $100 prepaid gift card. More entries will be selected to produce a “Read Beyond the Beaten Path” coloring book that will be given to Summer Reading participants. The library will share the winner and all selected designs on social media.
Winter 2022 Workshops (The Bodecker Foundation)
February 1–March 17
The Bodecker Foundation is pleased to announce our schedule of FREE hybrid and virtual creative workshops for Portland-area high school students. Led by professional artists, musicians, designers, and writers, the Bodecker Foundation’s FREE multidisciplinary workshops are designed to empower creative youth to imagine and achieve their artistic, educational, and professional dreams. Threaded throughout is a career exploration and applied arts approach that uniquely centers collaboration, inclusivity, and positive affirmation of student identities. Class size is generally limited to 12 students. Transportation stipends are available for all in-person sessions. See all workshops at bodeckerfoundation.org/workshop.
Call To Teens: Youth Arts Awards (City Of Beaverton)
Deadline: February 18 at 5:00 p.m.
The City of Beaverton Arts Program is now accepting applications for our Youth Arts Awards, recognizing the accomplishments and academic pursuits of young and emerging artists in the performing and visual arts. The City of Beaverton Arts Program is now accepting applications for our Youth Arts Awards, recognizing the accomplishments and academic pursuits of young and emerging artists in the performing and visual arts.
Makerspace Minikits Available at All Multnomah County Libraries
Through Summer 2022
Makerspace minikits are STEAM-based activities in a bag, free to pick up at any Multnomah County library beginning Dec. 11. The minikits are designed for teens but are appropriate for ages 8+ with assistance. Kits will be available through Summer 2022. Makerspace programming is made possible by gifts to The Library Foundation.
IN THE NEWS
Mira Jacob, Emily Levesque, Joe Wilkins and more: 10 Oregon literary events (The Oregonian)
A piece on upcoming Oregon literary events, including Oregon authors Paul Pastor and Joe Wilkins‘ event with Literary Arts on Jan. 18 and Mira Jacob‘s drawing workshop with the Multnomah County Library as a part of Everybody Reads 2022.
2022 PEN America Literary Longlist
Many #PDXBookFest authors are on PEN America’s Literary Award longlists! Rivka Galchen, Kristen Radtke, Chris Stuck, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Kirstin Valdez Quade, Kaveh Akbar, Atsuro Riley, plus Portland Arts & Lectures speaker Daniel James Brown!
The Best Oregon Books of 2021 (Portland Monthly)
Includes books by multiple #PDXBookFest authors, like Juhea Kim, Emily Kendal Frey, Willy Vlautin, Eli Saslow, and Omar El Akkad!
Revolutions Bookshop doubles its St. Johns storefront (The Oregonian)
WINTER READING
Powell’s 2022 Book Preview: January-April Edition (Powell’s Books)
15 New Books to Help You Accomplish Your 2022 Reading Goals (Literary Hub)
52 Weekly Challenges to Up Your Reading Life in 2022 (Book Riot)
The graphic history of Black Americans: Steve Duin column (The Oregonian)
