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
Music on Main (Portland’5 and the ArtBar & Bistro)
Wednesdays through August 24, from 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Free to attend | Outside on Main Street—Next to Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
On Wednesday evenings starting on July 13, Portland’5 takes advantage of the summer weather in Portland to present the Music on Main concert series. The free outdoor concerts are held on Main Street next to Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall—between Southwest Broadway and Park Avenue in downtown Portland—and feature popular local musicians playing a diverse collection of music. Music on Main is open to the public and the concerts run from 5:00–7:00 p.m. All ages are welcome to attend. Seating is available on a first come, first-served basis—tickets are not required.
Aug. 24: Jujuba (Nigerian Afrobeat and juju)
The Prose Poem (Independent Publishing Resource Center)
Wednesdays through August 24 | In person at IPRC, 318 SE Main St., Ste. 155, Portland, OR | $65 — $185 sliding scale
How can we create poems when we no longer rely upon (or when we free ourselves from) one of poetry’s most powerful tools: the line? This class dives into this question, drawing inspiration from a diverse array of writers as we investigate how to heighten language to create the intensity of a poem within the short space of a paragraph.
Last Thursday (Art Walk on Alberta)
Thursday, August 25, from 6:00–9:00 p.m.
In person on Alberta Street
Last Thursday is an arts and culture experience that takes place on Alberta Street in Portland, Oregon every Last Thursday of the Month. This boisterous street fair attracts independent artists, performers, local bands, troupes of acrobats, buskers, makers and more to celebrate their art on Northeast Alberta Street. Held year-round, the event is biggest from June through August, when the street is closed to traffic during the festivities from 15th Avenue to 30th Avenue.
St. Johns Comedy Festival
August 25–27 | $55 all access pass | In person at various locations
St. Johns Comedy Fest is back! Join us on Aug. 25th, 26th, and 27th to end your summer with a laugh! This year we welcome more of Portland’s finest professional comedians as well as nationally touring headliners. Three shows to choose from or see all with our all-access pass.
Unmasked and Revealed: WOC Zine Collective Reading
Saturday, August 27, from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Online
This virtual gathering is an opportunity to celebrate women of color (WOC) creatives in Portland, Oregon. Come join the fun!
In-Store Poetry Reading: A. Molotkov and Susan Leslie Moore (Annie Bloom’s Books)
Monday, August 29, from 7:00–8:00 p.m. | Free to attend
In person at Annie Bloom’s Books, 7834 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR
Annie Bloom’s welcomes Portland poets A. Molotkov and Susan Leslie Moore (our Director of Programs for Writers!) for an in-store reading from their latest collections.This in-store reading is first come, first served. Seating is limited. Please be mindful of any store health policies that might be in effect on the night of the reading. Signed and personalized copies of both poets’ books are available! Please, please, please include the name for personalization in the order notes; all orders without a name specified in the order notes will be signed only.
Summer Free for All (City of Portland)
Through September 3 | Various venues throughout the city | Free to attend
Summer Free For All builds community through free, inclusive, and family-friendly activities that celebrate Portland’s diverse cultures and local artists. Learn more and see all events here.
Jonathan Hill in Conversation With Breena Bard (Powell’s Books)
Wednesday, September 28, at 7:00 p.m. | Free to attend | In person at Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., Portland, OR
Drawing on the experiences of his Vietnamese American family and his love of ’80s sci-fi shows, award-winning creator (and Literary Arts board member) Jonathan Hill crafts a funny, insightful graphic novel about the immigrant experience and the perils of middle school. In his first solo middle-grade book, Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy (Walker Books US), Hill perfectly captures the sometimes dystopian drama of middle school while reminding readers of the universal need for belonging. Hill will be joined in conversation by Breena Bard, author and illustrator of Oregon Book Award winner Trespassers.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
Short Story Award for New Writers (Masters Review)
Deadline: August 28
A prize of $3,000 and publication in Masters Review is given twice yearly for a short story by an emerging writer. Writers who have not published a book are eligible, as are writers who have published a book with a circulation of less than 5,000. The winning story will also be sent to Victoria Cappello (Bent Agency), Sarah Fuentes (Fletcher & Company), Siobhan McBride (Carnicelli Literary Management), Andrea Morrison (Writers House), Heather Schroder (Compass Talent), and Nat Sobel (Sobel Weber Associates) for review. Submit a short story of up to 6,000 words with a $20 entry fee from July 1 to August 28. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Both/And (Electric Lit)
Deadline: August 31
Submissions for Both/And, a new limited essay series focused on personal narrative from trans and gender non-conforming writers of color, are open now! If you’re planning to pitch, you can view “How to Pitch Electric Lit” for free using discount code bothand2022.
Call To Artists: Main Street Commons Public Art (Tualatin Valley Creates)
Deadline: August 31
Tualatin Valley Creates (TVC), the leading art service organization for Washington County, Oregon is administering a call for public art for Henry Point Development (HPD), a locally-focused company working to reimagine historical ‘Main Street’ buildings for today’s business needs and community lifestyles. In partnership with the City of Hillsboro, HPD has committed multiple exterior facades on their newest acquisition, the old US Bank Building located in the heart of Hillsboro’s Cultural Art District on the south east corner of E Main Street and SE 2nd Ave, Downtown Hillsboro for public art installations.
Call for Applications: Artists in Residence 2023 (Caldera Arts)
Deadline: October 3
The Artists in Residence Program supports artists, creatives, and cultural workers by awarding time, space, and unrestricted stipends to work on projects and build skills and relationships that inspire growth, abolish oppression, and activate change. Residents draw inspiration from the residency community and the natural world surrounding our Arts Center in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains near Sisters, Oregon. The application is open to regional and national, creatives and cultural workers in all disciplines. Artists and collaborative groups at any stage of their careers are eligible to apply, except for those enrolled in a degree-granting program. Residencies are also available for parent artists who would like to bring their children. Residents will receive private lodging with a bathroom and kitchenette, studio or workspace, artist stipend, and the opportunity to engage the Caldera Art community through teaching, skill shares, and social media.
Call for Instructors: Chapbook Design Instructor (IPRC)
The IPRC is currently seeking a Chapbook Design Instructor for Fall 2022 for an 8 week workshop focusing on InDesign book layout for chapbook projects ranging from 5–35 pages. Please reach out to info@iprc.org to inquire, résumé or C.V. optional.
Casting Call: America’s Next Great Author
America’s Next Great Author is a reality television series where first, nationwide tryouts in iconic American cities show off amateur writers as they get one minute to pitch their book ideas to a panel of publishing experts. Six charismatic finalists from vastly different places and backgrounds enter the Writer’s Retreat together for a month of live-wire challenges and spectacular storytelling. These talented amateurs have to start their books from scratch on day one of the Retreat and finish by the end of the thirty days. Pitch your book to our panel of judges in San Francisco and you could win $2,500! The judges critique everything from idea to style to potential in the literary marketplace and everyone comes away with concrete advice from publishing industry professionals.
Call for Submissions: 500 Words (Khôra)
Reviewed on a rolling basis
Team-based, collaborative, and curated, Khôra is a form that is continually opening. They invite you to join us in sustaining it together. Khôra’s 500 Words is about considering how multiple voices can be heard; how frameworks, traditions, and projects can inform each other; and how new perspectives emerge from collaboration and openness. Send them 500 Words and you’ll see an automated notice that they’ve received your work. Your words will always remain active in Khôra’s ocean. This doesn’t need to be a completed piece—think of it like a sample of your work at any length up to 500 words. You can send 500 Words more than once—there’s no limit to how many times you can send us new work; just no repeats, please.
Artist Registry (Oregon Arts Commission)
As a tool for sharing funding opportunities, the Oregon Arts Commission partnered with The Ford Family Foundation to create the Oregon Artist Registry. Professional artists are strongly encouraged to sign up for the registry by completing a brief survey about themselves and their artistic practice.The goal is to reach and connect with as many Oregon artists as possible, including those who haven’t previously accessed funding programs. Read the full release.
Call for Guest Speakers (Salem Art Association + Bush Barn Art Center)
Reviewed on a rolling basis
In honor of their centennial year, Salem Art Association and the Bush Barn Art Center introduce a new event called “Arts in Our Lives”—a series of presentations promoting an appreciation for creativity in the visual, literary, and performing arts. “Arts in Our Lives” is accepting applications for individual or group presentations. An academic degree is not necessary and there are no age restrictions. Stipends are available. Email David Wilson, Gallery Director, at david@SalemArt.org with a letter of introduction, a one-page proposal on your topic, a resume or CV, and a list of three references.
Call for Submissions (Western New Mexico University)
Reviewed on a rolling basis
Mimbres Press welcomes submissions in the following genres: literary fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, memoir, poetry, children’s books, historical fiction, and academic books. They are particularly interested in academic work and commercial work with a strong social message. Both agented and unagented submissions are welcome from both new and previously published authors.
FOR KIDS/ TEENS
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
Announcing the Shortlist for the Inaugural Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction (Electric Lit)
We’re so excited for Portland’s own Michelle Ruiz Keil, shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize! There’s also a great interview with Theo Downes-Le Guin in this piece.
Resurrection on a Daily Basis: Exploring The Hurting Kind with Ada Limón (The Rumpus)
Ada Limón is one of our 2022/23 Portland Arts & Lectures (PAL) authors. This is a gorgeous interview on her latest book, The Hurting Kind.
The Best Book Places in the U.S. (2022 Data) (Clever)
Portland, OR was named the 10th best book city in the US! We’re especially grateful that Portland Book Festival was given a shoutout.
Small Oregon towns inspire Courtney Gould’s ghost-hunter novel (Salem Statesman Journal)
A great profile of Oregon Book Award winner Courtney Gould and the writing of her novel The Dead and the Dark!
RECOMMENDED READING
20 Totally FREE Things to Do in Portland This Summer (Portland Monthly)
This article has some great events, including our monthly free poetry slam Slamlandia!
Summer Reading Suggestions (The New York Times)
This reading list includes 22/23 Portland Arts & Lectures speaker Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Afterlives!
There’s a Poetry Hotline You Can Call at Any Time of Day to Hear Beautiful Words Recited (Willamette Week)
Featuring Literary Arts board member and Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani!
