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
the ripple, the wave that carried me home (Artists Repertory Theater)
October 8 – October 30, 2022 | Sliding scale tickets | In person Portland Center Stage, Main Stage, 128 NW 11th Ave, Portland Like diving into a glorious pool of water, this play suspends you with its joyful humor and healing depth. When Janice is pressed to return to her hometown and speak at a ceremony honoring her father, she has to reconcile with the childhood she’s tried to distance herself from and forget — one defined by her parents’ political activism and fight for the integration of their local swimming pools. Drawing on history that spans from 1930s segregation to the Rodney King trial and beyond, this deeply moving story explores the joys and challenges of forgiveness, justice, and the weight of one’s family legacy.
Reading by biographer Hilary Holladay (University of Portland)
Wednesday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m. | Free to attend | UP Bookstore, 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland Join Virginia poet, journalist, and biographer Hilary Holladay for a reading from the first biography of iconic American poet Adrienne Rich The Power of Adrienne Rich, 2020. Holladay’s previous publications include works on Beat Generation writers and other poets such as Lucille Clifton.
Behind the Scenes of History: An Evening with David Hume Kennerly (Oregon Historical Society)
Thursday, October 27, from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | $26 – $36 dollar | Patricia Reser Center for the Arts,
Join Oregon History Maker and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Hume Kennerly on a magical mystery tour through some of the major events of the past fifty-plus years as seen through his eyes and camera. From the night Robert Kennedy was shot, to the battlefields of Vietnam, to Watergate and the resignation of Nixon, Kennerly’s photography has captured countless moments in history.
Team Howe: Panel Discussion (Portland Art Museum)
Thursday, October 27 at 2:00 p.m. | Free to attend | Whitsell Auditorium Portland Join exhibition curator Kathleen Ash-Milby, and colleagues who contributed the exhibition and publication, Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe, including Bill Anthes (Pitzer College), John Lukavic (Denver Art Museum) and Christina Burke (Philbook Museum of Art) for a lively discussion about the development of this project.
‘Weirdo’ In Person Book Release (Honey Latte Cafe)
Saturday, October 29, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. | In person at Honey Latte Cafe 1033 SE Main St Portland
Come on out for the in person book launch of Julia Gaskill’s debut poetry collection ‘weirdo’ – hosted at Honey Latte Cafe! There will be a short showcase of local poets to kick off the reading, all of whom were influential and integral to Julia’s start in the Portland poetry scene – Stephen Meads, Jane Belinda, Doc Luben, Leyna Rynearson, and Brian Ellis. After the showcase, Julia will read a selection from ‘weirdo.’ This show is free to attend, though there will be copies of ‘weirdo’ as well as beverages and snacks from the cafe. The event will be at Honey Latte Cafe, which will be serving drinks and some select food during the poetry readings. If you’re coming for the book launch, please show them some love and buy yourself a tasty treat!
Killer Pumpkin Festival (Travel Portland)
Saturday, October 29 at 12:00 p.m. | Free to attend | Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery 928 S.E. Ninth Ave. Portland. Rogue is so excited to bring back one of Rogue’s signature events celebrating all things Halloween, Dead Guy, storytelling, pumpkin beer, costume contests, ax throwing, and of course PUMPKIN SMASHING – and many more fun activities for a full day of spookiness and fun.
BLACK IN OREGON: 1840–1870 (Oregon Black Pioneers & Pittock Mansion)
Through November 13 | Free with admission | In person at Pittock Mansion, 3229 NW Pittock Drive, Portland
Oregon Black Pioneers’ traveling exhibition Black in Oregon: 1840–1870 highlights some of the Black individuals and families who came to Oregon during the years of legalized racial exclusion, when the provisional and territorial governments of Oregon explicitly barred Blacks from residency and all legal protections. These Black pioneers risked everything to build a better life for themselves and their families in Oregon and helped lay the foundation for the state’s future Black communities.
Writing the Codacene: Literature in an Age of Endings with Omar El Akkad (Portland State University)
Tuesday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m.
In person at Smith Memorial Student Union, Vanport Room (SMSU 338)
The PSU English Department presents the 57th Annual Nina Mae Kellogg Lecture, “Writing the Codacene: Literature in an Age of Endings,” with Oregon Book Award winner Omar El Akkad.
What does it mean to tell stories in a moment where it seems so much of what the world once was, it is unlikely to ever be again? Every generation must grapple with its own conception of apocalypse, and literature is no stranger to the end of the world. In this talk, journalist and author Omar El Akkad discusses some of the reporting assignments, novels and works of non-fiction that have influenced his writing, and the uncertain space many contemporary authors must inhabit when writing about a world mid-calamity.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
National Poetry Competition (The Poetry Society)
Deadline: October 31 Three prizes will be awarded for this competition. First Prize: £5,000, Second Prize: £2,000, Third Prize: £1,000, and Commendations: £200. The National Poetry Competition is one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for an unpublished poem of up to 40 lines, open to all poets worldwide aged 18 or over.
Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize (Persea Books)
Deadline: October 31
A prize of $1,000 and publication by Persea Books is given annually for a first poetry collection by a writer who identifies as a woman and who is currently living in the United States. The winner also receives an optional six-week, all-expenses-paid residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in Umbria, Italy. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of at least 40 pages with a $30 entry fee by October 31.
Sunken Garden Chapbook Poetry Prize (Tupelo Press)
Deadline: October 31
A prize of $1,000, publication by Tupelo Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. Submit a manuscript of 20 to 36 pages with a $25 entry fee by October 31. Visit the website for complete guidelines.
Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award (Red Hen Press)
Deadline: October 31
prize of $3,000 and publication by Red Hen Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Brynn Saito will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a manuscript of 48 to 96 pages with a $25 entry fee by October 31.
2023 PEN/Faulkner Award (Pen/Faulkner Foundation)
Deadline: October 31
The author of the winning book receives a $15,000 prize. The authors of each of the other finalists receive $5,000. The Award is presented at an annual celebration of the year’s distinguished books and authors. This exquisite literary evening features introductions by the PEN/Faulkner Award judges, original presentations by the year’s PEN/Faulkner Award winner and four finalists, and a star-studded list of notable guests, including our PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion.
Lammy Awards (Lambada Literary)
Deadline: November 18
The Lammy Awards celebrate LGBTQ+ storytelling in a variety of categories and genres. Lambda uses “LGBTQ+” as a catch-all term, meaning that works reflecting identities beyond lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer or questioning are also welcome, to include two-spirit, intersex, pansexual, aro/ace, and others.
Cave Canem Fellowship (Cave Canem Foundation)
Deadline: November 28th Cave Canem Fellows are among the most distinguished poets in the field, not only as recipients of the highest literary honors and critical acclaim but also for their service in communities across the country. nEach year a cohort of 10–20 new Fellows is selected based solely on the quality of their poems. Cohorts encompass a range of different aesthetics and poetic practices (the spoken word tradition, formalism, multimedia performance, text-based composition, etc.), to ensure an equity of voices in our gathering—all united by a common purpose to improve craft and find productive space. Fellows receive an unparalleled opportunity to study with a world-class faculty and join a community of peers at the Retreat, a week-long series of intensive poetry workshops, thought-provoking presentations, both public & private readings, and creative discourse
FOR KIDS/ TEENS
Laser Halloween (Travel Portland)
Through October 1 – 31 | $7.50 entrance | OMSI Museum, 1945 SE Water Ave,
Portland
Spooky lasers, eerie scenes and ghoulish dances! Get into the Halloween spirit with “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” “Beetlejuice” and other frighteningly good tunes. Bring your best (and ghastliest) dance moves for this chilling good time.
Spirit of Halloweentown (Travel Portland)
Through October 31 | $15 parking pass | Courthouse Plaza 275 Strand St. St. Helens
During The Spirit of Halloweentown, local merchants are dying to get you in the spirit, with costume shops stocking everything from frisky vampire getups to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shells. And with an array of events from ghost talks, tarot card readings, and face painting increasing up to the big day, you’ll want to be dressed and ready for action. So be sure not to miss it, or you’ll be haunted with regret — at least until next year.
The Corn Maize on Sauvie Island (Travel Portland)
Through October 31 | $6 – $8 dollars| Sauvie Island Pumpkin Patch 16511 NW Gillihan Rd Portland
When summer winds down, Portland’s fall arrives with warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights. The ideal way to get lost in autumn’s splendor is at The Maize at the Pumpkin Patch. Located on Sauvie Island, a rural escape just 13 miles north of downtown Portland, the Corn Maize offers visitors eight acres of exciting twists and turns. But it’s not all about getting lost in nature; Two 16-foot observation bridges provide picturesque panoramas, with great views of the island and Mount Hood, as well as the maze itself.
OCT’s Season Opening Extravaganza & FUNdraiser! : Dog Man The Musical (Oregon Children’s Thearter) Saturday, October 22 | Ticket prices vary | Newmark Theater, 1111 SW Broadway, Portland, OR
You’re invited to kick off OCT’s 2022-23 season in style! Join the Oregon Children’s Theater as they celebrate our the biggest heroes: YOU! Because, after all, YOU are OCT. Revel in the magic of opening night and get the VIP treatment, but be home by dinner—plus, bring the whole family!
IN THE NEWS
2022 National Book Award Finalists Announced (National Book Awards) 2022 Portland Book Festival authors Tess Gunty and Ingrid Rojas Contreras have been chosen as finalist for the National Book Awards. Congratulations!
New Releases for National Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 (National Book Awards) Included in this list is celebrated US Poet Laureate Ada Limón who will be visiting Portland in April for Portland Arts and Lectures! Four-part PAL subscriptions are available here.
Downtown Portland Could Get a Comics Museum (Portland Mercury)
5 Takeaways from Colin Meloy’s Eerie New Middle-Grade Thriller (Monthly Portland)
‘Afterlives’ weaves a tale of trauma and love in colonial-era East Africa (OBP)
Bloomsbury Partners with Renée Watson and Indie Bookstores for Book Donations (Publishers Weekly)
RECOMMENDED READING
Hispanic Heritage Month – Kids Books (Multnomah County Library)
Spanish Picks: Banned Books 2022 (Multnomah County Library)
