Each month, Literary Arts staff will round up news, events, and more happening in Portland, and beyond. Let us know in the form below the blog if you have any events or news to share.
EVENTS
Gone Girl // Ethereal Reflections Murder Mystery Party (PAM Cut)
Friday, January 15th, at 7:00 p.m., | PAM Cut, 3530 SE Division St, Portland, OR 9720 | $15
A (fake) murder has occurred, and we need YOU to solve the crime! Prior to the screening of Gone Girl, join us for a murder mystery game based on the movie, hosted by Emma Strgar & Lena Vasilenko of Ethereal Reflections. The murder mystery puzzle will last for approximately 30 minutes, and a screening of the film will follow.
Poetry Practice Space (IPRC)
Thursday, January 16th, from 7:00–8:00 p.m., | Online via Zoom | FREE
Poetry Practice Space is a monthly gathering for poets and writers. Readings and prompts for generative writing will be provided. Come share a space to talk about your writing practice, and current writing projects, bemoan rejections, celebrate acceptances, share writing resources— and write together! Consider Poetry Practice Space the calisthenics for your poetics.
Sign-Up for The Stafford Challenge (The Stafford Challenge)
Starting on January 17th
Join The Stafford Challenge, a transformative year-long poetry journey inspired by the daily practice of William Stafford. Beginning January 17, 2025—Stafford’s birthday—you’ll commit to writing a poem a day alongside a global community of poets. Enjoy inspiring monthly events featuring renowned Guest Poets such as Kim Stafford, Naomi Shihab Nye, Erika Meitner, and more. Learn more and register at staffordchallenge.com.
Sabores de El Salvador (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, January 18th, from 2:00–3:30 p.m., | Gresham Library, 385 NW Miller Avenue
Gresham, OR 97030
¡Prepárate para una increíble celebración de la comida, la cultura y la narración de historias salvadoreñas! Aprende cómo se preparan las pupusas y escucha historias cautivadoras de la familia Salvi PDX sobre la vibrante cultura de El Salvador. Cupo limitado. Billetes gratuitos estarán disponibles 10 minutos antes del evento. Space is limited. Free tickets will be available 10 minutes before the event.
Winter Craft Intensive: Puloma Ghosh (Tin House)
Saturday, January 18th, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., | Online via Zoom | $75
How do we write prose that is satisfying beyond just its meaning, that feels good to read? In this intensive we will break down what makes beautiful prose, how to be intentional with the way we write to convey feeling and grow an individual aesthetic. Together we’ll read excerpts from writers and examine where they succeed, and engage in writing exercises that take these elements into consideration.
Ecos del Sur (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, January 25th, from 2:00–3:30 p.m., | Capitol Hill Library, 10723 SW Capitol Highway
Portland, OR 97219 | FREE
Enjoy the sounds of Ecos del Sur as they perform folk music from Central and South America. Disfrute de los sonidos de Ecos del Sur mientras interpretan música folclórica de América Central y del Sur.
Basic Tutor Training: In-Person at PCC Southeast (PCC)
Saturdays, January 25 & February 1, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Portland Community College Southeast, 2305 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97216 | $50 (scholarships available)
For those interested in teaching/tutoring English to adult learners, this 2-part workshop provides essential tools to get started or to refresh your knowledge and skills.
Michael N. McGregor in Conversation With Brian Lindstrom (Powell’s City of Books)
Tuesday, January 28th, at 7:00 p.m., | Powell’s, 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 | FREE
American tour guide Joe Newhouse wants nothing more than to reach Venice. Since moving to Munich after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he’s watched his business fail, his wife leave him, and his love for Europe diminish. Now he faces one last ten-day tour with a surly group that doesn’t want to be there. Michael N. McGregor’s The Last Grand Tour (Korza Books) takes us on a perilous journey through Hitler’s Berchtesgaden, Mozart’s Salzburg, and Mad King Ludwig’s Bavarian fantasyland before reaching its stunning climax in the murky waters of Venice. Along the way, it explores the often-shifting lines between fidelity and freedom, illusion and reality, regret and desire. McGregor will be joined in conversation by filmmaker Brian Lindstrom.
Strange Paradise (Multnomah County Library)
Tuesday, January 28th, from 6:30–8:00 p.m., | Online Via Zoom | FREE
Journalist, reporter and writer El Akkad will talk about the global refugee crisis through the eyes of children, drawing on his novel, What Strange Paradise and Javier Zamora’s memoir, Solito.
Libertad y Justicia: Taller con Pueblo Unido (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesday, January 29th, from 6:00–7:30 p.m., | Rockwood Library, 17917 SE Stark Street
Portland, OR 97233 | FREE
En Portland la comunidad se une para abogar por la inclusión social para los migrantes y conectarlos con servicios que necesitan para prosperar. Venga a escuchar de las organizaciones Pueblo Unido y el Colectivo de Intérpretes Indígenas de Oregon sobre sus programas para ayudar a las personas con un estatus migratorio vulnerable a superar barreras a los derechos humanos y servicios esenciales. Made possible by The National Endowment for the Humanities Fund of The Library Foundation.
Discuss Solito at Linda Letra Bookstore (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, February 1st, from 10:00–11:00 a.m., | Linda Letra, 7101 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97213 | FREE
Join the booksellers at Linda Letra Bookstore to discuss Zamora’s Solito! This event will be taking place at a separate location, Linda Letra Bilingual Books. Bring your thoughts and opinions and get ready to review this year’s Everybody Reads memoir!
Flavors of El Salvador with Salvi PDX (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, February 1st, from 2:00–4:00 p.m., | Hillsdale Library, 1525 SW Sunset Boulevard
Portland, OR 97239
Get ready for an incredible celebration of Salvadoran food, culture, and storytelling! Join us to discover how to make delicious pupusas, hear captivating stories from the Salvi PDX family about the vibrant culture of El Salvador, and indulge in their amazing cuisine. Don’t miss out on this exciting event! Space is limited. Free tickets will be available 10 minutes before the event.
The Edge of Water: Olufunke Grace Bankole (Literary Arts)
Tuesday, February 4th, at 7:00 p.m. | Literary Arts, 716 SE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214 | FREE
Join us as we celebrate the debut novel from Portland author and Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient Olufunke Grace Bankole, published by our friends at Portland’s own Tin House. Set between Nigeria and New Orleans, The Edge of Water tells the story of a young woman who dreams of life in America, as the collision of traditional prophecy and individual longing tests the bonds of a family during a devastating storm. This event is free and open to the public at our new headquarters and bookstore at 716 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR.
Lidia Yuknavitch in Conversation With Rene Denfeld (Powell’s City of Books)
Tuesday, February 4th, at 7:00 p.m., | Powell’s, 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 | FREE
“I believe our bodies are carriers of experience,” Lidia Yuknavitch writes in her provocative new memoir, Reading the Waves (Riverhead). “I mean to ask if there is a way to read my own past differently, using what I have learned from literature: how stories repeat and reverberate and release us from the tyranny of our mistakes, our traumas, and our confusions.” Drawing on her background — her father’s abuse, her complicated dynamic with her disabled mother, the death of her child, her sexual relationships with men and women — and her creative life as an author and teacher, Yuknavitch has come to understand that by using the power of literature and storytelling to reframe her memories, she can loosen the bonds that have enslaved her emotional growth. Armed with this insight, she allows herself to look with the eye of an artist at the wounds she suffered and come to understand the transformational power this has to restore her soul. By turns candid and lyrical, stoic and forgiving, blunt and evocative, Reading the Waves reframes memory to show how crucial this process can be to gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves. Yuknavitch will be joined in conversation by Rene Denfeld, author of Sleeping Giants.
Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic Featuring Victor Griggs (Printed Matter Vancouver)
Thursday, February 13th, at 7:00 p.m., | Art At The Cave, 108 E Evergreen Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98660 | $5 suggested donation
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Ghost Town Poetry Open Mic, Printed Matter Vancouver founders Christopher Luna and Toni Lumbrazo Luna co-edited a third anthology of poems from the series with series co-host Morgan Paige. Ghost Town Poetry Volume Three features poems, memories, and photographs from throughout our two-decade history. $5 suggested donation, no one turned away
Visit the Ghost Town website for more information.
An Evening with Diane Wilson (The Reser)
Saturday, February 15th, at 7:00 p.m., | The Reser, 12625 SW Crescent St. Beaverton, OR 97005 | This event is free with reserved tickets.
Join The Reser for the culminating event of Beaverton City Library’s One Book, One Beaverton, a visit with Diane Wilson, author of The Seed Keeper. A Minnesota Book Award winner, Wilson’s novel is a beautifully told story of reawakening that follows a Dakota family’s struggle to preserve their way of life, and one woman’s search for belonging and community.
Bard Bingo (Wonderwood Springs)
Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00 p.m. | Wonderwood Springs, 8811 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203 | FREE
Bard Bingo at Portland Artist Mike Bennett’s Wonderwood Springs is a lively bingo event hosted by a traveling bard’s musical musings. Held every Tuesday night, this event features four exciting rounds with cards priced at $5 each. It’s cash-only, offering chances to win various prizes such as original artwork, stickers, gift cards, lawn signs, and the coveted jackpot.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
Voices of Color Fellowships (Martha’s Institute of Creative Writing)
Deadline: January 19 | Application Fee: $20
Leonard A. Slade, Jr. Poetry Fellowships for Poets of Color (est. 2018) and The Voices of Color Prose Fellowships (est. 2017). These fellowships provide support for writers of color. These fellowships are open to all writers of color, ages 18 and older.
Parent-Writer Fellowships (Martha’s Institute of Creative Writing)
Deadline: January 19 | Application Fee: $20
These fellowships are intended to give parents the time and financial support to devote a week to themselves and their writing at MVICW. They are open to anyone who has a child age 16 or younger living with them.
Queer-Writer Fellowships (Martha’s Institute of Creative Writing)
Deadline: January 19 | Application Fee: $20
These fellowships assist with our commitment to increasing philanthropic support for LGBTQIA+ writers and expanding the American literary canon. Application for these fellowships is open to all queer-identified writers, ages 18 and older.
Teach! Write! Play! Fellowships (Martha’s Institute of Creative Writing)
Deadline: January 19 | Application Fee: $20
The Carol Brown Goldberg and Henry Goldberg Teach! Write! Play! Fellowships, to support educators and writers who work with young people across the globe. These fellowships are open to anyone who works with youth, age 21 or younger, including university professors & adjuncts; public, private, and after-school teachers; social workers; and community organizers.
Worlds Within Words: A Cross-Cultural Exploration of Multimedia Memoir (Oregon Humanities)
January 13–March 20 | Various times | Online via Zoom | FREE
Memoirs and personal narratives are stories, told from the perspectives of the authors, about important parts of their lives. This course explores the vast, rewarding potential of these expressive storytelling forms through reading, writing, podcast, and film.
The Detour live with Anis Mojgani (Oregon Humanities)
Thursday, January 16, at 7:00 p.m. | Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., Portland OR 97202 | $15
Oregon Humanities and the Tomorrow Theater present a live recording of The Detour podcast with poet and visual artist Anis Mojgani. Anis and host Adam Davis will dig into what it means to be an artist, fulfill a Governor-appointed, public role, and be a politically engaged individual, too. We’ll explore the relationship between art, art-making, and politics, maybe especially when one’s art is not overtly political.
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Writers’ Group (Rose City Book Pub)
Friday, January 24th, 5:00–8:00 p.m. | Rose City Book Pub, 1329 Northeast Fremont Street, Portland, OR, 97212 | FREE
Connect with fellow writers. Do you write high adult fantasy, horror, children’s sci-fi video games, magical realism? Are you looking for a critique? Maybe you want to run your magic system by fellow storytellers, or build a DnD character.
Prompt Online: Fresh Eyes, Bold Strides (Write Around Portland)
Wednesdays, January 29th to March 19th, 6:00–8:00 p.m., | 8 Sessions | Online via Zoom | $195
Prompt is an 8-week series of connected workshops full of freewriting, listening, and strengths-based feedback. With accountability and community built in, you’ll be able to bundle up all your holiday memories and turn them into beautiful art. Join over Zoom, and write together!
Prompt @ Powell’s City of Books (Write Around Portland)
Tuesdays, January 28th to March 18th, 6:00–8:00 p.m., | 8 Sessions | Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 | $295
Prompt is an 8-week writing group full of freewriting, listening, and strengths-based feedback, hosted behind-the-scenes at Powell’s City of Books! With accountability and community built in – as well as a huge selection of books for inspiration – you’ll be sure to come away with tons of new ideas.
MVICW Poet & Author Fellowships (Martha’s Institute of Creative Writing)
Deadline: May 1 | Application Fee: $20
The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing is able to provide a number of need and merit-based fellowships (25-40% of registration) to attend our Summer Writers’ Conference. Special consideration is given to applicants demonstrating economic need.
FOR KIDS / TEENS
Native Storytime (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesday, January 15th, 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Online via Zoom | FREE
Come sing, listen, learn and celebrate. Join Karen Kitchen (Osage Nation) for this story hour featuring songs and books from Native cultures. Children, families, elders, aunties and uncles — everyone is welcome. Register for zoom.
BOLD Children’s Storytime (Bold Coffee and Books)
Saturdays, at 10:00 a.m. | Bold Coffee and Books, 1755 SW Jefferson St. Portland, OR 97201 | FREE
Join Bold Coffee and Books every Saturday morning for children’s storytime! Whether an author is here to read their book or on of their staff members is reading a favorite, they will feature stories that spread compassion, awareness, and positivity. Children will get a coloring page or sticker to take home too!
Bookworm Baby Playgroup (Literacy Kid Lounge)
Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Literacy Kid Lounge, 2200 SE Oak Grove Blvd
Oak Grove, OR 97267 | $10
Connect with other fantastic families and build lasting friendships in this Literacy Baby Playgroup! There is also a lot of crawling over each other and interactive play with toys and books.
Kids’ Story & Art Class at Awake Coffee & Art!
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:00 a.m. | In person at Awake Coffee & Art | $8
Bring your little ones Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m. for a storybook reading and art session! They’ll have a hands-on art project after the reading. It could be watercolor painting, making and playing with play dough, or another creative project to engage the young artists’ talents! All materials included!
Kids’ Storytime (Powell’s)
Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. | Powell’s City of Books | FREE
Join Powell’s every Saturday for kids’ storytime.
IN THE NEWS
Literary Arts opens a new chapter | (Oregon ArtsWatch)
A historic Central Eastside building is nonprofit Literary Arts’ new home — and Portland’s newest bookstore | (Oregon Live)
Shop at the newly opened Literary Arts bookstore | (PDX Today)
One way to get more teens reading could be romance novels | (NPR)
Mother Foucault’s Bookshop Needs Your Help Moving | (Willamette Week)
RECOMMENDED READING
Powell’s Picks of the Season (Powell’s)
50 Books for 50 years (Powell’s)
The Best Memoir & Biography of 2024 (Multnomah County Library)
The Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2024 (Multnomah County Library)
Community News Submissions
Let us know if you have any events, news to share, or opportunities for writers for the In the Community blog and we will consider adding it to the next blog post!
