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
Choice Cuts Book Launch: An Evening Celebrating Portland DIY (PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater)
Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 p.m. | Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202 | TICKETS
Celebrate the official book launch of Choice Cuts: Disposable Camera Archives by Corbin C, a book published by Portland’s own Buckman Journal. It chronicles the photography of Portland-based photographer and filmmaker Corbin C, who will be presenting his photos and HI8 music videos, dishing anecdotes and behind the scene tales. HE WAS THERE.
Reflections Through Glass: A Garden Concert Featuring Philip Glass Quartets (45th Parallel Universe)
Sunday, September 28, 6:00–7:00 p.m. | Blessinger Residence, 3215 NE 16th Ave, Portland, OR 97212 | FREE
Join hosts Ron Blessinger and Ann Medellin for an evening in their lovely Irvington garden exploring the sound world of Philip Glass. His quartets No. 3 and No. 5 reveal the hallmarks of his style: intricate textures, steady pulse, and what Steve Reich famously called a “perceptible process.” Heard outdoors, this music invites you to settle in, listen closely, and experience how repetition gradually transforms into something unexpected and beautiful.
The Bed Trick (Artists Repertory Theatre)
Tuesday, September 30, at 7:30 p.m. | Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St, Portland, OR 97205 | TICKETS
Sparks fly in this effervescent bedroom farce by Seattle’s Keiko Green, where the joys of being young and frisky smash into questions of deception and consent. The Bed Trick is a fresh, sparkling comedy about sex, ethics, and Shakespeare.
The Reser: 2025/26 Season of Events
The Reser’s most ambitious season yet is here! The 2025–26 Reser Presents lineup is filled with globally inspired performances, groundbreaking world premieres, and the return of beloved favorites. See the Season Brochure HERE.
Bard Bingo (Wonderwood Springs)
Tuesdays, 7:00–9:00 p.m. | Wonderwood Springs, 8811 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203 | $5
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.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Queer & Feminist Writing: Creating Our Work Through the Lens of International Literature
w/ Jenna Tang (Coporeal Writing)
Saturday, September 27, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (PST) | Online via Zoom | $100
Feminist writing and queer narratives are important to talk about—how do we start with the lens of international literature to inform our own writing? How can we build a map of literature for ourselves—reading from the ancient mythologies to contemporary literary titles from across the world, to the experimental, punk narratives that could spark creative, thematic ideas for stories and poems that we’ve been wanting to write about?
Resonate: A BIPOC Writing Circle (Write Around Portland)
2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month | 4:00–5:30 p.m. | Online via Zoom
Led by a Write Around Portland facilitator of color, Resonate consists of writing, sharing, and giving strengths-based feedback to each other. No preparation or experience in writing is required! Resonate is a great way to unlock your creativity, build or maintain a writing practice, and get some writing done! REGISTER HERE.
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
CREATIVE CRECIMIENTO ~ PARTICIPATION APPLICATION FORM (Portland In Color)
Various Dates | Online via Zoom
Applications are now open for Creative Crecimiento! This sliding scale professional development workshop series was created to increase accessibility to sustaining creative livelihoods for BIPOC artists across Oregon.
Workshop Topics & Dates (Classes are on Mondays, 5:30–7:30 PM, via Zoom):
- 9/29 – The Artist’s Journey: Emotional Self-care Through Storytelling with Joaquin Lopez
- 10/6 – Sustainable Futures: Leadership, Community-Building, and Long-term Planning Panel with Heldáy De la Cruz, Jené Etheridge, Erica Ledesma, and RedStone Rodolfo Serna
- 10/20 – Optional Celebration & Connection Event in Portland (Location TBA)!
WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS: Mentorship Applications Open
The WNDB Mentorship program offers an exciting opportunity for aspiring creators to be matched with an experienced children’s book creator. Our mentorships run over the course of a calendar year (January to December), where each mentor will provide support and feedback to their mentee on their completed manuscript draft or their portfolio.
Our mentorships are split among the following categories: Picture Book Text (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Young Adult (YA); and Illustration (IL).
Applications are open until September 30, 2025. Details are here.
Poetry Broadside Contest (Expedition Press)
Submission period: October 1-31, 2025 | Fee: $15 for 1-2 poems
The goal of this contest is connection. To widen our reading horizons and broaden our community. Even if you don’t identify as a poet. Students hugely welcome, people of all identities, ages and abilities. Read the backstory here for why this contest exists
FOR KIDS & TEENS
Bard Storytime (Wonderwood)
Every Saturday, 11:00 a.m.–Noon | Wonderwood Springs, 7410 N. Chicago Ave. Portland, OR | FREE
Join us every Saturday as Gerard Bardler (the bard of Wonderwood) reads stories and sings songs! Books generously donated by our neighbors Twin Rivers Books. Family friendly, family fun, FREE!
From A Hole in the Ground (Northwest Children’s Theater)
Saturdays and Sundays | September 27, 11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. | The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts, 1000 SW Broadway, T-100, Portland, OR 97232 | $25-35
Nominated for a 2025 Oregon Book Award! From a Hole in the Ground is an original fairy tale about mischief, nature, and a generational curse. Someone—or something—has returned from the grave fixated on a long due confrontation, upsetting the world of the good folk, and set to bring chaos to mortals too. A finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Drama.
Raising Us: A Parenting Podcast (A Kids Co.)
Award-winning journalist Elise Hu (TED Talks Daily, Forever35) hosts Raising Us, a parenting podcast for grownups raising Big-Question Kids. From puberty and identity to tech and body image, each episode gives you tools to spark real conversations with your kid (s).
Created by A Kids Co. (a family media company) the show blends expert-backed insights with real, lived experiences featuring trusted doctors, educators and purpose-driven public figures sharing age-appropriate advice so you don’t have to wing the hard stuff.
IN THE NEWS
Andrew Proctor Gets Frank About Portland’s Creative Past, Present and Future
(Willamette Week)
Velshi Banned Book Club: ‘The 1619 Project: Born on the Water’ co-authored by Renée Watson & illustrated by Nikkolas Smith (MSNBC)
Board Member Renee Watson interviewd by Ali Velshi.
RECOMMENDED READING
Oregon Battle of the Books | (The Literary Arts Bookstore)
100 Films by Black Directors | (Multnomah County Library)
Reading the Resistance: Palestine | (Multnomah County Library)
Hispanic and Latiné books for teens | (Multnomah County Library)
Staff Picks | (The Literary Arts Bookstore)
Powell’s Picks of the Month | (Powell’s)
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!
