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
Chamber Music Northwest Pop-up Recital (Oregon Historical Society)
Wednesday, July 1, 2:30 p.m. | Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, OR, 97205 | FREE
Students from Chamber Music Northwest’s (CMNW) Young Artist Institute will be performing short “pop-up” performances all around Portland! They will be visiting the Oregon Historical Society at 2:30pm on July 1 to perform a 30-minute recital featuring music for string quartet.
Free First Thursday (Portland Art Museum)
Thursday, July 2, 10:00 a.m. | Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR | FREE
Portland Art Museum invites the community to join a Free First Thursday event, offering free admission to the museum for all as we celebrate Disability Pride.
Conversation Project: Are You Doing Community Wrong? (Oregon Humanities)
Wednesday, July 8, 12:30 p.m. | Studio GO:PDX, 4511 SE Main St., Portland, OR 97215 | FREE
We all belong to many communities—that is, groups of people with common interests—depending on where we live, the work we do, how we spend our leisure time, political and religious beliefs, and so on. In some communities, finding agreement is easy; in others, especially those that represent many different experiences and points of view, members must work harder to find commonality. It may be easier to find a location for your next book-club meeting than to achieve consensus about a road project at your neighborhood association. In such contexts, are we “doing” community wrong? Are we celebrating diverse points of view and our common effort to find solutions together? If not, why not? What stops us from engaging in more diverse communities?
Crafternoon for Adults (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesday, July 8, 1:00 p.m. | Holgate Library, 7905 SE Holgate Boulevard Portland, OR 97206 | FREE
We all belong to many communities—that is, groups of people with common interests—depending on where we live, the work we do, how we spend our leisure time, political and religious beliefs, and so on. In some communities, finding agreement is easy; in others, especially those that represent many different experiences and points of view, members must work harder to find commonality. It may be easier to find a location for your next book-club meeting than to achieve consensus about a road project at your neighborhood association. In such contexts, are we “doing” community wrong? Are we celebrating diverse points of view and our common effort to find solutions together? If not, why not? What stops us from engaging in more diverse communities?
Tough Shit with Oregon Humanities (Oregon Humanities)
Wednesday, July 8, 7:00 p.m. | Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., Portland OR 97202 | $15
Tough Shit is an onstage conversation about the most challenging questions Portlanders are facing. We’ll bring together four people with very different experiences of and perspectives on the city to talk through some shit with help from the audience and a moderator. The questions will be tough, and this shit will not be resolved in one night. We expect to leave with more questions than answers, plus some renewed hope for the future. And if not, well….
Creating Culture and Investment in Portland through Art & Sports (Portland Art Museum)
Thursday, July 9, 11:00 a.m. | Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR | FREE
Join leaders from the worlds of sports, philanthropy, arts, and business for a discussion on how creative and athletic institutions can work together to strengthen Portland’s identity, attract investment, and build a more vibrant future.
Collecting the Game (Portland Art Museum)
Thursday, July 9, 2:30 p.m. | Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR | FREE
Join New York-based art advisor and collector Gardy St. Fleur in conversation with Sonja Moro, Art Services Specialist for Bank of America, for a discussion on collecting, stewardship, and the ways art intersects with wealth, identity, influence, and legacy.
Asphalt Art Community Painting Day (Portland Art Museum)
Saturday, July 11, 10:00 a.m. | Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR | FREE
Join us and The City Repair Project for a day of community creativity as we bring Yinka Ilori’s monumental asphalt artwork, Mountains Full of Blessings, to life! We’re creating a new plaza in the South Park Blocks and need your help to make it happen.
Bossa PDX: Music of Brazil (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, July 11, 12:00 p.m. | Hillsdale Library, 71525 SW Sunset Boulevard Portland, OR, 97239 | FREE
Bossa PDX presents an afternoon of Brazilian samba-jazz and classic bossa nova.
The Country for Me: Joel Palmer and the Shaping of Oregon (Oregon Historical Society)
Tuesday, July 14, 6:15 p.m. | Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Ave Portland, OR, 97205 | FREE
Join the Oregon Historical Society to celebrate the publication of The Country for Me, the first full biography of Joel Palmer (1810–1881). Born in Canada to American parents, Palmer played a central role in the political and economic shaping of Oregon. Having traveled on the Oregon Trail three times, he wrote a popular trail guidebook used by later emigrants.
America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams (Oregon Historical Society)
Wednesday, July 15, 7:00 p.m. | McMenamins Kennedy School 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR, 97211 | FREE
For many years, Bob Crawford spent long stretches on his tour bus devouring books on American history. Among all the figures Crawford has studied, one fascinated him most: John Quincy Adams, the often-overlooked former president whose fierce independence, nimble activism for democracy, and early crusade against slavery still echo powerfully today. Join us for this very special History Pub as Bob Crawford delves into early American history in conversation with OHS Boyle Family Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk.
Pride: Queer “How We Met” Stories from Our Bold Voices (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesday, July 15, 6:00 p.m. | Hillsdale Library, 71525 SW Sunset Boulevard Portland, OR, 97239 | FREE
Come hear authors from Our Bold Voices‘ powerful new anthology. Crossing Paths: Queer Moments That Changed Everything features stories about queer love and connection. In a time when efforts to undermine or erase queer existence persist, these narratives illuminate queer joy and foster meaningful conversations.
The New Deal Bridges of the Oregon Coast (Oregon Historical Society)
Monday, July 27, 7:00 p.m. | McMenamins Kennedy School 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR, 97211 | $5-6
As Oregonians celebrate the 100th anniversary of Highway 101, the New Deal bridges that completed this iconic highway are celebrating their 90th anniversary. In 1934, construction began on the five bridges designed to close the remaining watery gaps on Oregon’s Highway 101. By the summer of 1936, New Deal funding assisted in completing bridges across the five widest bays and estuaries at Newport, Reedsport, Waldport, Florence, and Coos Bay. Robert W. Hadlow and Judith Kenny explore the significance of these bridges as Depression-era projects, examples of state bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough’s design excellence, and their importance carrying us into the twenty-first century.
2026 Ethnic Studies Summer Institute (Oregon Historical Society)
Tuesday, July 28-Wednesday, July 29, 9:00 am. | Eastern Oregon University One University Blvd La Grande, OR, 97850 | FREE
Expand the narrative of Oregon history using Integrated Ethnic Studies! Learn from local organizations, collaborate and lesson plan with fellow educators, and leave with classroom-ready resources for teaching a more complete Oregon history that includes the contributions and perspectives of Black, Chinese, Japanese, and Latine Oregonians; tribal history and Native nations; and Holocaust, genocide, and human rights education.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
ArtWrite (Artist’s Rep)
First Sunday of the Month, 11:00 a.m. | Artists Rep, 1515 SW Morrison St. Portland, OR 97219 | FREE
Introducing a new monthly meet-up hosted by Artists Rep in partnership with the Dramatists Guild. Facilitated by E.M. Lewis and Sara Jean Accuardi. A little bit of writing, a little bit of sharing, a lot of connecting with other playwrights.
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.
Creative Sustenance: Nourishing Your Writing Practice (Creative Momentum)
Sunday, July 12, 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom | FREE
This free, introductory Creative Momentum workshop is designed to connect you back to your writing practice in a way that is both immediately nourishing as well as sustainable. You know you have a book (or two, or more!) in you but your writing has felt blocked, stalled, sporadic, or perpetually on hold. At Creative Momentum, our approach is to befriend blocks through ritual, community, somatic practices, and reflection to get to the heart of your creative energy and honor the different ways in which it is trying to break through.
Creative Confidence: Re-Enliven Your Writing Project! (Creative Momentum)
Friday, July 17, 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom | $35
In this workshop, we’ll connect with ourselves and with our characters to get in touch with the deep change taking place under the surface. Fun writing exercises will ensure that your plot moves forward and that your big-hearted, resonant character arcs are clearly conveyed to your readers.
Creative Clarity, Focus and Momentum (Creative Momentum)
Tuesday, July 21, 10:00 a.m. | Online via Zoom | $35
Find the heart of your story and hone your creative process skills so you can confidently start and complete your story or book—and actually enjoy the process!
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND WRITERS
Blessing the Boats Selections (BOA)
Deadline: June 15, 2026
Award: $$1,500
Genre: Poetry
Blessing the Boats Selections spotlights poetry collections by women of color. As the 2025-2026 Blessing the Boats Selections Editor-at-Large, Evie Shockley will read submissions and select the final manuscript for publication. Blessing the Boats Selections is named after Lucille Clifton’s National Book Award-winning collection, Blessing the Boats: New and Selected Poems (Boa, 2000), in honor and celebration of her enduring legacy.
FSG Writer’s Fellowship (FSG)
Deadline: July 7, 2026
Award: $$15,000
The FSG Writer’s Fellowship is an annual program designed to give an emerging writer from an underrepresented community additional resources to build a life around writing—including $15,000 in funding, editorial guidance, and support from the FSG community.
FOR KIDS & TEENS
Children’s Storytime (Bold Coffee & Books)
Saturdays from 11:00–11:30 a.m. | Bold Coffee & Books, 1755 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97205 | FREE
Whether an author is here to read their book or our staff is reading a favorite, we’ll feature stories that spread compassion, awareness, and positivity. Children will get a coloring page or sticker to take home too!
Summer Lunches 2026 (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesdays, July 1, 12:15–1:00 p.m. | Midland Library, 1755 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97205 | FREE
Children ages 1-18 are invited to enjoy free summer lunch at Midland Library. No reservations/sign-ups required. Lunch is served cold and will be served indoors. We have coloring sheets and crafts! Please join us!
Summer Reading: Let’s Make a Zine! with Outlet PDX (Multnomah County Library)
Wednesdays, July 1, 4:00–6:00 p.m. | Midland Library, 1755 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97205 | FREE
Dive into all things zine with Outlet PDX! In this workshop, we’ll explore the history and different types of zines. We’ll also talk about where to find and share them, along with different zine formats. We’ll also spend some time actually DEFINING what a zine is for those who are new to this amazing medium! We’ll give tons of prompts, tips, and inspiration so you can take ideas and turn them into a tangible, lovely THING. Make a zine with us!
Storytime at Hoffman Farms (Hoffman Farms)
Wednesday, July 1, 10:00–11:00 a.m. | Hoffman Farms, 22242 SW Scholls Ferry Rd. Beaverton, OR, 97007 | FREE
Starting June 10th, you can head to Hoffman Farms every Wednesday at 10:00 AM for stories, fresh air, and fun on the farm. We love seeing families gather together and making memories while enjoying a good book.
Storytime for Older Kids in Raleigh Hills (Jan’s & Arcade Book Exchange)
Wednesday, July 1, 11:00–11:30 a.m. | Jan’s & Arcade Book Exchange, 4838 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, Portland, OR, 97225 | FREE
Join local children’s authors for summer storytimes at Jan’s & Arcade Book Exchange! We’ll be reading aloud books geared towards older kids (ages 4-8) every other Wednesday morning while school is out. Show up a little early to help choose the books!
B-Side Records & Vintage Open Mic: All Ages, All Formats (B-Side Records & Vintage)
Wednesday, July 1, 6:30 p.m. | B-Side Records & Vintage: Milwaukie ,10801 SE Main St Milwaukie, OR, 97222 | FREE
Musicians, vocalists, comedians, poetry, spoken word, full bands, storytellers, and more! Join us for the B-Side Records & Vintage Open Mic at 6:30pm on Wednesdays every week. We are located in downtown Milwaukie at 10801 SE Main Street. Close to the MAX and across the street from public parking and TriMet’s downtown transit station.
Queer Teens Book Club (Always Here Bookstore)
Thursday, July 2, 5:30–7:00 p.m. | Always Here Book Store, 4555 N Williams Ave Portland, OR, 97217 | FREE
Our teen book club is led by a local YA author’s teen and supervised by AH staff! Meetings will take place monthly, on the first Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.
Rainbow Family Storytime (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, July 11, 10:15–11:00 a.m. | Albina Library, 205 NE Russell Street Portland, OR, 97212 | FREE
Children from birth to age 6 (with a favorite adult) enjoy books highlighting LGBTQ+ families, along with songs, rhymes and movement activities building language, literacy, and community in an identity-supporting environment. Attendance is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Family Pride Story Hour with Special Guest, Poison Waters! (Multnomah County Library)
Saturday, July 11, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. | St. Johns Library, 7510 N Charleston Avenue, Portland, OR, 97203 | FREE
This Family Pride Story Hour is a queer-led and LGBTQ+-themed dance party where LGBTQ+ families can share and connect in community. Parents, caregivers and children from birth to age 6, will enjoy this joyful and supportive drag event with local celebrity, Poison Waters.
Story and Snack time at Fresh Love (Always Here Bookstore)
Thursday, July 16, 3:30 p.m. | Fresh Love, 7434 NE Fremont St., Portland, 97220 | FREE
Bring your friends and come listen to a story at Fresh Love! Fun coloring sheets custom-made for us by Julz Clementine, and a great menu of fresh smoothies and other snacks are available for purchase.
The Oregon Bird Man Live at Frog Pond Farm (Frog Pond Farm)
Saturday, July 25, 10:30–11:30 a.m. | Frog Pond Farm 2995 SW Advance Rd Wilsonville, OR, 97070 | $13
Join us for the show and stay to explore our farm! Bounce to your heart’s content in the covered Bounce Park, explore the playgrounds, feed the animals, catch a show, or just kick back and soak up the fresh air.
Pride: Queer Youth Club: Make a Zine with Outlet PDX! (Multnomah County Library)
Tuesday, July 21, 4:30–6:30 p.m. | Albina Library, 205 NE Russell Street Portland, OR, 97212 | FREE
This special edition features Outlet PDX to share their zine-making program and will last longer than our usual meetings, so hang out longer and make a thing! A safe place where ALL are welcome to be themselves. Find support, eat snacks, get creative, discuss favorite books, and more! Bring a friend, or make a new one. For grades 5-8. Queer Youth Club is a youth-run club for that unites LGBTQIA+ and allied youth from neighboring schools. Email alecc@multcolib.org for more information.
IN THE NEWS
Welcoming Jonathan Hill as Literary Arts’ New Board Chair (Literary Arts)
Portland Book Festival Expands to a Week of Events for 2026 (Willamette Week)
RECOMMENDED READING
Staff Picks | (The Literary Arts Bookstore)
Two-Spirit/2S and Indigiqueer Voices for all ages | (Multnomah County Library)
Best books I’ve read in 2026, month by month | (Multnomah County Library)
Award Winning Books | (Powell’s City of Books)
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!
