Our events, classes, and seminars bring the community together to hear, learn, and discuss the most compelling issues and ideas of our day. We hope you will join us in our downtown Literary Arts space, online, and at partnering venues across Portland and Oregon.
A translated collection of short stories from one of Korea's most renowned writers, Pak Kyongni, Age of Doubt explores the postwar Korea of the 50s and 60s. A time of chaos, uncertainty, poverty, and existential doubt, postwar Korea is a far cry from the sleek and modern Korea that is today hailed as the birthplace
In this Delve, we will read Portuguese Nobel-laureate José Saramago’s breathtaking novel, Blindness (1995), focusing in particular on the concept of “community.” The novel posits the trope of community as an ethical imperative when the human condition has become utterly wretched. In a nameless city, contaminated by a sudden white blindness, the only inhabitant who
Here is an opportunity to share or listen to one page of work in progress from talented writers from everywhere. Come with a single page of work and sign up to read – or come to listen and prepare to be inspired. Our host is the one and only, Emme Lund. February's featured reader is Eric
Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets every month, on the third Thursday. This mic provides a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all literary communities in Portland. We encourage poets new and old to come share their work. We strive towards a safe space for poets to read their own poetry,
In partnership with Alano Club of Portland, "The Break is a monthly virtual gathering of writers and artists lead by Kaveh Akbar, celebrating amongness, collaboration, and interdisciplinary creative experimentation. Though many of the activities and discussions orbit or are inflected by recovery themes (Akbar has been in active recovery for eight years), participants are not
This monthly reading series is intended to prioritize the safety, creativity, and stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. Come listen to our featured readers, or sign up to share your work in our open mic. Readings will be followed by a short community discussion. The theme for February is "time." Our
Literary Arts presents Chalres Yu on February 29, 2024, as part of the 39th season of Portland Arts & Lectures.
Here is an opportunity to share or listen to one page of work in progress from talented writers from everywhere. Come with a single page of work and sign up to read – or come to listen and prepare to be inspired. Our host is the one and only, Emme Lund. March's featured reader is
In this class, we will drop all worry about being “writers.” Instead, we will simply use writing as a means of grounding our own attention. We will be prompted by writers who have turned their attention to the smallest noticings of life—observations of what is. Through writing together to prompts during our sessions, we will
Incite: Queer Writers Read is a curated, bimonthly reading series for Queer writers. Incite’s hope is to create conversation, connection, and greater understanding both within the Queer community and with other communities. Hosted by Vinnie Kinsella and Jennifer Perrine.
Recipient of the 2023 Ken Kesey Award in Fiction, Sindya Bhanoo, and 2024 finalist Marcelle Heath will speak about their works at the Linfield Nicholson Library, as part of the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour.
The Wild West has always been a fiction. The heroic cowboy settling the frontier is a myth. The Western novels of the mid-20th century rewrote genocide & colonialism to justify the existence of the United States. As a needed response, The Anti-Western works to undermine this false history by complexifying & subverting the tropes of
Emily Wilson's new translation of the Iliad, building on the accomplishment of her recent translation of the Odyssey, has kindled fresh interest in Homer's perennially relevant war epic. In this six-week seminar, we will read our way through Homer's text while exploring the rewards of this remarkable translation, a work of both scholarly acuity and
Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets every month, on the third Thursday. This mic provides a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all literary communities in Portland. We encourage poets new and old to come share their work. We strive towards a safe space for poets to read their own poetry,
This monthly reading series is intended to prioritize the safety, creativity, and stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. Come listen to our featured readers, or sign up to share your work in our open mic. Readings will be followed by a short community discussion. Hosted by Kyle Yoshioka and Jessica Meza-Torres.
What is a ghost if not spirit energy yearning for form and expression? In our time together, we’ll explore a range of structures capable of hosting ghosts, from epistolary to erasure, concrete shapes, the haunted dialogues of contrapuntals, and the glorious twisting and (re)turning form of obsession: the sestina. What’s following us? What can we
This six-week class will hold space for creative nonfiction writers to write and discuss short creative nonfiction works (memoir, essay, lyric essay). Writers at every level---from beginner to experienced---are welcome to join this workshop. Session time will consist of in-class writing and brief, focused discussions of students' short creative nonfiction works. Students will write 3-
Please join us for a reading featuring some of this year's Oregon Book Awards finalists in Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, and Poetry: Creative Nonfiction: Erica Berry Alyssa Graybeal Steven Moore Fiction: Patrick deWitt Marcelle Heath Lydia Kiesling Rachel King Jen Wheeler Poetry: Stephanie Adams-Santos Jessica E. Johnson Sara Quinn Rivara
Here is an opportunity to share or listen to one page of work in progress from talented writers from everywhere. Come with a single page of work and sign up to read – or come to listen and prepare to be inspired. Our host is the one and only, Emme Lund. The featured reader for April is
Celebrate the power of books to create a stronger community by attending the 2024 Everybody Reads author event with Gabrielle Zevin! In partnership with Multnomah County Library and The Library Foundation, Literary Arts is proud to present a lecture by bestselling author Gabrielle Zevin as the culminating event of Everybody Reads 2024. Everybody Reads is
Join us for an evening honoring our state's most accomplished writers in the genres of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, young readers, and drama.
Are you ready to get real about the emotional struggles that we bring to our writing? In this evening of conversation, we’ll explore everything from the anxiety of exposure to the crippling doubts that drive us into writer’s block—without judgment or platitudes. No question is off limits: Can I tell the truth about my abusive
Are you ready to get real about the emotional struggles that we bring to our writing? In this evening of conversation, we’ll explore everything from the anxiety of exposure to
One of the central struggles in storytelling is that human beings are, in essence, time travelers. We live in the past of our memories and the future of our hopes. Thus, when we tell stories, we often shuttle around in time. This can be exciting, but more often it winds up confusing the reader, and
The key to any unforgettable work of prose resides in the quality of its scenes. In this class, we’ll look at some of the best scenes ever written and investigate what it takes to write a scene that keeps readers on the edges of their seats. We’ll also discuss how structuring scenes can create a
DELVE FOR WRITERS: An occasional Delve series that offers seminars that focus on close readings of narrative, form, and stylistic choices that writers can incorporate into their own writing practice. Contemporary poetry and prose-poetry is a fabulous place to find rich, novel ideas about both form and content. This year’s final Portland Arts & Lectures
In this six week class, students will explore the lyric essay form and learn to appreciate what makes it one of the most imaginative and creative writing genres around. Class Takeaways We’ll discuss the key elements of a good lyric essay and what traditional forms we need to unlearn as writers before we enter this
How do you describe the Oregon coast, a garden full of dahlias, or the vibe of your favorite coffee shop? How do you write about a crowd of people? A fictional fishing village? A cold office? Or break down the symbolism of your protagonist’s kitchen junk drawer? The course will help writers currently working in
Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets every month, on the third Thursday. This mic provides a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all literary communities in
Literary Arts presents Aimee Nezhukumatathil on April 18, 2024, as part of our 39th season of Portland Arts & Lectures.
Oregon Book Award winner Sindya Bhanoo will be appearing in Cannon Beach library as part of their NW Authors Series. Seeking Fortune Elsewhere features intimate stories of South Indian immigrants
April is National Letter Writing Month! Spend some time writing letters and catching up on your correspondence with like-minded writers and fans of the postal system. Some supplies, snacks, and
We've added a second section! Have you ever wondered how to turn your brilliant idea into a captivating picture book? In this 8-week course, you’ll learn the art of crafting picture books that leave a lasting impression. We'll explore the world of children's literature, studying beloved classics and contemporary favorites, to inspire your creativity. Through
Have you ever wondered how to turn your brilliant idea into a captivating picture book? In this 8-week course, you’ll learn the art of crafting picture books that leave a lasting impression. We'll explore the world of children's literature, studying beloved classics and contemporary favorites, to inspire your creativity. Through engaging lessons and hands-on workshops,
Verselandia! is the annual youth poetry slam championship presented by Literary Arts. It is the Grand Slam for the winners from individual school slams hosted by public high school librarians.
This monthly reading series is intended to prioritize the safety, creativity, and stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. Come listen to our featured readers, or sign
Here is an opportunity to share or listen to one page of work in progress from talented writers from everywhere. Come with a single page of work and sign up
This course is for all levels of writers and readers. We will read and discuss excerpts from contemporary authors who write the self (or write from the basis of personal experience) such as Annie Erneaux, Leslie Jamison, Kate Briggs, Emmanuel Carrere, Hilton Als, Melissa Febos, Edouard Louis and others, in addition to weekly craft essays
Join Oregon Book Award winner Josephine Woolington, author of Where We Call Home:Lands,Seas and Skies of the Pacific Northwest, as she sheds light on the diverse species whose populations are
Join Oregon Book Award winner Josephine Woolington, author of Where We Call Home:Lands,Seas and Skies of the Pacific Northwest, as she sheds light on the diverse species whose populations are
Incite: Queer Writers Read is a curated, bimonthly reading series for Queer writers. Incite’s hope is to create conversation, connection, and greater understanding both within the Queer community and with other
Oregon Book Award winner Lauren Kessler, author of Free: Two Years, Six Lives, and the Long Journey Home will give a talk at Blue Mountain Community College.
Writers can't decide what to do with grief. It has wrongly been called too sentimental or too cold. Too traumatic or too unoriginal. But regardless of the current writerly opinion about it, grief is going nowhere. So how do we write about it? How do we write with it? This generative class will help writers
Being alive is really a very strange endeavor. Bizarre coincidences, déjà vu, the fallibility of our own memory and perceptions, and inexplicable, seemingly magical occurrences are perhaps all more commonplace
Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets every month, on the third Thursday. This mic provides a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all literary communities in
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