We are thrilled to announce the lineup for our 39th season of presenting. Click here to learn more about the authors.

Thursday, September 21, 2023: Zadie Smith

Thursday, October 26, 2023: Mary Beard

Thursday, January 25, 2024: David Grann

Thursday, February 29, 2024: Charles Yu

Thursday, April 18, 2024: Aimee Nezhukumatathil

All lectures take place at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at 1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR. All lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. and are approximately 1 hour long, followed by a Q&A. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Please take note of each individual lecture date below. Email reminders are sent the week before, and the day of each event.

Thursday, September 21, 2023: Zadie Smith

Thursday, October 26, 2023: Mary Beard

Thursday, January 25, 2024: David Grann

Thursday, February 29, 2024: Charles Yu

Thursday, April 18, 2024: Aimee Nezhukumatathil

If you were a Reserved or Patron subscriber for the 2022/23 season your seats will automatically remain the same if you renew by Friday, May 26, 2023. If your subscription has lapsed you are not guaranteed the same seats as previous seasons. Please note: if you have a General Admission or Upper Balcony subscription, your sections are open seating, meaning seats are first-come, first-served each lecture.

For Reserved and Patron subscriptions, please make a note of any seating requests when you renew or subscribe online. We look at these requests in the order they were received, so renewing early means there is a higher chance we can accommodate the request. Please note: if you have a General Admission or Upper Balcony subscription, your sections are open seating, meaning seats are first-come, first-served each lecture.

We do not give refunds for individual events within the season, however you may donate back tickets to Literary Arts for any lecture you are unable to attend, and receive a donation receipt for tax purposes. You may also transfer your tickets to a friend. We ask you to let us know if you do this so we are able to troubleshoot any ticketing issues on the night.

Most of our lectures are recorded and most are broadcast on our OPB radio show and podcast The Archive Project and usually released within a few months after the event.

Portland’5 is dedicated to bringing arts performances to as many people as possible, including those who may need auditory, visual or mobility assistance. We go beyond mere compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act to make sure all of our audience members have an exceptional experience.

Please select from the following options for more accessibility information:

For Patrons and Visitors with Mobility Disabilities

For Patrons and Visitors who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

For Patrons and Visitors who are Blind or have Low Vision

For Patrons and Visitors with Sensory Needs

For Patrons and Visitors Using a Service Animal

For additional accessibility information including parking, entrances, and seating, please click here.

Currently, most of our events in partner venues do not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Wearing a face mask is optional but strongly recommended. Vaccination and masking policies will vary for all our events this season and will depend on factors such as public health mandates, venue requirements, and artist preferences, which are subject to change. We will communicate each event’s attendance requirements via their individual event page. The most up-to-date information about our COVID-19 policies for in-person programming can be found here. If you have questions, please email us at la@literary-arts.org.

No. We raised prices across all subscription levels during our 2021–22 season for the first time since the 2017–18 season, and we are keeping prices the same this year, even though costs of presenting are increasing. The price for five-part subscriptions are as follows:

Patron: $430 ($86 per lecture)
Reserved: $300 ($60 per lecture)
General Admission: $200 ($40 per lecture)
GA discount: $170 ($34 per lecture)
Upper Balcony: $110 ($22 per lecture)

At this time, our Portland Arts & Lectures events have paper tickets. We will mail a full ticket packet to you at the end of summer. We will also send an email at this time for you to be on the lookout for your ticket packet. We send all five event tickets in this packet, so be sure to keep them in a safe place!

Portland Arts & Lectures subscriptions are non-refundable, and we do not give partial refunds for individual events missed within the series.

If you are unable to attend an individual lecture, we ask that you consider supporting Literary Arts’ continued work by turning the cost of your ticket into a tax-deductible donation. Donated tickets allow event access for students and community members who may not otherwise be able to participate. Please submit your donation request to la@literary-arts.org or call us at 503-227-2583, option 2.

We don’t cancel events due to weather except in the most severe of conditions. We will send out an email and put a note on the event page if the event is going to be canceled. Unless it is noted on our website, you can assume the event will go on. If an event is canceled due to weather, we will reschedule it for another date.

We offer $5 Arts for All tickets for walk up in-person purchasing the night of event, starting at 5:30 p.m. Arts for All ticket buyers must show proof of a SNAP or Oregon Trail Card when they walk up to get tickets from the Portland’5 Box Office, and are limited to two tickets.