Twin Cities literati are gearing up for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference on April 8th-11, where we will be descended upon by authors, poets, publishers and editors from all over the country and beyond. Even if you can’t manage the $285 nonmember fee for the conference, never fear, as there are plenty of off-site events happening in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which are open to the public. These readings, parties and events are great places to soak up some of the energy of AWP and possibly rub elbows with some great writers both from Minnesota and from far away places. There’s a full list of off-site events on AWP’s website, but here’s a list of some of the ones we’re most excited about.
Riot Act Reading Series presents AWP Calvalcade of Stars in conjunction with Punk Hostage Press in Conjunction with Hot Lava and the Black Forest Inn
Thursday, April 9th at 7 p.m. at the Black Forest Inn, 1 E. 26th St.
There’s no reason that literary events have to be stuffy. Case in point, the Twin Cities’ own Riot Act Reading Series, which revels in debauchery as part of their aesthetic. During AWP, the Riot Act teams up with Punk Hostage Press from California to bring in a roster of national misfits, including Punk Hostage poets A. Razor and Alexandra Naughton, author of “I Will Always Be Your Whore: Love Songs for Billy Corgan.” Other poets include Daniel A. Hoyt, Nicky Beer, Darci Schummer, Hollie Hardy, Traci Brimhall, Brett Eugene Ralph, Michael Nye, Steven Church and the punk poet himself, Paul D. Dickinson. Plus, enjoy bluesy tunes from Hot Lava.
EQ at AWP Super Show
April 10th at 9 p.m.
The Loft Literary Center
1011 Washington Ave S Suite 200, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
$5 (No one turned away for lack of funds)
Equilibrium, the Loft Literary Center’s long-running series that supports spoken word poets from communities of color and Indigenous writers, has an awesome line-up of some of the Twin Cities best poets and writers, featuring headliners Patricia Smith and Regie Cabico. With David Mura, Tish Jones, Shá Cage and Guante among the featured writers, you can’t go wrong, but add to that Marcie Rendon, Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, Nimo H. Farah and Lorena Duarte, plus Emmanuel Ortiz, Marisa Carr, R. Vincent Moniz, Jr., Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria, Ka Vang, Moheb Soliman, Andrea Jenkins, Tou SaiKo Lee, Louis “Babalu” Alemayehu and many others, it’s a night packed with powerful voices not to be missed.
#Binders AWP Happy Hour
April 8th at 5 p.m.
Walker Art Center
1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
$5 cover – Cash bar
You need to buy tickets in advance here
MN Artists is reaching out to #bindersfullofwomenwriters, an online community that supports women, genderqueer and non-binary identifying writers to toast the start of the conference. It’s a chance to meet and greet with women (loosely defined) writing all over the country at the Walker Art Center’s Skyline Room.
Alonquin Roundtable
Magers & Quinn Booksellers
April 10th at 7 p.m.
3038 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
Free
Twin Cities’ local bookstores will be great spots during AWP for events, mingling and hearing new work. Magers & Quinn, like other bookstores such as SubText Books, will be hosting events. Among the happenings will be the Alonquin Roundtable April 10th, when 7 literary novelists published by Alonquin will be in the store to read their work, sign copies of their books and answer questions. The writers include Brock Clarke, Gina Frangello, Lauren Grodstein, Tim Johnston, Jill McCorkle, Michael Parker and Bill Roorbach.
Bust Magazine Reading hosted by Roxanne Gay and Amber Tamblyn
April 10th at 7 p.m.
The Loft Literary Center
1011 Washington Ave S Suite 200, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
$5 (No one turned away for lack of funds).
Facebook Event
Fearless author and cultural critic Roxane Gay (author of “Bad Feminist” and “An Untamed State”) hosts a Bust Magazine Reading with actress and poet Amber Tamblyn, who reviews books of poetry for the magazine. One of the most highly anticipated events of the week, the reading, which includes Patricia Smith, xTx, Franny Choi and Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, may fill up, but there are overflow rooms available where you can watch the reading with a live feed.
Arab American Soundscapes: an evening of poetry music and performance
April 9th at 7 p.m.
Cedar Cultural Center
416 Cedar Av. S.
Tickets $10/ $5 AWP attendees
Plan to experience music, performances, film and poetry reading for this event co-presented by Mizna and the Cedar Cultural Center. Naj Bagdadi is creating a musical soundscape that will surround the performances by Moheb Soliman, Ismail Khalidi, and Nathalie Handal, set against the backdrop of a film of the Euphrates River by video artist Ali Al-Tayar. In addition, the event features a string of Arab American poets including Glenn Shaheen, Hedy Sabbagh Habra, Philip Metres, Lisa Suhair Majaj, Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, and Trish Salah.
Music Meets MN Lit
April 8th at 7 p.m.
Bedlam Lowertown
213 4th Street East, Saint Paul
Last year’s Minnesota Book Award Winners- Melanie Hoffert, Carrie Mesrobian, Matt Rasmussen and Ethan Rutherford- reconvene at Bedlam Lowertown in an event hosted by the Friends of the St. Paul Library, who also put together the awards (which happens this year on April 18th). The four authors will read their work, followed by original music by Ipsifendus Collective, with members from local bands such as Dreamland Faces, Bookhouse, Painted Saints and Poor Nobodys.
AWP at BLB: AROHO’s Night of Glittering Expansiveness
Wednesday, April 8th at 7 p.m.
BLB 810 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
BLB website
The Bryant-Lake Bowl has a bunch of different events going on during the AWP. We like the look of this one, put on by A Room of Her Own Foundation for Women Writers and Artists (AROHO). Among the writers is Janet Fitch, who wrote “White Oleander” and “Paint it Black” as well as Susan Straight (Highwire Moon), Sue Williams Silverman (Love Sick), Joy Castro, Aimee Liu, Jill Bialosky and more. Following the reading, the event will conclude with an open mic. The first 20 listeners to arrive receive a free drink.
Women’s Caucus Reading
7:30 April 8th
Augsburg College Satern Auditorium, 22nd Ave. South & South 7 1/2 St. Minneapolis
Free
The AWP Women’s Caucus hosts a reading open to the public at Augsburg college with readings by two acclaimed American Indian poets- the prolific Joy Harjo and Natalie Diaz. They will be introduced by Heid Erdrich, who additionally will be reading at “Race, History and the Body” at Pangea World Theater on April 9th.
Rain Taxi 20th Anniversary Greatest Hits Reading
April 9th at 8 p.m., followed by a party at 9 p.m.
Walker Art Center Cinema, 1750 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis
$10 general, $8 Walker members
Facebook Event
The nonprofit organization Rain Taxi, which puts out the Rain Taxi Review of Books and hosts literary events throughout the year, celebrates 20 years of going strong with a greatest hits reading on Thursday, one of numerous events the organization is hosting throughout the conference. Come here writers Anne Carson, Peter Gizzi, Kent Johnson, Eleni Sikelianos, Cole Swensen, Dara Wier, Naja Marie Aidt, Forrest Gander, Pierre Joris, and Nicole Peyrafitte and stay afterward for the party. Tickets available at the Walker or Rain Taxi in booth 701. Visit http://www.raintaxi.com/rain-taxi-awp/ for a list of offsite events.
Found Poetry Review JamPoRee
April 10th at 7 p.m
House of Balls, 1504 South 7th Street, Minneapolis
Free, donations welcome
Facebook Event
Now here’s an event that should give our visitors a good sense of how quirky the Twin Cities can be. Over at the new House of Balls space, 15 poets who have been engaging in an interactive AWP/Minneapolis- inspired poetry project will show off their work.
Newfound, Waxwing, and As/Us reading
April 10th at 7:30 p.m.
Gamut Gallery, 1006 Marquette Ave South, Minneapolis
Free
Facebook Event
We picked this event because of the wonderful Ada Limón, who will be reading along with Carolina Ebeid, Natalie Scenters-Zapico, Darrin Doyle, Tiphanie Yanique, Melissa Rae Sipin-Gabon, Harrison Candelaria Fletcher, Jon Davis, and Elissa Washuta. Held at Gamut Gallery, one of the coolest galleries in town, right by the Minneapolis Convention Center, where the conference takes place.
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