We are fortunate to have prominent speakers from diverse disciplines visit campus almost every single day of the year. Some of their talks are deeply technical and only of interest to a niche audience, but that is absolutely not the case with "A Year of Creative Writers 2020," an upcoming series of readings and conversations with prominent national voices, throughout the calendar year.
Antoinette Burton, Janice Harrington, and colleagues in IPRH, the Creative Writing Program, and beyond have pulled together a remarkable slate of activities: performances, lectures, and conversations that are open to campus and community alike. Anna Deavere Smith and Julia Wolfe launch the series in Urbana on February 19 with "The Artist's Voice in Times of Crisis" and events continue throughout the year. Pulitzer Prize winner Tyehimba Jess will be here later this semester, Dave Eggers will be in Urbana in October as a "Writer in Residence," and Roxane Gay and U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith will be here in November... The list goes on and on! This will be a showcase of imagination and creativity, and I am so pleased that this project was selected to receive funding from the System's "Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and the Humanities."
Events like these contribute to the vibrancy of the research community in so many ways, and OVCRI hopes you'll join in seeking out these experiences throughout the year!
