Welcome

Since 1989, the Guild Literary Complex has served the Chicago community through innovative programming that highlights the intersections of marginality, the power of community, and the impact of arts and activism. We build on Chicago’s rich literary traditions through vibrant storytelling and radical inclusion, advancing access to and from the margins. The Guild Literary Complex supports and encourage voices of all backgrounds and experiences to tell their truths, whether they are literary powerhouses or talented newcomers. We view literature as a vehicle of connectivity, and aim to merge seemingly disparate groups across Chicago's 50 wards. The Guild Literary Complex is a 501c3 nonprofit organization working in collaboration with the City of Chicago and organizations like the Poetry Foundation, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, The Southeast Asian Center,  Brooks Permissions, Third World Press, Sones de Mexico and many others, creating dynamic programming highlighting our varied and robust literary community of voices speaking from the margins.

2018 Leon Forrest Prose Awards Submissions Are Open!

Submit an original, unpublished work of fiction or nonfiction under 2000 words before October 20th for the chance to win $500 at the live awards event in November!

Visit the Leon Forrest Prose Awards page for submission guidelines, a link to the submission form, and to learn more about author and educator Leon Forrest (1937-1997), whose memory this award honors.