A panel on the history, evolution and future of culturally-specific reading series like Palabra Pura with a co-founder, former featured artists, curators and hosts of Palabra Pura.
Experience a true Chicago poetry experience with three of the founders of the city's original poetry scene. This powerhouse trio of poet/performers will deliver a Guild-style reunion.
April 13th is the official deadline to r.s.v.p. for this year's annual Benefit "Illuminate" - the art and craft of graphic novels, with Nicole Hollander, Audrey Niffenegger, C. Spike Trotman and Chris Ware. A very limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the door - click here for more details...
This year’s theme is the art and craft of graphic novels and features cocktails, appetizers and a panel discussion with Nicole Hollander, Audrey Niffenegger, C. Spike Trotman and Chris Ware! Learn more here.
Curated by Beatriz Badikian Gartler and featuring Fernando Olszanski and Bernardo Navia. Curator Beatriz Badikian-Gartler was born and reared in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has lived in the Chicago area for over thirty-five years. Badikian-Gartler holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and teaches at various institutions of higher learning. […]
The Guild's annual contest awards two $250 prizes, one for short fiction and one for short non-fiction. 2012 judges are Amina Gautier (fiction) and David Lazar (non-fiction). The submission deadline to enter this year's contest (for email OR snail mail arrival) is 5pm, September 28th, 2012. To complete your entry, CLICK HERE for judge biographies […]
As part of Chicago Artists Month, the Guild and Voice of the City will host a workshop featuring the Set Designer and Costume Designer for the Poetry Performance Incubator show "Unnatural Spaces" (playing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October). Because the show's theme is the environmental complexities of urban living, as part of the creative […]
As part of Chicago Artists Month, the Guild and Voice of the City will host a workshop featuring the Set Designer and Costume Designer for the Poetry Performance Incubator show "Unnatural Spaces" (playing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October). Because the show's theme is the environmental complexities of urban living, as part of the creative […]
The Guild Literary Complex's Prose Awards (short fiction and non-fiction) help to surface emerging and mid-career prose writers and bring them to the public's attention through an open call for submissions and judged competition. Past judges have included luminaries such as Stuart Dybek, Alex Kotlowitz, Antonya Nelson, and Sam Weller. On October 24, we will […]
The Poetry Performance Incubator is seeking poets and other writers to collaborate on the creation of a workshop production of Like Bread, a new theatrical performance about making space for a creative life. We are particularly interested in working with poets from a broad range of aesthetics, backgrounds, ages, and Chicago communities. Inspired by the Roque Dalton poem “Like You,” […]
Every fall we recognize outstanding short fiction and non-fiction from across the State of Illinois and award $250 cash prizes to one outstanding writer in each category. Please join us on October 23, 7:30 pm, at the Chopin Theater, located at 1543 W. Division Street, as we celebrate the authors at a special reading and […]
You are cordially invited to TONIC: a soulful celebration! It's been a year of recognition and achievement for the Guild, from inaugurating Brooksday to receiving a major MacArthur Foundation grant. We plan to celebrate with a night of music, libations, and the best company: YOU. It will be a TONIC, something good for the soul, […]
The Guild will have a table at the Chicago Book Expo on Sunday, November 24 from 11am-5pm. The Chicago Book Expo has "Chicago’s best independent publishers and authors selling books, plus free author readings, panel discussions, writing workshops, and bilingual/Spanish programs" available to the public for free! Visit our booth, and enjoy the opportunity to […]
We are very pleased to be partnering with the Poetry Foundation for a special Poetry off the Shelf. Inspired by Cave Canem and Kundiman, CantoMundo is a national collective for Latina/o poets. Carmen Giménez-Smith is the author of four poetry collections—Milk and Filth, Goodbye, Flicker, The City She Was, and Odalisque in Pieces. Sheryl Luna received […]
David Hernandez in rehearsal. (Photo by Tanya Tucka) The Guild Literary Complex and Columbia College Creative Writing Department are pleased to celebrate the life of David Hernandez in this one-of-a-kind event in conjunction with Story Week 2014: “Street Sounds take music, lyrics and song a stimulating step further.” – Chicago Sun Times Chicago’s “unofficial Poet Laureate,” […]
Saturday, April 12, 2:00 p.m. Woodson Regional Library (Auditorium), 9525 South Halsted In conjunction with Brooksday—the Guild's annual tribute to author Gwendolyn Brooks—we're pleased to present the Gwendolyn Brooks Community Reading series in collaboration with the American Writers Museum and their traveling exhibition From Our Neighborhoods: Four Chicago Writers Who Changed America. Read aloud your favorite Gwendolyn […]
Wednesday, April 23 6:00 p.m. Chicago Temple Building, Pierce Hall Helge Lunde 77 W Washington Street FREE Safe, But Not Silent: How ICORN helps persecuted writers A public talk by Helge Lunde, Executive Director of the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) Held in conjunction with the Guild's Voices of Protest event. RSVP for tickets […]
Friday, April 25, 7:00 p.m. Facets Multimedia 1517 W. Fullerton Ave. (Note: The same program takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 26.) Al-Sheikh, Maarouf Voices of Protest, April 25 & 26, draws attention to the plight of exiled authors and celebrates a global literature. The Guild will host Manal Al-Sheikh (Iraq) and Mazen […]
Presented by Victory Gardens Moderated by John Rich, Executive Director of the Guild Literary Complex Being forced to leave one’s homeland can leave one with a sense of loss, trauma, and confusion. But for many writers, exile and political writing can also be a source of creativity and a way to reconnect with a life […]
The Guild’s “good for you” year-end party has returned! This year, after much celebration of our 25th anniversary, we look forward to the future. We plan to celebrate with music, libation, and the best company in Chicago: YOU. Also, a very special guest will be joining us: Marcel Proust. Best known for his recollections of […]
As part of the Guild's 25th anniversary last year, we highlighted 25 Chicago area Writers to Watch. This year, we program all of them—starting now! "Uncharted" features readings by Eric Charles May, Coya Paz, Roger Reeves, and Kathleen Rooney. The theme is an open field for the imagination, but expect to hear stories about adventure, […]
In September 2014, the Guild Literary Complex sent five Chicago writers to the 2014 Kapittel International Festival of Literature and Freedom of Speech in Stavanger, Norway. NOW, for the first time since their return, the authors will give a special reading of creative work inspired by the trip and lead a community dialogue on free […]
For this Applied Words event, we ask our featured artists to give us a dose of health-connected stories of the body and/or mind. Tonight's line-up includes two "Writers to Watch," Rey Andújar and Megan Stielstra, along with special guests Andrew Huff and Samantha Irby. And to make the program more body related, we have partnered […]
Saint Teresa of Jesús held a special, privileged place for books during her life. Not only did she consider books important for her work as a writer, but also as a reader. Saint Teresa mainly wrote prose and her most popular poems are those that reflect her mysticism. In this special event, Instituto Cervantes, contratiempo, […]
The Guild Complex continues a new reading platform to foreground Asian / American authors and themes. Curated by Dipika Mukherjee, this spring's program—The Alphabet of Distant Harbours—features Toni Nealie, Zhou Sivan, and Angela Narciso Torres. “The Alphabet of Distant Harbours'” will bring together writers who explore the suppression as well as expression of identity in […]
The Guild Literary Complex joins the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and other partners in a symposium launch event tonight to honor and discuss the legacy of the Wall of Respect. The Wall of Respect and People’s Art Since 1967 is a symposium (April 17-18) that launches a two-year critical conversation on the […]
In a city—let alone a world—of vast geographies, identities, experience and more, how do we understand our place? Using personal stories, our guest authors will navigate the territory of belonging in a special Applied Words program that highlights two of the Guild's 25 Writers to Watch, Rebecca Kling and Sahar Mustafah, and includes José Ángel […]
Click here to buy tickets! The Guild Complex is re-imagining the 1920s through music, song, comedy, and dance in our sixth annual benefit, Wink & Whisper: A 1920s LGBT Cabaret. Emceed by Tamale Sepp, this year’s benefit will celebrate the vibrant spirit and culture of a 1920s LGBT community with a fusion of talented performers, […]
Please note this month's Palabra Pura is taking place at a special location: the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (4048 W Armitage Ave). Three fearless and unique feminine voices with Chicago roots come together for an evening of poetic expressions. Inner and outside landscapes, light, sounds and ultimately, words transmit each artist’s expressions. Arica Hilton, […]
Tickets available at door (advance sales have ended). Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir is a radical performance community based in New York City, and they are coming to Chicago to march, sing, and activate our community with a special live performance—ONE NIGHT ONLY. Tickets at door are suggested donation of $12 for […]
June 7, 2015 marks the Third Annual BrooksDay and promises to be an exciting continuation of The Guild Literary Complex’s signature event with nonstop readings and performances this year in a new location: the stunning Reva and David Logan Arts Center located on the University of Chicago’s Campus, 915 East 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637. […]
Founder of Tia Chucha Press and L.A. Poet Laureate Luis Rodriguez returns to Chicago for a special reading event sponsored by Poets & Writers, Inc. This program takes place at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center located at 4048 W. Armitage. There will be an open mic! Arrive early to sign up. Admission […]
Update: Congratulations to the winner, Javon J. Smith! After the first four rounds, the finalists were chosen by the live audience—no easy task—and included Aja Zakiya Hall, Cassandra McGovern, Javon J. Smith, and Sam Herschel Wein. Javon won with his dynamic performance of the poem "Nig(g)ot." Javon J. Smith, an educator at Perspectives/IIT Math & […]
Experiment #89: Fight the Power SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th7pm / doors lock 7:30pm A special event with 100 Thousand Poets for Changehttp://www.100tpcmedia.org On September 26, 2015, many poets around the world will make their voices heard. To declare the change they'd like to see most in the U.S. and throughout the international community, events are being staged worldwide as […]
Join us in Springfield for the largest gathering of the arts and culture community in Illinois! Featuring a keynote address from J. Ivy, sessions hosted by arts leaders from all over the state, and a reception at the Governor’s Mansion hosted by First Lady MK Pritzker, the One State Conference will be an action-packed day […]
Two writers—Ana Castillo, Doña Cleanwell Leaves Home and Reginald Gibbons, Sweetbitter—read from their latest work and talk about finding longevity in creative writing and the arts. Conversation moderated by Richard Guzman. Presented by Hypertext and The Guild Complex. 1:00 PM @ Feinberg Foundation Stage, Printers Row Lit Fest
Come to the Printers Row Lit Fest's Center Stage for a joint reading presented by the Guild Literary Complex, Hypertext, and RHINO Poetry, with two readers each from Chicago's three long-standing literary institutions. Featured readers include:Cheryl Dyer (emerging writer)Nazifa Islam (Forlorn Light – Shearsman 2021)Sahar Mustafah (The Beauty of Your Face – W.W. Norton & […]
Join the Guild Complex for a holiday mixer on Thursday, December 14th (6-7:30pm) at the Epiphany Center for the Arts' Golden Hour! Featuring a special artist chat, live music by Bear Williams, happy hour food and beverages, and the first 50 guests get their first drink for free!
Artists Book House And StoryStudio Chicago Invite You To A Special Panel: The Future Of Literary Stewardship. What is literary stewardship/literary community, and how is it currently practiced in Chicago? How do we as individuals, organizations, and communities intentionally engage in building spaces and opportunities for literary folks to learn, grow, create, feel accepted, mentor, be mentored, share, and succeed […]
We are excited to announce, the Guild Complex will participate in FLECHO in Quibdo, Colombia! From March 20-24, members of the Guild Complex along with 4 talented and creative Afro-Latin writers will travel and participate in this four-city traveling book fair which will culminate in Quibdo, Columbia. Participating writers include Kianny Antigua (New Hampshire), Alan […]
At the American Writers Festival, there’s more than just book talk. Get ready for fun, community-driven activities for visitors of all ages. There’s so much to explore, from book signings to arts & crafts to special photo ops and more! The American Writers Festival, co-presented by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library, is an […]
As its 75th anniversary approaches, Nora Brooks Blakely (Brooks Permissions) and Reginald Gibbons (Northwestern University) discuss the modern relevance and contemporary ideas from Gwendolyn Brooks' Pulitzer Prize-wining book Annie Allen. Program moderated by Adrian Matejka, Editor of Poetry magazine. Printers Row Lit Fest is a free event on the streets of South Dearborn, from Ida […]
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Tia Chucha Press anthology Power Lines, a democratic assemblage of Chicago’s slam poets and poets of letters at the dawn of the new millennium. In a blast from the past, local and notable contributors revisit their original poems from the anthology and offer new poems and insight 25years later. Featured poets […]
« All Events Power Lines 25th Anniversary Celebration: Contributors Reading @ Chopin Theatre 05/24/2025 @ 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT Chopin Theatre Add to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Join the Guild Literary Complex for a special celebration of the Power Lines 25th anniversary! Featuring poetry performances by contributors of the anthology released by Tia […]
Join us on June 6 at Experimental Station in Woodlawn as we remember Black Americans killed by police violence and honor the memory of Ronald Browne, lead researcher and one of the originators of the SAY THEIR NAMES project. Join us for food and drinks, a demonstration of the new and database, live art-making, and the presentation of the […]
Fountain Square | 1601 Sherman Ave. | Evanston, IL Bookends & Beginnings and the Guild Literary Complex present an afternoon of literary celebration on Saturday, August 23rd, from 12-8pm. Immerse yourself in author readings, hands-on writing workshops, bookmaking, and live music in downtown Evanston. Whether you’re a seasoned writer, an avid reader, or simply looking […]
The Guild Complex and Haymarket Books feature six new books by six amazing, local self- identifying female authors, centering fiction, poetry and short stories about the magic of water, ancestral legacy, grief, longing and memory. A lineup not to be missed!
Partnering with the HotHouse's Culture is Our Weapon series, on Sat Oct 18th, the Guild Complex will present a screening of the film from the Lannan Foundation: Writers Uncensored-Lucille Clifton and Sonia Sanchez, Good Women and Baddd. This will be immediately followed by a brief discussion led by author Dr. Tara Betts, from the DePaul University Department of Peace Studies, along with a reading featuring Keli Stewart, poet/writer, and Angelique Zobitz.
Partnering with the HotHouse's Culture is Our Weapon series, on Sun Oct 19th, Guild Complex will present a screening of the documentary, The Power of the Word featuring author/activist Amiri Baraka. This will be immediately followed by a brief discussion and reading with Billy Tuggle, Antonio Foli and Kao Ra Zen.
Join us on Halloween weekend for a presentation of the new anthology by From Beyond Press, Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories. Contributors Jotham Austin II, Bendi Barrett, Tina Jenkins Bell, Priya Chand, Aleco Julius, Sahar Mustafah, and K.A. Roy join the Guild Literary Complex for a reading and signing at Experimental Station. About the Anthology The […]