# Guild Literary Complex ## Posts - [Things That Are Important](https://guildcomplex.org/things-that-are-important/): That title is a bit vague, but we’ve booked April with events that encompass a lot of what the Guild values: International perspectives, freedom of speech, access to what nourishes... - [Lucky Number 7](https://guildcomplex.org/lucky-number-7/): They say seven is a lucky number—well, we are co-producing seven, (yes, seven) events in March to get everyone ready for spring! Call it the luck of the Irish, but... - [February Events Are Upon Us!](https://guildcomplex.org/february-events-are-upon-us/): With February being a month for love, we’ve got a tonic for you lovers of Chicago literature. Let’s just call it a love potion—a match made in heaven: The Guild Lit... - [January Events Keep Rolling Out!](https://guildcomplex.org/january-events-keep-rolling-out/): This winter, the Guild is getting out and around just about every week. Kinda like a doctor making house calls, and if you think of the Guild as a literary... - [Giving to the Guild: Our Year-End Fundraising](https://guildcomplex.org/giving-to-the-guild-2013/): In 2014, Guild Complex celebrates its 25th anniversary, a remarkable milestone for any literary organization. But the Guild is not just any literary organization. The Guild is a tonic. To... - [Chicago Book Expo 2013](https://guildcomplex.org/chicago-book-expo-2013/): 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,... - [Last Palabra Pura of 2013- a BIG one!](https://guildcomplex.org/last-palabra-pura-a-big-one/): Palabra Pura is the longest running bilingual reading series in Chicago. When asked to curate November’s Palabra Pura “El Amor”, multimedia artist Miguel Lopez Lemus engaged this legacy by inviting... - [Poetry Performance Incubator: Like Bread Preview](https://guildcomplex.org/likebread-2/): Two shows only! Friday at 7pm, and Saturday at 2pm. A new performance about poetry, zombies, cliffs, and lifelines, created by the Poetry Performance Incubator at the Guild Complex. Presented... - [TONIC: a soulful celebration](https://guildcomplex.org/toniccelebration/): 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.... - [*CLOSED* 2013 Prose Awards Now Accepting Submissions](https://guildcomplex.org/2013-prose-awards-now-accepting-submissions/): SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED!  The Guild Literary Complex is proud to announce an open submission period for our Annual Prose Awards. Every fall, the Guild Complex acknowledges emerging and established writers... - [Applied Words: Broken Windows + Free Workshop](https://guildcomplex.org/applied-words-broken-windows-free-workshop-2/): We are so very pleased to be kicking off our first Applied Words: On Architecture and the Urban Plan at the Polish Triangle located at the intersection of Division Street, Ashland Avenue,... - [2013 Prose Awards Call for Entries ](https://guildcomplex.org/2013-prose-awards-call-for-entries/): The call for entries will be posted on September 3. In the meantime learn about all of our contests by clicking here. - [Come audition for Poetry Performance Incubator](https://guildcomplex.org/come-audition-for-poetry-performance-incubator/): 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... - [2013 GBOMA Semi-Finalists Announced!](https://guildcomplex.org/2013-gboma-semi-finalists-announced-2/): Please join us in congratulating the 2013 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award (GBOMA) semi-finalists! Olivia M. Arredondo, Lucia Blinn, Ann Breen-Greco, Quintin Collins, Dina Elenbogen, Glenn Ford, Amelia M. Garcia,... - [2013 GBOMA semi-finalists Announced! ](https://guildcomplex.org/2013-gboma-semi-finalists-announced/): Please join us in congratulating the 2013 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award (GBOMA) semi-finalists! Olivia M. Arredondo, Lucia Blinn, Ann Breen-Greco, Quintin Collins, Dina Elenbogen, Glenn Ford, Amelia M. Garcia,... - [Palabra Pura: The Diaspora Daughters Speak](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-the-diaspora-daughters-speak/): Join us Wednesday, July 17, for our monthly bilingual poetry night at La Bruquena Restaurant (2726 W. Division, 2nd Fl.). We will kick things off with an open mic at... - [Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards is now seeing submissions!](https://guildcomplex.org/gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-is-now-seeing-submissions/): The 2013 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards is now seeking submission from poets who are interested in showcasing their talents in a live event and competing for a $500 prize.... - [Brooksday](https://guildcomplex.org/brooksday/): The Guild Literary Complex, Third World Press, and The American Writers Museum present the first annual BROOKSDAY at The Chicago Cultural Center! Join us, as we are creating the first annual marathon... - [Poetry Performance Incubator: “Tour Guides”](https://guildcomplex.org/poetry-performance-incubator-tour-guides/): The Guild Literary Complex is pleased to announce the 2013 remount of “Tour Guides”. Produced in 2010 as part of the Poetry Performance Incubator, “Tour Guides”, gives audiences a lyrical tour... - [A Night of Love](https://guildcomplex.org/a-night-of-love/): Looking forward to this event in just two weeks! “There is a community of the spirit. Join it, and feel the delight of walking in the noisy street and being... - [Announcing: New Director!](https://guildcomplex.org/announcing-new-director/): We are very pleased to share with you some exciting news. Writer, performer, and organizer,John Rich, will join The Guild Literary Complex as Director. John has been involved with Chicago... - [Design Intern Needed](https://guildcomplex.org/design-intern-needed/): The Guild Literary Complex—a more than 20-year-old, community-based literary organization that supports diverse, divergent, and emerging writers through performances and readings—is seeking a design intern. Ideal candidate is proficient in Microsoft Office,... - [PALABRA PURA TURNS 8! ](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-turns-8/): PALABRA PURA: “ONE POET / ONE POEM” Wednesday, Janurary 16, 7:30pm, FREE La Bruquena Restaurant (Upstairs), 2726 W. Division   The Guild Literary Complex is pleased to kick off the... - [RIK Vazquez added to this weeks Palabra Pura](https://guildcomplex.org/rik-vazquez-added-to-this-weeks-palabra-pura/): RIK Vazquez is a spoken word artist and educator. At the age of eighteen he coached the Steinmetz Poetry team which competed in Chicago’s “Louder Than A Bomb” youth poetry... - [...AND THE WINNERS ARE](https://guildcomplex.org/and-the-winners-are/): CONGRATULATIONS TO THE THIS YEARS PROSE AWARDS WINNERS Fiction 1st Place: “Shisha Love” by Sahar Mustafah Runners Up: “Left Leg, Just Above the Knee” by Jason Lee Brown and “Loose Ends” by Claire... - [Last Palabra Pura of 2012: Rooster Footed Devils ](https://guildcomplex.org/last-palabra-pura-of-2012-rooster-footed-devils/): This installment of Palabra Pura will explore the effect on individuals and communities of not fitting in to preconceived Latino identities. It is curated by Jennifer Patiño and features poets: Beatriz Ruiz, Anthony Michael... - [Congratulations to the 2012 Prose Awards Finalists!](https://guildcomplex.org/congratulations-to-the-2012-prose-awards-finalists/): Fiction Claire Bartlett Jason Lee Brown Sahar Mustafah     Non-Fiction Suzanne Scanlon Ingrida Martinkus Jane Hertenstein     This year’s finalists were chosen by judges Amina Gautier and David... - [Submission Guidelines for 2012 Prose Awards](https://guildcomplex.org/submission-guidelines-for-2012-prose-awards-for-short-fiction-and-non-fiction/): Calling all short fiction and non-fiction writers! The Guild Literary Complex is proud to announce our open submission period for our annual Prose Awards. Every fall, the Guild Literary Complex acknowledges... - [Tickets on Sale for the World Premiere of "Unnatural Spaces"!](https://guildcomplex.org/tickets-on-sale-for-the-world-premiere-of-unnatural-spaces-from-the-poetry-performance-incubator/): BUY TICKETS HERE. Pink slime. Bullets. Parking meters. Lead poisoning. Exes. Asbestos. Trash and trash talking. Poetry meets the stage in Unnatural Spaces – a fast-paced, often-funny look at the... - [Congratulations to the 2012 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award Winner!](https://guildcomplex.org/congratulations-to-the-2012-gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-award-winner/): GBOMA 2012 was another full roster of talented poets and an enthusiastic voting audience packing the house at the Chopin Theatre. Fan Club Winner: Nicole Bond Semi-finalist round winners: Amaris... - [Introducing our new Marketing & Design Team!](https://guildcomplex.org/introducing-our-new-marketing-design-team/): We were sorry to wave goodbye to dear friends and fabulous staff members Andrea Pelose (Marketing) and Cathleen Nilles (Design), but they’ve graduated and are moving on to new opportunities.... - [June Events](https://guildcomplex.org/june-events/): Check out June’s events below, or visit our Calendar… - [Applied Words/Social Activism on CAN-TV!](https://guildcomplex.org/applied-wordssocial-activism-on-can-tv/): Did you miss our March “Applied Words/Social Activism” with Michelle Boyd, Sage Xaxua Morgan-Hubbard and Brenda Parker at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum? Well you can see it re-aired on... - [Entrants in GBOMA](https://guildcomplex.org/entrants-in-gboma-facebook-wildcard-vote/): **THE WILDCARD VOTE IS NOW CLOSED – stay tuned for the June 5 announcement of the wildcard winner and other semifinalists who will compete in the final event June 18th!**... - [UPDATE: Design Position call for resumes now closed](https://guildcomplex.org/update-marketing-position-call-for-resumes-now-closed-2/): Thanks to all of you who applied – we’ll be notifying each of you of your status by the end of May. - [UPDATE: Marketing Position call for resumes now closed](https://guildcomplex.org/update-marketing-position-call-for-resumes-now-closed/): Thanks to all of you who applied – we’ll be notifying each of you of your status by the end of May. - ["Illuminate" - The Guild Literary Complex's Third Annual Benefit!](https://guildcomplex.org/illuminate-the-guild-literary-complexs-second-annual-benefit/): The Guild Literary Complex invites you to join us for our third annual benefit “Illuminate,” to be held  Tuesday, May 8th, 6:30-9pm at the new DePaul Art Museum, 935 W.... - [Call for Submissions: 2012 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards](https://guildcomplex.org/call-for-submissions-2012-gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards/): 2011 GBOMA contestants **PLEASE NOTE: The submission period for 2012’s competition is now closed; the final event will be held Monday, June 18th.** CLICK HERE to listen to the poems... - [Guild Launches new "Teaching Artist Showcase" series](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-launches-new-teaching-artist-showcase-series/): We’re introducing a new series devoted to writers who teach. Learn more about the launch event here. - [April Events](https://guildcomplex.org/april-events/): This month’s events… - [Guild's NEW YouTube Channel](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-youtube-channel/): Check out the Guild’s ALL NEW YouTube Channel! Now you can re-experience all your favorite Guild events right from home, check TheGuildLITChannel or our Video Archives on our website. - [Our 2012 Season](https://guildcomplex.org/our-2012-season/): Here’s a snapshot of our 2012 season – watch the Events section, or join our mailing list for the latest details on these and other activities…   - [We Support Our Artists, Please Support Us](https://guildcomplex.org/we-support-our-artists-please-support-us/): Please consider giving. Below are some of the ways your donations help us. Thanks! **honoraria for featured writers and performers **monetary prizes for our annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic and... - [](https://guildcomplex.org/looking-for-a-detailed-description-of-a-past-event/): Looking for a detailed description of a past event? Use the “search” box above to search by event/series name or artists. - [AWP Conference - Evening reading w/Luis Rodriguez, Patricia Smith & Michael Warr](https://guildcomplex.org/awp-conference-evening-reading-wpatricia-smith-michael-warr-luis-rodriguez/):       Date: Thursday, March 1, 2012 Time: 7:00pm Location: Jak’s Tap restaurant and bar, 901 W. Jackson Cost: Suggested donation: $5 to benefit the Guild Experience a true Chicago... - [AWP Conference - Daytime panel on Palabra Pura & Culturally-Specific Reading Series](https://guildcomplex.org/awp-conference-daytime-panel-on-palabra-pura-culturally-specific-reading-series-date-thursday-march-1-2012-time-300pm-cost-conference-registration-fee-location-wiliford-a-3rd-floor/): Date:  Thursday, March 1, 2012 Time:  3:00pm Cost:  Conference registration fee Location:  Wiliford A (3rd floor), Hilton Chicago A panel on the history, evolution and future of culturally-specific reading series... - ["Illuminate" - The Guild Literary Complex's Third Annual Benefit!](https://guildcomplex.org/603/): Reserve your space at our third annual benefit “Illuminate,” to be held  Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, 6:30-9pm. This year’s theme is the art and craft of graphic novels and features... - [Submissions Now Open for the 2026 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA)](https://guildcomplex.org/submissions-now-open-for-the-2026-gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-gboma/): We’re excited to announce that submissions are now open for the 2026 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA)! This annual poetry competition celebrates the legacy of Illinois’ former Poet Laureate, Gwendolyn Brooks, by uplifting emerging poets and giving them a platform to share their work. Interested poets can find full submission guidelines and apply here: 👉 GBOMA 2026 Submission Information Learn more about the history of GBOMA and how it continues to champion poets across the region: About GBOMA We look forward to reading your work! - [35 Writers to Watch](https://guildcomplex.org/35-writers-to-watch/): The Guild Complex’s 35 Writers to Watch list celebrates the Guild’s 35+ years of innovative programming by featuring local writers whose careers represent the future of the literary arts in Chicago, and whose work reflects the spirit and values of the Guild Complex today. Names were put forth by our folks from the Guild’s diverse literary network of writers and organizers from across Chicago’s geographies and communities (and beyond). Past “Writers to Watch” lists — curated to celebrate the Guild’s 25th and 30th anniversaries — have included such writers as Kenyatta Rogers, Kathleen Rooney, Tara Betts, Faisal Mohyuddin, Roger Reeves, Megan […] - ["Power Lines" Named Top Literary Event in Chicago for May 2025 by Newcity Lit](https://guildcomplex.org/power-lines-named-top-literary-event-in-chicago-for-may-2025-by-newcity-lit/): Newcity Lit has named our upcoming event, Power Lines Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Celebration, the top literary event in Chicago for May 2025! Presented in partnership with the Poetry Foundation and the Poetry Center, this special evening marks 25 years since the release of Power Lines, the groundbreaking 1999 anthology that captured a decade of vibrant poetry and voices from Chicago through the lens of The Guild Literary Complex. Join us as we honor the legacy of the book and the poets who helped define a generation of literary innovation. 📅 May 22, 2025📍 Poetry Foundation, Chicago🔗 Event Details & RSVP - [Congratulations to Guild Complex Board President, Faylita Hicks, for Being Named a 2025 Writing Freedom Fellow!](https://guildcomplex.org/congratulations-to-guild-complex-board-president-faylita-hicks-for-being-named-a-2025-writing-freedom-fellow/): We are proud to announce that our very own Board President, Faylita Hicks, has been named one of the 2025 Writing Freedom Fellows by Haymarket Books and the Mellon Foundation. This prestigious fellowship recognizes and elevates the voices of writers impacted by the carceral system. The Writing Freedom Fellowship offers its recipients opportunities for professional development and shared learning, in addition to the well-deserved recognition of their contributions to literary culture. Please join us in congratulating Faylita on this incredible achievement! You can learn more about Faylita’s work at https://www.faylitahicks.com/. - [Poetry Foundation Spring Event Season Celebrates Lineages, Collective Power, and the Midwest](https://guildcomplex.org/poetry-foundation-spring-event-season-celebrates-lineages-collective-power-and-the-midwest/): CHICAGO, February 5, 2025—The Poetry Foundation announces its roster of free public events for the spring 2025 season under the theme “Power Lines,” inspired by the landmark anthology of the same name released by the Guild Literary Complex 25 years ago. The electrifying event season highlights new work by Chicago and Midwest presses, partner organizations, and authors.  Tapping into Collective Power The season kicks off on February 27 with Archive(s) of Style, an event at the Poetry Foundation honoring Black History Month and Audre Lorde’s birthday. Poets Cheryl Clarke, Harmony Holiday, Nikki Patin, and Natalia Molebatsi introduce an intergenerational lineage of Black queer […] - [Deadline Extended: Call for Proposals for SAY THEIR NAMES](https://guildcomplex.org/call-for-proposals-say-their-names/): In partnership with Guild Literary Complex and with the support of Healing Illinois, NON:op announces a call for proposals for commissioned responses to SAY THEIR NAMES. The commission is for two to three poet/composer teams to create new work that responds to individual cases, groups of cases, the map, or the entire project. The application opens on January 15 with a new extended deadline of March 14th. Commissions will be publicly announced at the March 29 SAY THEIR NAMES Salon and will be presented in a concert in the fall of 2025. Selected commissions will receive $1,000 for an original work. For more information, […] - [The Guild Literary Complex Announces Faylita Hicks As New Board Chair + Programming Hiatus](https://guildcomplex.org/the-guild-literary-complex-announces-faylita-hicks-as-new-board-chair-programming-hiatus/): New Board Chair The Guild Literary Complex announced Tuesday that critically-acclaimed author and Art for Justice Grantee Faylita Hicks has been elected Chair of the Guild Literary Complex’s  Board of Directors for a three-year term, effective September 18, 2024. A recent transplant to Chicago (2022), Hicks comes to the Guild from Central Texas with over 20 years of experience as an advocate supporting national arts organizations and justice-focused nonprofits through capacity building and direct engagement. “Serving an organization with such a rich history is truly an honor and privilege. In this role, I plan to uplift the mission of our founding […] - [Nikki Patin Nominated for 2024 Pushcart Award](https://guildcomplex.org/nikki-patin-nominated-for-2024-pushcart-award/): Congratulations to Nikki Patin for her 2024 Pushcart nomination for Working on Me. The Guild was honored to host her book launch in April, and she was one of our 2019 Writers to Watch. - [Guild Complex Celebrates Recent Grant Awards](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-complex-celebrates-recent-grant-awards/): The Guild Complex is excited to announce the recent award of several grants, including those from DCASE, the Field Foundation's ART (A Road Together) program, the Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Humanities, the Crossroads Fund, and the Poetry Foundation. - [Guild Complex Nominated for Best Poetry Organization in Chicago Reader!](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-complex-nominated-for-best-poetry-organization-in-chicago-reader/): The Guild Complex has been nominated (again!) for Best Poetry Organization under Arts and Culture in The Chicago Reader's Best of Chicago 2024. - [25 Writers to Watch (2014)](https://guildcomplex.org/25-writers-to-watch-2014/): Learn more about Writers to Watch here. - [Guild Complex @ Printers Row Lit Fest | 2023](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-complex-printers-row-lit-fest-2023/): Join us at Printers Row Lit Fest from September 9-10! The Guild Complex is excited to host and participate in a suite of events, including: Exhibit B @ Printers Row Saturday, 9/9 | 4:00 PM | 731 S. Plymouth Ct. Going the Distance: A Printers Row Reading with Ana Castillo and Reginald Gibbons Sunday, 9/10 | 1:00 PM | Feinburg Foundation Stage A Literary Mash Up at Printers Row Sunday, 9/10 | 2:00 PM | Center Stage VISIT OUR TABLE: Tent EE (on Dearborn near Polk) Our Authors Table gives you the opportunity to chat with the following authors and pick […] - [BrooksDay 2023](https://guildcomplex.org/brooksday-2023/): June 7, 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of BrooksDay, the Guild Literary Complex’s annual celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks. This year, we joined forces with the Poetry Foundation to additionally celebrate the launch of One Poem, One Chicago, which started with a reissue of Brooks’ 1987 poetry collection Blacks (Third World Press). You can view the original event post here. Event Program | 10th Annual BrooksDay Brooks Readings: The Mother (p. 22) Andrea Change At the Regal (p. 161) Sandra Jackson Opoku Old (p. 39, Seasons) Val Gray Ward The Sundays of Satin Leg Smith (p. 42) Heather Ireland Robinson Paul Robeson […] - [PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: One Poem, One Chicago](https://guildcomplex.org/partner-spotlight-one-poem-one-chicago/): June 2023 One Poem, One Chicago, an opportunity to engage Chicagoans in poetry and foster a sense of community through reading, will launch with a reissue of Gwendolyn Brooks’s landmark poetry collection Blacks, which will be available via CPL and public programming. To complement Chicago’s collective reading of Blacks, there will be several free events and opportunities to learn about Ms. Brooks’s life and legacy. In collaboration with the Poetry Foundation, the Guild Literary Complex hosted BrooksDay 2023, our annual celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks, with a reading of Blacks and new poems by local poets. - [2023 Programming Intern](https://guildcomplex.org/2023-programming-intern/): The Programming Intern will assist the Guild Literary Complex in planning, outreach, and administration related to its core annual programs. This internship will be project-based, and the intern will gain experience in event planning, communications, and marketing related to arts programming. Responsibilities may include communications on behalf of the organization, social media coordination, audience engagement, database management, and communication with partner organizations. This is a remote position. Hours are flexible, though attendance at some monthly events and meetings, including one-on-one meetings with Guild staff (virtual or otherwise) are required. The intern reports to, and is evaluated by, the Guild Complex’s executive […] - [4.8.23 | "From the Mississippi Delta" Sneak Peek](https://guildcomplex.org/4-8-23-from-the-mississippi-delta-sneak-peek/): Part of Lifeline’s season programming, join the actors, director and a member of the production team discussing the process with an excerpt from the play From the Mississippi Delta. A Q+A will follow with guest co-facilitator: Andrea Change, executive director, Guild Literary Complex. - [3.3.23 | Slam Diáspora ¡EN VIVO!](https://guildcomplex.org/3-3-23-slam-diaspora-en-vivo/): When: Friday, March 3, 2023 | 7pm Where: 18th Street Casa de Cultura, 2057 W. 18th St. Register: http://tiny.cc/slamdiaspora (Facebook) ¡Abierto a poetas de todos estilos y edades! Desde quien apenas esta empezando, a quien lleva años escribiendo estan bienvenidos a participar. Sólo necesitas dos poemas Se puede registrar en línea o el mismo día en persona: http://tiny.cc/slamdiaspora Recuerden: el punto no son los puntos, sino la comuna. Queremos crecer como comunidad poética, e invitar a nuevas personas a participar como audiencia, cómo poetas, y cómo amantes de la palabra. Creemos que la poesía le pertenece a todxs, y que todxs […] - [2017 Author's Challenge Grant is here!](https://guildcomplex.org/2017-authors-challenge-grant-is-here/): Dear Friends of the Guild, The 2017 Author’s Challenge Grant is here! For us, our camaraderie with authors here in Chicago is one of the brightest and most powerful reasons for our ongoing work, and we are so grateful to be able to continue sharing new voices with each and every one of you. As you all know, we are living in extraordinarily challenging times, with our nation and our people threatened by forces that deny the very concepts on which the country was founded. It’s during extraordinary times that arts lift us up. For 28 years, the Guild Literary Complex’s […] - [Each Other's Harvest, Annual Summit on Homelessness](https://guildcomplex.org/each-others-harvest-annual-summit-on-homelessness/): Each Other’s Harvest, Annual Summit on Homelessness A 2017 Guild Literary Complex Applied Words Program  Wilson Abbey 935 West Wilson Avenue, Uptown, Chicago, IL 60640 This event is free and open to the public. ~ Thursday, November 16, 2017 6:00 PM Doors & Mingle with visual arts show, 6:30 PM Performances 8:00 PM Dinner & Panel/Conversation Each Other’s Harvest is the first summit of people either facing homelessness, have recently found permanent housing, are artists working on the issues surrounding this topic, and others from throughout the city who are looking to come together in new, collaborative ways to address an […] - [Arts & Environment at Chopin Theatre with Lisa Wagner, and many others](https://guildcomplex.org/arts-environment-at-chopin-theatre/): Lisa Wagner of the Guild Literary Complex will be presenting on Public Art and Gwendolyn Brooks in conjunction with the Chopin Theatre and a whole host of amazing artists and thinkers.  I hope you will join us there. Here are the details: 10/21/17 – 10/21/17 8:30 am complimentary Breakfast; 10a presentation & discussion For Immediate Release  Zgymunt Dyrkacz, Artistic Dir. 773.814.5352 Lela Headd Dyrkacz, Managing Dir. 773.396.2875 Info@ChopinTheatre.com Art & Environment 2017 Year of Public Art in Chicago: Monumental Sculptures vs Local Art Activism Saturday, October 21st (Chicago, October 2017) – Chopin Theatre hosts its annual informal get together to discuss […] - [Transnational Poetics, Reading and Conversation | Chopin Theatre | Nov. 5, 2017 | 6:00 PM](https://guildcomplex.org/transnational-poetics-reading-and-conversation-chopin-theatre-nov-5-2017-600-pm/): THE GUILD PRESENTS A CONVERSATION ON TRANSNATIONAL POETICS Sunday November 5th 2017, 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM Chopin Theatre, 1543 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60642 STUART COOKE | NATANIA ROSENFELD | TONI NEALIE Please join the Guild LIterary Complex in a conversation with authors and poets Stuart Cooke, Natania Rosenfeld, and Toni Nealie as we journey into conversation about transnational poetics at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60642 in the downstairs salon theatre.  Readings and a larger conversation about poetry and writing across the cultural miles of distant seas will set the tone for the night’s conversations.  Books will […] - [Arts in the Dark Chicago with the Guild | October 21st](https://guildcomplex.org/arts-in-the-dark-chicago-with-the-guild-october-21st/): Arts in the Dark with the Guild and Partners — we are looking for marchers!  Here is an opportunity to celebrate the literary arts! The Guild Literary Complex is looking for people to walk in Chicago’s Arts in the Dark Parade, Saturday October 21st from 6 PM to 8 PM on Columbus (between Balbo and Monroe). Join us as we become part of a literary coalition organized by the American Writers Museum, which is printing illuminated bookmarks of Chicago writers for everyone to carry. Dress in all black and carry your favorite writer’s standard in this citywide parade. Interested? Let us know by Friday, Oct. 13th! Contact Lisa […] - [Brooks In Translation | Wednesday, October 18, 2017](https://guildcomplex.org/brooks-in-translation-wednesday-october-18-2017/): Brooks In Translation | Wednesday, October 18, 2017 Come for a night of bilingual Brooks with poetry, music, conversation, and more! Join the Guild Literary Complex in partnership with Our Miss Brooks 100, Brooks Permissions, Chicago Community Trust, and the Chicago Public Library as we bring you a very special Palabra Pura celebrating the life and work of Gwendolyn Brooks. Brooks In Translation, a one-of-a-kind Brooks Centennial event, will premier new Spanish-language translations of Gwendolyn Brooks’ work from internationally recognized author Cristina Rivera Garza, as well as favorites Coya Paz, Eduardo Arocho, Marc Zimmerman, and introducing Bianca Lisa. Commentary from Nora […] - [GBOMA Semi-Finalists Announced](https://guildcomplex.org/gboma-semi-finalists-announced/): The 24th Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards Semi-Finalists Are Announced!  They are in alphabetical order by last name: Bianca Lisa Araujo | The Fusion of Fault Lines Jocelyn Ajami | “Still Until” Asia Calcagno | “Song From the street, A Golden Shovel Poem” Hannah Cantafio | “The Cure” Suman Chhabra | “Thin” Apple Rhodes Gunther | “Big Mama” Vann Harris | “Trayvon” Jane Hseu | “Doing the Dishes” Rozina Kidari | “Eight Twenty-one Twenty-Seventeen” Andrew Gregory Krzak |“like bats and outlaws” Robert Lawrence | “Who Remembers the Most?” Charyce LeClaire McFadyen | “Gilding”  Shontay Luna | “After Binge Watching The Twilight Zone” Cassandra McGovern […] - [CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE INITIATIVE Readings and Remembrance, Oct 15th](https://guildcomplex.org/chicago-city-of-refuge-initiative-readings-and-remembrance-oct-15th/): CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE INITIATIVE Readings and Remembrance: Writing and Witness with WENDY PEARLMAN | LUCINA KATHMANN interviewed by Unoma Azuah and Riad Ismat Please join the Chicago City of Refuge Initiative as we discuss writing as an act of witness as Chicago City of Refuge writers Unoma Azuah and Riad Ismat interview scholar Wendy Pearlman and International Vice president of PEN, Lucina Kathmann. Where: SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 | 1 PM – 3 PM When: GANNON CENTER | PIPER HALL at  LOYOLA UNIVERSITY | LAKESHORE CAMPUS 1032 WEST SHERIDAN ROAD | CHICAGO | 60660 ___This day of conversation is also […] - [GBOMA Semi-Finalists -- Announcement Coming Soon!](https://guildcomplex.org/gboma-semi-finalists-announcement-coming-soon/): We have heard from the judges that the competition is just so close they are having a hard time making a final decision on the semi-finalists.  We hope to be back to you with the list of semi-finalists tomorrow, but certainly by Friday the 22nd at the latest! Please plan to join us Sept 27, 2017 for this amazing GBOMA at the American Writers Museum - [Wicker Park Lit Fest Community Book Swap! Sunday, September 17](https://guildcomplex.org/wicker-park-lit-fest-community-book-swap-sunday-september-17/): We’re baaaaaack. Your friendly Wicker Park Lit partners are back at the Farmers’ Market. Sunday, September 17th | 9:00–13:00 Wicker Park – Chicago Park District 1425 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60622 Same as last year – Bring a book – Take a book (or 2) This is Wicker Park Lit Fest Weekend – so make sure to check out some of the amazing events we have around the neighborhood all weekend long! We are situated at the south end of the Market (closer to the fountain) Can’t make the swap but want to unload some books? Feel free to drop […] - [Community in Place - Audrey Petty & Vida Cross, Sunday Sept 17th](https://guildcomplex.org/community-in-place-audrey-petty-vida-cross-sunday-sept-17th/): Sunday Sept 17th, 6:30 PM- 8:00 PM  Volumes Bookscafe | 1474 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60622 Join The Guild Literary Complex and Partner Volumes Bookcafe during Wicker Park Lit Fest weekend for a reading/conversation about Community of Place with the amazing Audrey Petty and Vida Cross. Vida Cross is a blues poet. Her work references her ancestry as a third generation Chicagoan, a Bronzeville resident, the artwork of Archibald J. Motley Jr., and the poetic research of Langston Hughes. She received an MFA in Writing and an MFA in Filmmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, an […] - [Falling for Gwendolyn Brooks -- This Sunday, September 17th!](https://guildcomplex.org/falling-for-gwendolyn-brooks-this-sunday/): Falling for Gwendolyn Brooks! With Brooks Permissions Sunday, September 17th, 2017  4:30-6:30 PM The celebration of the Gwendolyn Brooks centennial continues with a special look at the fall section of SEASONS: A Gwendolyn Brooks Experience. SEASONS is a unique look at the life and work of Ms. Brooks in this new book filled with thematic collections of her poetry and prose; photos; memories from family, friends, peers and mentees and gripping illustrations from the award-winning artist, Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Hosted by Nora Brooks Blakely and Cynthia Walls. Where? Volumes Bookcafe 1474 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60622 4:30pm – 5:00pm THE […] - [GBOMA Submissions are OPEN! Deadline extended to Sept 10th --get moving folks](https://guildcomplex.org/gboma-submissions-are-open-deadline-extended-to-sept-10th-get-moving-folks/): Exciting Announcement 24th Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards  2017 SUBMISSIONS Extended to Sunday, September 10th at 11:59 PM!   The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award competition is open to Illinois residents aged 18 and older. This annual event is always a crown pleaser with past winners including the esteemed poets Sename Amagashie, Lucy Anderton, Tara Betts, C.C. Carter, Stephanie Gentry-Fernandez, Marian Hayes, Tricia Hersey, Tyehimba Jess, Langston Kerman, Toni Asante Lightfoot, Nate Marshall, Sage Morgan-Hubbard, Stephanie Rose Perez, Tristan Silverman, Dan “Sully” Sullivan, Mark Turcotte, Deepak Unnikrishnan, Javon Smith, and last Year’s winner Nicole Bond. Click here to learn more about Submitting your […] - [Lisa Wagner talks with Dipika Mukherjee, Sonal Shukla, and Samantha Hoffman at the American Writers Museum, August 1 2017 | 5:00-7:00 PM](https://guildcomplex.org/lisa-wagner-talks-with-dipika-mukherjee-sonal-shukla-and-samantha-hoffman-at-the-american-writers-museum-august-1-2017-500-700-pm/): Tuesday, August 1st, 2017 | 5:00-7:00 PM at the American Writers Museum Join us for a reading and signing with Dipika Mukherjee (Shambala Junction), winner of the Virginia Prize for Fiction winner, Aurora Metro Books’ biennial prize to encourage and promote new writing by women. Mukherjee’s debut novel was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize (2011) and republished as Ode to Broken Things (Repeater, 2016). In conversation with Samantha Hoffman (author of What More Could You Wish For) and Lisa Wagner (executive director of the Guild Literary Complex), topics will range from women’s rights, women writers, international adoption, and the way these and many other ideas flow through the […] - [July 20th, Making the West Side: Community Conversations on Neighborhood Change](https://guildcomplex.org/july-20th-making-the-west-side-community-conversations-on-neighborhood-change/): ‘The Collection is dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the people of the West Side of Chicago” – Guildworks: Writings by the West Side Writers Guild, 1996 Join The Guild, OMB 100 and  Jane Addams Hull-House Museum  as we reunite–for the first time in two decades–the founding members of the West Side Writers Guild (WSWG), an organization formed in 1990 that addressed the absence of literature about Chicago’s West Side by creating works of their own, including the self-published Guildworks: Writings by The West Side Writers Guild(1996). Come engage in a provocative and lively discussion as these writers collectively remember their West Side experiences, […] - [July Applied Words Rescheduled](https://guildcomplex.org/july-applied-words-rescheduled/): Our July Applied Words (originally scheduled for July 10) has been moved to the Fall due to the likelihood of inclement weather, as well as the request of our moderator. Thank you for understanding. Be sure to check us out for our Fall season! - [BrooksDay@Nite Photos are here. Check them out!](https://guildcomplex.org/brooksdaynite-photos-are-here-check-them-out/): BrooksDay@Nite was a spectacular event held on June 7th celebrating the centennial Birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks on her actually 100th birthday, with one hundred one-minute performances, reception, and more. Presenters for BrooksDay@Nite included: Tyehimba Jess, Angela Jackson, Haki Madhubuti, Nate Marshall, Kevin Coval, Marcus Dunlevy, Runako Jahi, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Patricia Smith ,Tara Betts, C. Russell Price, Natasha Estevez, Mario Smith, Nicole Bond, Judith Heineman, Toni Asante Lightfoot, Eva Miller, Britteney Black Rose Kapri, Nora Brooks Blakely, Tracie D. Hall, Peter Kahn, Christian JaLon, Val Gray Ward, Sandra Jackson-Opoku, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Reg Gibbons, Michael Puican, Aurora Performance Group, Maggie Brown, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Cynthia A. […] - [Applied Words: Gender and the Arts | June 22 5:30-7:30 PM](https://guildcomplex.org/applied-words-gender-and-the-arts-june-22-530-730-pm/): Join us as C. Russell Price leads a panel that will start to tackle questions about gender and the arts like, “How does an increasingly gender inclusive society affect the way younger artists represent themselves in their life and in their work? What advantages and challenges will present themselves [in the art world] as a result of increased gender inclusivity? How does this years election outcome stand to erode that progress?​” Where? Pint Chicago | 1547 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago IL 60622 When? June 22, 2017 5:30-7:30 PM — followed by Palabra Pura 7:30-9:30 PM https://www.facebook.com/events/1986855981598498/ This month’s guests include: C. […] - [A Very Special Palabra Pura with Latinx Poets Dr. Grisel Acosta & Vincent Toro, June 22, 7:00-9:00 PM](https://guildcomplex.org/a-very-special-palabra-pura-with-poetic-latinx-duo-dr-grisel-acosta-vincent-toro-june-22-700-900-pm/): Join us for a very special Palabra Pura with Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta and Vincent Toro–two amazing Latinx poets in from NYC!–as we talk about memory, language and the way mythology moves through the modern experience. __________ Where: Pint Chicago 1547 North Milwaukee Avenue, Wicker Park, 60622 Thursday June 22 | 7:30 – 9:30 PM __________ We are proud to present a night of amazing poetic depth: Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta will read selections from her memoir, Chica!Go!: An Afro-Latina Punk Odyssey; and First Spanish: Essays that Re-Imagine Logan Square, which focuses on the Latinx people of Logan Square during the 1970s-1990s and […] - [BrooksDay@Nite Presenters -- What an amazing lineup! Join us June 7th for THE Official Centennial Gwendolyn Brooks Birthday Party](https://guildcomplex.org/brooksdaynite-presenters-what-an-amazing-lineup-join-us-june-7th-for-the-official-centennial-gwendolyn-brooks-birthday-party/):  BrooksDay@Nite: Praise & Jubilation BrooksDay is a celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks that takes place on the anniversary of her birth, June 7th. Each year you can join us for BrooksDay, celebrating the works of Gwendolyn Brooks on her birthday!  Each year we honor her legacy as an artist and an iconic figure of generosity and civic conscience in Chicago and in the nation.  And 2017 will be all the more spectacular with the City of Chicago and its myriad arts organizations celebrating Brooks during the 2017 centennial.  BrooksDay is the marquee event for these celebrations –an evening of Gwendolyn Brooks on her 100th […] - [Let the 50th Celebrations Begin: Guild Books Remembered, Lit Forward](https://guildcomplex.org/let-the-50th-celebrations-begin-guild-books-remembered-lit-forward/): Let the 50th Celebrations Begin: Guild Books Remembered, Lit Forward We are kicking off the 50th anniversary celebrations of Guild Books’s beginning. When, you ask? Sunday, May 21, 2017! 2 to 4 pm!  Come, celebrate the vitality of independent literature and appraise how literature continues to contribute to social transformation at a time so different from when Guild began. “I consider the birthday of the Guild to be May 21, 1967, for that is the day we signed the lease and paid the first month’s rent of $60 for the storefront at 2136 N Halsted.”  So wrote Robbye Lee in a letter […] - [Palabra Pura in May: We are the Night, "Sanctuary"](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-in-may-we-are-the-night-sanctuary/): Poesía del “Santuario” Pasa abril llenando el mes con poesía, pasa abril dejando el gusto verde de los versos, cuando se despierta la maleza y las alergias, los poemas y la problematica social nos hace llorar en la ciudad de los vientos. Este mes Palabra pura nos presenta poesía del los Andes y del interior del pais a traves de la voz poetica de: Oriette D’angelo de Venezuela, Lew Rosenbaum de Chicago y Miguel Marzana de Bolivia.   Este mes Palabra Pura diversifica sus latitudes y no permanece en silencio. __________ Poetry of the “Sanctuary” April goes away filling the month with […] - [Miss Chicago, Lady Midwest: Fanny Butcher's Induction to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, Co-Sponsored by Newberry Library, Guild Literary Complex and more](https://guildcomplex.org/miss-chicago-lady-midwest-fanny-butchers-induction-to-clhof/): Guild Literary Complex joins The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame in celebrating Fanny Butcher Miss Chicago, Lady Midwest: Fanny Butcher’s Induction to CLHOF May 11, 2017 5 p.m. Reception and Special Exhibit Viewing 6-7:15 p.m. Ceremony Ruggles Hall at Newberry Library 60 West Walton Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610  Longtime Tribune Literary Critic Fanny Butcher to Be Inducted into Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fanny Butcher: (September 13, 1888 – May 1887), for four decades a writer and critic for the Chicago Tribune, will be inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame on May 11, 2017 at Newberry Library’s Ruggles Hall. Liesl […] - [A Diamond Ear: Ring Lardner's Induction to the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, Co-Sponsored by Newberry Library, Guild Literary Complex and more!](https://guildcomplex.org/a-diamonds-ear-ring-lardnrers-induction-to-the-chicago-literary-hall-of-fame-co-sponsored-by-newberry-library-guild-literary-complex-and-more/): May 4 5 p.m. Reception and Special Exhibit Viewing 6-7:15 p.m. Ceremony Ruggles Hall at Newberry Library, 90 W. Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610 This event is free and open to the public “How can you write if you can’t cry?” Ring Lardner (March 6, 1885-Sept. 25, 1933) will be inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame on May 4, 2017 at Newberry Library’s Ruggles Hall. Ron Rapoport, veteran sports journalist and editor of a the newly-released The Lost Journalism of Ring Lardner, will give the keynote address, and James Lardner (The Nation) will accept the statue on his grandfather’s […] - [April Applied Words: Class and Opportunity, April 27th, 7:00-9:30 PM](https://guildcomplex.org/april-applied-words-class-and-opportunity-april-27th-700-930-pm/): Applied Words: Class and Opportunity, Hosted by the Guild Literary Complex  Thursday, April 27th, 2017 7:00-9:30 PM filmfront, 1740 W 18th St, Pilsen, Chicago, Illinois, 60608 April’s Applied Words event, hosted by the Guild Literary Complex, combines a performance and a panel looking at access and the arts. This month’s performance includes multimedia pieces curated by Ladan Osman, an activist and poet. Ladan’s curation comes from her work with The Blueshift Journal and their latest project release, “Loom Radiant,” linked here under “Chicago” – https://www.theblueshiftjournal.com/loom-radiant . Several artists from the project will display their work including Amina Ross, Jory Drew, A.J. McClenon, […] - [Of the Cuban Diaspora: Venturous Journeys among gluttOny and sniFFs](https://guildcomplex.org/of-the-cuban-diaspora-venturous-journeys-among-gluttony-and-sniffs/): Join the Guild Literary Complex Wednesday, April 12th for Palabra Pura 7:30-9:30 PM  La Bruquena 2726 West Division Street, Humboldt Park, Chicago, 60622 ~ FOR A SPECIAL EVENT~  Of the Cuban Diaspora: Venturous Journeys among gluttOny and sniFFs Jesús J. Barquet and om ulloa, both poets of the Cuban diaspora, will present new works where the theme of exile and migration is the distant but everpresent background of their current and everchanging realities. As both poets document the restless transactions of their selves within their everyday world through cultural, social, and sexual concerns, they reconstruct themselves with their Cuban identity inextricably […] - [Voices of Protest and Chicago City of Refuge in the Chicago Reader, with Osama Alomar and Aimee Levitt](https://guildcomplex.org/voices-of-protest-and-chicago-city-of-refuge-in-the-presses/): Osama Alomar on the cover of the Chicago Reader this week. “Osama Alomar describes the Syrian conflict one very short story at a time.  The emigre writer looks for peace of mind in America.” By Aimee Levitt @aimeelevitt, The Chicago Reader April 6, 2017 “When the writer Osama Alomar emigrated from Syria to Chicago in 2008, he and many other Syrians could already foresee some of the troubles that were coming. The country was in the middle of a severe drought, and tensions were high between the Alawite government and the Sunni opposition. But no one anticipated the brutality of the civil war […] - [Voices of Protest: On Syria, a Chicago City of Refuge Event, April 9th](https://guildcomplex.org/voices-of-protest-on-syria-a-chicago-city-of-refuge-event-april-9th/): Voices of Protest: On Syria A CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE Event April 9, 2017, 1:00-3:00 PM GANNON CENTER · PIPER HALL 970 West Sheridan Road Chicago, Illinois 60660 In collaboration with International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) and PEN International, the Chicago Network for Justice and Peace, the Guild Literary Complex returns with a second CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE event highlighting the plight of exiled writers in Chicago as we champion the freedom of speech. This April 9th join the conversation moderated by Wendy Pearlman highlighting the work of renowned Syrian playwright Riad Ismat, and author/poet Osama Alomar at special event […] - [A Poet, A Novelist and an Essayist Walk Into a Bar...](https://guildcomplex.org/a-poet-a-novelist-and-an-essayist-walk-into-a-bar/): You Haven’t Heard This One Before … Dear friends of the Guild Literary Complex, A Poet, A Novelist and an Essayist Walk Into a Bar… No, really, you haven’t heard this one before! Why? Because it’s the theme for the Guild Literary Complex’s annual benefit, “A Poet, A Novelist and an Essayist Walk Into a Bar…” Please join us from 6-8:30 p.m. April 24, at Lagunitas Brewing Company, 2607 W 17th St, Chicago, IL 60608, For a fun night celebrating the written (and in this case also *spoken*) word. We’re thrilled to announce that acclaimed Chicago writers Nate Marshall, (a poet) […] - [Palabra Pura: Of the Cuban Diaspora: Venturous Journeys among gluttOny and sniFFs](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-of-the-cuban-diaspora-venturous-journeys-among-gluttony-and-sniffs/):  Join the Guild Literary Complex For our April Palabra Pura Of the Cuban Diaspora: Venturous Journeys among gluttOny and sniFFs April 12, 7:30 – 9:30 PM La Bruquena Restaurant 2726 West Division Street, Chicago, Illinois 60622 Of the Cuban Diaspora: Venturous Journeys among gluttOny and sniFFs Jesús J. Barquet and om ulloa, both poets of the Cuban diaspora, will present new works where the theme of exile and migration is the distant but everpresent background of their current and everchanging realities. As both poets document the restless transactions of their selves within their everyday world through cultural, social, and sexual concerns, they reconstruct […] - [Applied Words: Intersectional Women's Issues and Representation in the Media, March 14, Columbia College Chicago](https://guildcomplex.org/applied-words-intersectional-womens-issues-and-representation-in-the-media-march-14-columbia-college-chicago/): Applied Words Intersectional Women’s Issues and Representation in the Media Join us Tuesday March 14, 2017 6:30 PM-9:30 PM Columbia College Chicago, Conaway Center 1104 South Wabash Chicago, 60605 This month Applied Words looks at how women are represented in film, music, television and other popular media and what lasting effects these portrayals leave on young, female identifying individuals. Dr. Nicole Spigner, Associate Professor of African American Literature and Culture at Columbia College Chicago, will lead a discussion with artists working to reimagine the narrative of women in the media. Meet your Moderators for the night Nicole A. Spigner is an […] - [Applied Words is Back, Tonight at Chopin Theatre with a conversation around Segregation and Education in Chicago, and the impact of the Arts](https://guildcomplex.org/applied-words-is-back-tonight-at-chopin-theatre-with-a-conversation-around-segregation-and-education-in-chicago/): Applied Words is back! Language is adhesive. By connecting artists and experts in various fields of study, Applied Words uses language as a platform for conversations about contemporary social issues at the local, national, and international level. Language takes on many forms such as words, dance, and visual art and in showcasing these languages alongside the conversation, we stick art and activism together. Tonight, Join us:  Applied Words: Segregation and Education in Chicago Tuesday, February 21, 7:00pm Chopin Theatre – 1543 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60642 Moderated by Kevin Coval: This month’s Applied Words examines how Chicago’s racial divide affects […] - [Palabra Pura is Back with our 12th Season! Kicking off February 15, 2017, Love and Cólera/Rage with special performance by Marcus Dunleavy](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-is-back-with-our-12th-season-kicking-off-february-15-2017/): Wednesday February 15, 2017 ~ 7:30-9:30 PM La Bruquena, 2726 West Division Street, Humboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois 60622 Each year the Guild Literary Complex opens the Palabra Program with readings by some of our wonderful Palabra Pura alumni. This year, on Wednesday, February 15, we’re kicking off SEASON 12 of Palabra Pura, the bilingual reading series of the Guild Literary Complex, with our annual One Poet/One Poem event! This year we have a special theme, due to the colliding of various planets, black holes, and God knows what else. Let us celebrate LOVE on the day after el Día de los corazones, […] - [Chicago City of Refuge, A Voices of Protest Event, February 19th, 2017](https://guildcomplex.org/chicago-city-of-refuge-a-voices-of-protest-event/): Join us for the Launch of  the CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE In collaboration with International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN) and PEN International, the Chicago Network for Justice and Peace, and the Guild Literary Complex announce the launch of the CHICAGO CITY OF REFUGE project for exiled writers. The launch will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Sunday 19 February 2017, at a special event at Loyola University Chicago, Lake Shore Campus, in Piper Hall, under the sponsorship of the Ann Ida Gannon Center for Women and Leadership, 970 W. Sheridan Rd, East Rogers Park, Chicago, IL 60660, featuring exiled writers Osama […] - [Guild Literary Complex Names Andrea Change As President](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-literary-complex-names-andrea-change-as-president/): CHICAGO – The Guild Literary Complex, one of Chicago’s oldest literary organization, is pleased to announce that Andrea Change is the non-profit’s new president. Change is poet, writer and a long-time friend of the Guild Literary Complex and until recently served on the executive board as secretary. She has been instrumental in many of the Guild’s key programs, like the Musicality of Poetry and more currently, BrooksDay, the celebration of the work of Illinois Poet Laureate and Poet Laureate Consultant to the Library of Congress, Gwendolyn Brooks. Change’s work has been published in a number of poetry magazines, journals and included […] - [February 9th, Washington DC: Brooks Books at AWP with Guild Complex, Brooks Permissions, and The Golden Shovel Anthology](https://guildcomplex.org/brooks-books-at-awp-with-guild-complex-brooks-permissions-and-the-golden-shovel-anthology/): Join Guild Literary Complex,   826DC, University of Arkansas Press, The editors of the Golden Shovel Anthology: Peter Kahn, Ravi Shankar, Patricia Smith, Curbside Splendor Publishing, & Brooks Permissions  To celebrate the launch of THREE brand new anthologies  Honoring the work and legacy of the legendary Gwendolyn Brooks. Featuring performances by Terrance Hayes, Dottie Lasky, Kwame Dawes, Camille Dungy, Meena Alexander, Adrian Matejka, Dorrianne Laux, Quraysh Ali Lansana,  & presentation by special guest Nora Brooks Blakely, This is going to be a night of food and friends, books to sign, and legacy poetry.  You can’t miss this Brooks Centennial kick-off party!  What: […] - [Leon Forrest Prose Awards Finalists Are ...](https://guildcomplex.org/leon-forrest-prose-awards-finalists-are/): For Non-Fiction: “Ruminants”     Brianne LaPelusa is a writer and artist living in Chicago. The current focus of her work involves the relationships between human and nonhuman animals, environments, bodies, technology, industry, mental illness, and witness. She is currently working on her thesis as an M.F.A. candidate in Nonfiction Writing at Columbia College.     For Fiction: “The Me Zone” John Green (playwright) wrote the play, THE LIQUID MOON, which was first produced at Chicago Dramatists where it won Chicago’s Jeff Award and After Dark Award for best new play. It subsequently produced at the Barter Theatre, nominated for the […] - [Leon Forrest Prose Awards Semi-Finalists Announced](https://guildcomplex.org/leon-forrest-prose-award-semi-finalists-announced/): Thank you to all of our contestants in the first Leon Forrest Prose Awards, & congratulations to our six semi-finalists!  Semi-finalists in Fiction are  Jerry Armour, by Kelly Xintaris Soaking, by Adam Mrjoian The Me Zone, by John Green Semi-finalists in Non-fiction are:  Climbing the Pain Scale, by Kelsey Wiora Daughters Must Have Their Own Agendas, by Nina N. Yeboah Ruminants, by Brianne LaPelusa  _____________ Make History with the Guild Literary Complex this January  Join us for the First Ever Leon Forrest Prose Awards Hosted by Guild Literary Complex & The Promontory With Emcee Mario Smith and  Special Guest Marianne Forrest _____________ See […] - [Leon Forrest Prose Awards this week!](https://guildcomplex.org/leon-forrest-prose-awards-this-week/):   Make History with the Guild Literary Complex this January  Join us for the First Ever Leon Forrest Prose Awards Hosted by Guild Literary Complex & The Promontory With Emcee Mario Smith and  Special Guest Marianne Forrest _____________ See you Wednesday, January 11, 2017, 7:30-9:30 PM at 5311 South Lake Park Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60615 Click HERE to get your Leon Forrest Prose Awards tickets today, and be sure to make a reservation at the Promontory for dinner and drinks before the event!  About the Leon Forrest Prose Awards:  A judged writing competition with the chance to win  $500 in Non-Fiction, and $500 in Fiction,  the Guild Literary Complex Prose Awards has […] - [Writers Resist with the Guild Literary Complex on January 15, 2017](https://guildcomplex.org/writers-resist-with-the-guild-literary-complex-on-january-15-2017/): Come out January 15, 2017, to join the Guild Literary Complex for a night of poetry that speaks to resistance and the need for social change. The Guild Literary Complex, one of Chicago’s oldest literary organizations, is proud to take part in Chicago #WRITERS RESIST, a day of readings and community events taking place across the city, featuring literary work on the themes of reclaiming democracy and standing up to intolerance on every level. Similar #WritersResist events will be held simultaneously in more than fifty cities around the world, including New York, LA, Seattle, London, and Singapore. The Guild’s #WritersResist event […] - [Leon Forrest Prose Awards for Fiction and Non-Fiction Submissions Open](https://guildcomplex.org/leon-forrest-prose-awards-for-fiction-and-non-fiction-submissions-open/): The Guild Literary Complex  is proud to announce the opening submission period for the  Leon Forrest Prose Awards for Short Fiction and Non-Fiction ____ Calling all short fiction and non-fiction writers! December 1, 2016 – January 1, 2017, Open Submission Period Event will be held Wednesday, January 11th 7:30-10:00 PM  at The Promontory 5311 S. Lake Park Avenue West, Chicago, IL 60615 (map) With Emcee Mario Smith, and Special Guest Marianne Forrest! ____ The Guild Literary Complex is proud to announce an open submission period for our Annual Prose Awards–and this year all the better because they are now the Leon Forrest Prose Awards.  Each […] - [You are invited to a Thank You to YOU Party](https://guildcomplex.org/you-are-invited-to-a-thank-you-to-you-party/): On December 8th, 2016, 6:00-9:00 PM we hope you will join us for a Thank you to You Party~ Uptown Lounge is helping the Guild throw a party to celebrate all things Guild, all things literary, all things Chicago, friendships, and most importantly you! The Guild Literary Complex wants to end the year with all of you, our family, thanking you for all of your generosity, your time, effort, and continued support of the literary arts here in Chicago and beyond. As 2016 draws to a close, come, be with friends and enjoy the beauty that is Chicago literary camaraderie! We […] - [Annual Authors Challenge Grant is Issued](https://guildcomplex.org/annual-authors-challenge-grant-is-issued/): An appeal from the Board President  Dear friends, As we witness the disturbing intolerance toward people and ideas that diverge from the mainstream, the work of the Guild Literary Complex has never been more important than it is right now. For the past 27 years the marginalized voices of women, people of color, people of different faiths, the LGBTQ community, and immigrants have been at the center of our programming. The Guild Complex has championed, and continues to provide, an important counterbalance to the center by presenting writers who represent our culture of radical inclusivity. This has been our unwavering mission from […] - [Palabra Pura with David Rade, Noche de Poesía y Amistad  Lectura y Conversación](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-with-david-rade-noche-de-poesia-y-amistad-lectura-y-conversacion/): Join us for the last Palabra Pura of the year hosted by the Guild Literary Complex and curated by David Rade of Swan Isle Press, Noche de Poesía y Amistad Lectura y Conversación ~  An Evening of Poetry and Friendship, Reading & Conversation November’s Palabra Pura will feature readings by Reginald Gibbons, Juana Goergen, Mary Hawley, and Olivia Maciel. Our open mic returns, so be sure to bring a poem to read! November 16, 2016, 7:30-9:30 PM La Bruquena Restaurant, 2726 West Division Street, Humboldt Park, Chicago, 60622 Setting the tone for the evening: A Time to Talk By Robert Frost  When a friend calls to me […] - [The Guild Hosts a Special Palabra Pura with Guest Martín Espada](https://guildcomplex.org/the-guild-hosts-a-special-palabra-pura-with-guest-martin-espada/): Palabra Pura with Martín Espada Friday, October 28th, 2016 7:00 – 9:00 PM Urban Theater Company 2620 West Division Street, Humboldt Park, Chicago $5.00 suggested donation. Books will be available for purchase. After eight long years away from Chicago, on Friday October 28, 2016, award winning and beloved poet Martín Espada will be hosted by the Guild Literary Complex as he reads from his recently released book, Vivas To Those Who Have Failed (W.W. Norton), and from the October 2016 rerelease of his award winning work, Zapata’s Disciple (Northwestern University Press). Co-hosted by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Volumes Bookcafe, Urban Theater Company, and […] - [23rd Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards, Finalists Announced](https://guildcomplex.org/23rd-annual-gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards/): 23rd Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards  Winner is … Nicole Bond!  Congratulations to Nicole and all of our Semi-Finalists. Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards were held on Tuesday September 27th, 2016 7:30 – 9:30 PM  Chopin Theatre, 1543 West Division, Chicago, IL 60642   Finalists for the 23rd Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards announced!  In Alphabetical order by last name they are:  Bianca Lisa Araujo — The Limes in my Grandfather’s Garden Catalina Bode  — I am the daughter of an illegal immigrant Nicole Bond — Crossing the Desert Asia Calcagno — A God Poem Chirskira Caillouet — Cinderella’s Party Tyler Clark […] - [Quraysh Ali Lansana at Volumes Bookscafe Saturday!](https://guildcomplex.org/quraysh-ali-lansana-at-volumes-bookscafe-saturday/): Join us the weekend of Wicker Park & West Town Lit Fest for a special reading from the newest book from the amazing Quraysh Ali Lansana! He will be reading from a never before seen book! A Gift from Greensboro (Ages 5 & up) is at once an elegy, a celebration of the magic of childhood friendship and adventure, and a meditation on growing up in the wake of the sit ins that ushered in the Civil Rights Movement. Paired intricate, brimming-with-life illustrations, this poem recognizes that true friendship knows no boundaries, and this is the true gift from Greensboro. Quraysh […] - [Fuller Award Celebrating Rosellen Brown, October 6th, 7:00-9:00 at Poetry Foundation](https://guildcomplex.org/fuller-award-celebrating-rosellen-brown/): Join the Guild Literary Complex, The Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, and the Poetry Foundation as we celebrate the great writers of Chicago.  This year we are celebrating one of our very own: Rosellen Brown.  Mark your calendars to come and celebrate Rosellen’s amazing body of work, not to mention a life dedicated to the art of writing as a mentor, author, professor, Thursday October 6th, 7:00 – 9:00  pm at the Poetry Foundation, 61 West Superior Street, Chicago, 60654 Each year, the Fuller Award honors the life and accomplishment of one of Chicago’s great authors. This year, dozens of admirers […] - [Wicker Park and West Town Lit Fest Sept 15-18](https://guildcomplex.org/wicker-park-and-west-town-lit-fest-sept-15-18/): The Guild Literary Complex is back for our Fall 2016 season! Launching us off is the Wicker Park and West Town Lit Fest, September 15-18th with Guild Events partnered with Volumes Book Cafe, 826 Chicago, Young Chicago Authors, Book Club, Chicago PRC, Quimby’s Bookstore, Myopic Books, and Impossible Industries. Join us Saturday September 17th at Volumes Bookcafe (1474 North Milwaukee, Wicker Park), 10:30 am to get your advance copy of  Guild Favorite Quraysh Ali Lansana’s newest book A Gift From Greensboro.  A reading and signing is of course part of the bargain! A Gift from Greensboro (ages 5 & up) is at once an elegy, […] - [Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic awards submissions EXTENDED to September 15, 2016](https://guildcomplex.org/gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-awards-submissions-opens-august-1st-2016/): Call for 2016 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic awards submissions   DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 15th!  Guild Literary Complex announces its open call for poetry submissions for the 23rd Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award. Deadline to submit is has been extended to September 15th, 2016! Twenty (20) selected semi-finalists will compete for a $500 prize in front of a voting audience on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at the Chopin Theatre (1543 West Division / Chicago, IL 60642). Complete guidelines for qualifying submissions are below. The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award competition is open to Illinois residents aged 18 and older. About the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards: […] - [Palabra Pura: A Night of Corridos](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-a-night-of-corridos/): The Guild Literary Complex presents: PALABRA PURA: A Night of Corridos July 20, 2016 7:30 – 9:00 PM,  La Catrina Cafe 1011 W 18th St, Chicago, Illinois 60608 Hosted by Juan Díes, folklorist and co-founder of the GRAMMY-nominated Sones de México Ensemble. Palabra Pura promotes literary expression in more than one tongue through a bi-monthly bilingual poetry reading featuring Chicano and Latino artists. Palabra Pura now comes to Pilsen, the cultural heart of Chicago’s Mexican community, to dig deep into ‘corridos,’ a unique form of Mexican poetry and balladry that emerged in the mid-19th Century and continues to thrive today. Corridos tell […] - [Join us where margins meet ~ the Guild’s 7th annual benefit](https://guildcomplex.org/join-us-where-margins-meet-the-guilds-7th-annual-benefit/): The GUILD LITERARY COMPLEX is set to party with you on June 22nd 6:00 – 9:00 PM at Filament theatre.  Get your Tickets TODAY! Come celebrate nearly 30 years of the Guild’s legacy in Chicago as we look to our next 30. Performances, music, fun, food and drink will round out a night with some of your favorite Chicago literati, spoken work poets, prose specialists, Guild family members, and on.  Where Margins Meet ~ The Guild’s annual benefit is here New Executive Director Lisa Wagner and the Guild Literary Complex Board of Directors personally invite you to join us for the […] - [4th Annual BrooksDay is Here! Join us June 7th, Chicago Cultural Center](https://guildcomplex.org/brooksday-2016-june-7th-at-the-chicago-cultural-center/): Tuesday, June 7, 2016, Time: 10:00 am until 6:00 pm  Chicago Cultural Center,  78 E Washington St.,  Chicago, IL 60602.    Join us for the fourth annual BrooksDay, celebrating the works of Gwendolyn Brooks on her birthday!  We are honoring her tremendous legacy as an artist and an iconic figure of generosity and civic conscience in Chicago and in the nation as we head to the centennial of her birth next year. This year certainly will be remembered for its own flavor with its unique and amazing performances. Along with youth, other poets, actors and teachers, many notable literary, cultural, civic, and […] - [May 26th! Artist Talk on music, Mary J. Blige, race and the role of women in the artistic markets, meets with RAP 101](https://guildcomplex.org/next-week-danny-alexander-artist-talk-couples-with-rap-101/): Thursday May 26, 2016. Wicker Park Chicago Guild Literary Complex Presents: Where Margins Meet 5:30 – 7:30 PM Artist Talk with Danny Alexander, Volumes Bookcafe 7:30 Door, 8:00 – 9:45 PM RAP 101, Iridium Clothing Danny Alexander, the author of Real Love, No Drama: The Music of Mary J. Blige will be sitting in with RAP 101 on May 26th. A longtime editor of the music and politics press Rock & Rap Confidential, Alexander is coming to Chicago to host a conversation sponsored by Guild Literary Complex, Iron Heart Productions, and Volumes Bookcafe about music in general, Blige in particular, race […] - [Palabra Pura with Miguel López Lemus of Lobo Estepario Press:](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-with-miguel-lopez-lemus-of-lobo-estepario-press/): Palabra Pura with Miguel López Lemus of Lobo Estepario Press presents: Palabra Pura as part of the Guild Literary Complex Una noche bohemia. A bohemian night. Poetry, song, music, storytelling Cuento, poesía, música, canción Sponsored by Pandora lobo estepario productions press. We are mixing it up a bit this month and will have a group of featured poets and some musicians; but we will be open for circular particiapation where we alternate poets, musicians and storytellers. Poets, storytellers, musicians, singers share your Art. Bring your poems, musical instruments, participate and share. - [Guild Literary Complex Invites you to a BrooksDay Preview at the MCA](https://guildcomplex.org/guild-literary-complex-invites-you-to-a-brooksday-preview-at-the-mca/): The 4th Annual BrooksDay is right around the corner, and to pique your interest the Guild Literary Complex in conjunction with the Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting a preview night of artists who represent the broad scope of the BrooksDay legacy and vision. Showcasing their own work, artists who are part of the BrooksDay family will be performing at this free event, hosted by the Guild Literary Complex on the top floor of the MCA in conjunction with the Kerry James Marshall exhibition from 6:00 – 7:15 on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016. We hope you will come see and hear […] - [RAP 101, Chicagos newest DIY underground music scene](https://guildcomplex.org/rap-101-chicagos-newest-diy-underground-music-scene/): Welcome to Chicago’s newest DIY underground hip-hop event. On the last Thursday of the month (August and December excluded) the Guild Literary Complex hosts an a cappella hip-hop series with a diy/underground flair. Partnering with Artist AWK and Iron Heart Productions theRAPY 101 is featuring local and national spoken word talent, spin-artists, DJs, and one of Chicago’s premier open mic sets. theRAPy 101 opens the doors to a new generation of poets, musicians, and activists. April 28th will include: Landon Tate hails from Mississippi but has always existed elsewhere. His perspective comes living with having to find beauty in life’s imbalances. […] - [April 20th Return Us to Nakedness: A celebration of the Life and Work of Rane Arroyo](https://guildcomplex.org/april-20th-return-us-to-nakedness-a-celebration-of-the-life-and-work-of-rane-arroyo/): Celebrate the great poet Rane Arroyo with the Guild Literary Complex! Wednesday April 20th, 2016 from 7:30 – 9:30 pm at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center is located at 4048 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60639 The Guild Literary Complex, Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, After Hours Press, and the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center invite you to join us for an evening celebrating the life and work of iconic Chicago poet Rane Arroyo, with readings and remeberances by: • Rey Andujar • Eduardo Arocho • Debra Kang Dean • Al DeGenova • Juana Goergen • Bill Johnson Gonzalez • […] - [Palabra Pura Curated by Ricardo Gamboa, March 16](https://guildcomplex.org/palabra-pura-curated-by-ricardo-gamboa-march-16/): Palabra Pura March 16, 2016 ~ “Turnt in Relevant Opacity”   With  THIS MONTH’S CURATOR: RICARDO GAMBOA Ricardo is an artist, activist, and an academic working in his native town of Chicago. He is a company member of Barrel of Monkeys, Southside Ignoramus Quartet, and Free Street Theater. He is the founding Artistic Director of Teatro Americano and founding adult partner of the controversial ensemble, The Young Fugitives. After receiving a degree from University of Illinois, Urbana, he received a Masters in Arts Politics from New York University’s Tisch School of Arts, and is currently working on his doctorate degree in […] - [We are back! The Guild welcomes 2016, opening with Palabra Pura](https://guildcomplex.org/we-are-back-the-guild-welcomes-2016-opening-with-palabra-pura/): This year opens with a splash on Wednesday, January 2oth! The Guild Literary Complex is pleased to kick off the 11th season of PALABRA PURA returning with “One Poet / One Poem”.  Come join in the fun 11 years in the making. This year’s season will feature 2016 Guest Palabra Pura curators and past readers some telling of plans for the year ahead and others sharing a poem during this annual party celebrating poetry in more than one tongue. Contributing authors include: Darren Angle | Emmanuel Ayala | Diego Báez | Beatriz Badikian Gartler | Emilio Maldonado | Martha Cecilia Rivera | […] - [From the Desk of December](https://guildcomplex.org/december_updates/): New Guild Executive Director: Introducing Lisa Wagner Following an intensive search, the Guild Literary Complex has hired a new Executive Director, Lisa Wagner.  She will start her new position on December 7. Lisa has been very involved in the literature and art scene in Chicago. For the past three years, she has been Managing and Associate Editor of the journal Hotel Amerika.  In addition, she founded and has been the Managing Editor of the press Intrinsic Books. Most recently, Lisa was Executive Director of the Uptown Chamber of Commerce, where she worked extensively with the community to create the successful summer […] - [Announcing the 2015 Prose Awards Semi-Finalists!](https://guildcomplex.org/2015-prose-awards-semi-finalists/): The Guild Literary Complex is proud to announce the three semi-finalists from each category who will read their work at our Annual Prose Awards event. - [Cozy Up with Rare Books in November!](https://guildcomplex.org/cozy-up-with-rare-books-in-november/): Rare Book Auction To Support The Guild The nights are getting longer, making it a perfect time to settle in with a good book. And November provides a unique opportunity for book lovers: bid on the rare books up for auction from the library of Reginald Gibbons. The proceeds will support the Guild! Many of you know Reginald as the Guild co-founder and current Vice President, and the Frances Hooper Professor of Arts and Humanities at Northwestern University. He has also amassed a collection of First Edition books over the years through his friendships and involvement in the national and international literary landscape, including many signed copies. Starting […] - [October News & Events!](https://guildcomplex.org/october-news-events/): Fall Is In The Air If the calendar didn’t tell you, the cool, crisp air has definitely signaled that Autumn has arrived. And with that fall weather comes another month of “cool” programming from the Guild Literary Complex, if you forgive us the pun. This month’s Palabra Pura is curated by Cynthia Pelayo and features readings by Diana Pando and Adriana Galvan on a very October-appropriate theme: Memory and Ghosts. This month’s readings address cultural ideas of life and death in a celebration of autumn. Here, words will welcome memory and ghosts. Palabura Pura is from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. October […] - [September events and news!](https://guildcomplex.org/september-events-and-news/): September brings the last days of summer and the first days of autumn In a word: transitions. The same is true for the Guild. Last month it was announced that John Rich, our Director for the past three years, accepted a position at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. We wish him the best, and thank him for his tireless efforts and inventive approaches to supporting artists through Guild programs. John continues with us in a limited capacity through the end of October to help with the transition. And the Guild is currently accepting applications for a new Executive Director. You […] - [Quiet but not silent. (The Guild goes dark in August.)](https://guildcomplex.org/quiet-but-not-silent-the-guild-goes-dark-in-august/): In theater, nights without performance are “dark” nights. The lights are not on. At the Guild, we take a programming break in August. But we still are making noise. You can catch the entire 22nd Annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award on YouTube [LINK], and listen to this month’s GuildCast where Debbie Carlson interviews Kevin Coval [LINK]. Check back in September for program updates and a contest call for short fiction and non-fiction! - [Get in on our final summer events!](https://guildcomplex.org/get-in-on-our-final-summer-events/): July includes our last hurrah before we take a little summer vacation, so be sure to join us for this month’s Palabra Pura (July 15), curated by Ruben Quesada, and the 22nd annual Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (July 22), with 20 poets competing for a $600 top prize. These two events will feed your appetite for literary events, and make you hungry for our programming return in September. - [June brings more live events and a $600 poetry prize](https://guildcomplex.org/june-brings-more-live-events-and-a-600-poetry-prize/): Our June programs include a celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks, the Chicago return of poet Luis Rodriguez, and a Palabra Pura that asks, Does English matter? We also announce our call for submissions to the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award, now in its 22nd year—and with an increased prize amount! On Sunday, June 7, celebrate the birthday (and legacy) of acclaimed poet Gwendolyn Brooks at the 3rd annual BrooksDay. This year we convene at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, and we have expanded the number of performances and special guests. Louder Than a Bomb founder Kevin Coval and […] - [Lots to love in May](https://guildcomplex.org/lots-to-love-in-may/): You know that feeling when you’re in love, and you simply can’t wait to hang out with the object of your affection again—even after you just left them? That’s how we hope you see the Guild’s programming this month. There’s a lot to love, and we think each event will make you hungry for that next epic adventure together. On May 17, party with a purpose at the Guild’s 2015 benefit to support diverse, divergent, and emerging voices. Wink & Whisper: a 1920s LGBT Cabaret, is inspired by the book Chicago Whispers, but St. Sukie de la Croix. This is a […] - [April Lit Forecast at the Guild Complex](https://guildcomplex.org/april-lit-forecast-at-the-guild-complex/): This month’s forecast includes vast geography, musicality, and respect, all played out in the first three weeks. Outside temperatures may vary, but the artists and projects featured by the Guild this April are hot. We jump right in on Monday, April 6, with a continuation of our new series foregrounding Asian / American authors and themes, coordinated by Dipika Mukherjee. The Alphabet of Distant Harbours will mark distance with language and memory, and features the dynamic stories of Toni Nealie, Zhou Sivan, and Angela Narciso Torres. Mid-month we return to our regularly featured program Palabra Pura, with special guests Rodrigo Toscano […] - [Lions all month long](https://guildcomplex.org/lions-all-month-long/): March roars like a lion all month long. No lambs about it. The Guild means business. And it begins with a Voices of Protest “Home Edition” on Thursday, March 12. The emerging authors we sent to Kapittel, Norway’s international festival of literature and freedom of expression, will give readings inspired by the project and talk about their trip. Plus, there will be more than a little noise about making Chicago a city of refuge for persecuted authors. The shebang is held in co-operation with 826CHI, and features Adam Gottlieb, L’Oréal Patrice Jackson, Sahar Mustafah, Erika L. Sánchez, and M. Quinn Stifler. […] - [Be Embraced](https://guildcomplex.org/be-embraced/): February is a winter month of storms (check), sub-zero temperatures (check), and gray skies (check). While the Guild doesn’t control the weather, every month we program events that bring people together to celebrate diverse, divergent, and emerging voices. And that’s hot—regardless of the season. The 10th year of Palabra Pura continues on February 18 with Urban Realities / Realidades urbanas. Featuring Luis Tubens and students from Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, poems and stories will explore the urban realities that affect the daily lives and future destinies of those who make Chicago their home. And on February 25 we’ll begin […] - [New Year Greetings with news and notes](https://guildcomplex.org/new-year-greetings-with-news-and-notes/): Happy new year to you! All of us at the Guild wish you a happy, healthy, and productive 2015. For our part, we’ll work on “productive” with a January party to celebrate 10 years of Palabra Pura. This energetic and lively series continues to support and showcase emerging and established authors in the Latino and Chicano community, both here in Chicago and nationally. For the party we’ll have cake (of course), but more importantly no less than 15 authors will be joining us to read a poem or micro story and 2015 curators will join us to talk about their plans […] - [December = Planning + Giving](https://guildcomplex.org/december-planning-giving/): December is one of two months the Guild takes a break from programming, and we use this end-of-the-year “quiet” time for two important tasks: finalize a compelling program plan for the upcoming year, and secure financial support through an annual fundraising appeal.   Regarding the latter, we are in the middle of the most successful campaign in the Guild’s history. It began with a $2500 challenge grant sponsored by the generosity of 11 esteemed Chicago authors and friends of the Guild. That challenge grant was met and surpassed with a total of $5313 given by individual donations! And as of this […] - [Celebrating in November](https://guildcomplex.org/celebrating-in-november/): It’s November! Time to recover from your Halloween-candy coma with a trio of festive Guild Literary Complex events! But before we put our party hats on, we want to remind you about our Author Challenge Grant! Some sterling Chicago authors have pledged $2500 to the Guild if we can match it by November 15. Can you help us meet the goal? Click here to find out more. Now, about those festivities… The first celebration has us partnering with the 2014 Chicago Humanities Festival (also in their 25th year!) to present Transatlantic Literary Worlds, a discussion with the award-winning author Colm Tóibín […] - [October begins now](https://guildcomplex.org/october-begins-now/): You know the saying good things come in pairs? We couldn’t agree more and this month we have quite the literary duo – Palabra Pura: Want and our Annual Prose Awards.   But before we get into those events, let’s not forget one very important deadline. Submissions for the 2014 Prose Awards are due on October 1st.  Don’t miss your chance to win $500 in our fiction or nonfiction categories.   And now, onto the events…   Curated by the energetically talented Cyn Vargas, this month’s Palabra Pura: Want lineup includes Bobby Biedrzycki, Adriana Galvan, and Kevin Kane. Witness them explore […] - [We're Back!](https://guildcomplex.org/were-back/): …and we’re ready to kick off the fall with a whole month of spotlighted readings and events—but not to fret, we won’t kill your grooves. We’ll keep them going. First up, a dance party. Quraysh Ali Lansana and Christopher Stewart teamed up to produce The Walmart Republic, a new book of their collected poems. It also happens to be Quraysh’s 50th birthday. And since he’s been with the Guild since the beginning (half his whole life!), we’ve decided throw him a killer party. On Saturday, September 13, we’ll be hosting their book launch and birthday dance party at the Reva and […] - [The Guild Goes Dark in August](https://guildcomplex.org/the-guild-goes-dark-in-august/): So far, 2014 has been one of the best in our 25-year history. It’s only July, and we’ve put on as many events as we did in the entirety of 2013. From storytelling events to book releases and some amazing Palabra Pura readings—not to mention an incredible 25th birthday party—it has been quite the year. As a result, the Guild is taking a little time off—some for relaxation, and bit more to plan exciting things for the fall. We look forward to seeing you in September! Keep an eye out for more.   - [Congratulations to the 2014 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Participants!](https://guildcomplex.org/congratulations-to-the-2014-gwendolyn-brooks-open-mic-participants/): To put it short: We are overwhelmed by last night’s Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award & Reading. Chicagoist offered up their thoughts: “If you attend one poetry reading a year, it might as well be the Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Award.” First, the emcee: Toni Asante Lightfoot never ceases to amaze us. Her ability to speak beautifully about the Guild Literary Complex, her understanding of the triumphs and challenges of today’s emerging writers, and, generally, how ridiculously hilarious she is in front of that mic—well, she is a shining example of the community of writers that the Guild is so honored […] - [July is for Lovers of Poetry](https://guildcomplex.org/july-is-for-lovers-of-poetry/): Well, July is for lovers of many things: Bike riding, beaches, camping, gardening, back porches, front porches, other people’s pools…and, yes, poetry. Until we can book a spot for a poolside Palabra Pura (think: the audience gets their own floating lounges), we’re continuing our marvelous Palabra Pura at La Bruquena Restaurant on July 16. This month, our Curator Maribel Mares has brought three writers whose travels and presence spans the globe: Darren Angle, whose work was greatly inspired by his time in Haiti, who will also present a slideshow from his travels; Mayra Jimenez, a Mexican-American author living in Korea; and […] - [June? Yes, please.](https://guildcomplex.org/june-yes-please/): June is here! Our Director John Rich took a trip to Slovenia to attend the International Cities of Refuge Network conference, our Marketing Coordinator finished up her Master’s program, and we graduated yet another terrific intern, Anna Hayden-Roy. So between our fabulous REVEAL 25 birthday party and now—a lot has happened. But that’s not slowing us down. June is packed full of events coming up quick: On Saturday, June 7, we’ll be celebrating the birthday of Gwendolyn Books in our second annual Brooksday—a marathon reading of her poetry, including performances, drumming, and a lineup of amazing readers. We’re paying tribute to […] - [ANNOUNCING 25 WRITERS TO WATCH](https://guildcomplex.org/announcing-25-writers-to-watch/): Our 25th Anniversary benefit, REVEAL, is just two weeks away. Originally, we thought we’d wait for the big day to announce our 25 Writers to Watch—a collaboratively-assembled list of 25 emerging-to-mid career writers whose works are making waves in both Chicago, and around the country. These are some amazing writers, so please join us in congratulating:     Rey Andújar is a Dominican writer and dramaturgist. His books have won various awards including: The International Award from Casa de Teatro, for his book of short stories, El factor carne (IslaNegra, 2005); The Puerto Rican Pen Club Award for his novel Candela (Alfaguara, 2007); […] - [The Poetics of Speaking Freely](https://guildcomplex.org/the-poetics-of-speaking-freely/): The Guild’s commitment to spotlighting divergent voices extends beyond the borders of Chicago in Voices of Protest. On April 25 and 26, the Guild brings Manal Al-Sheikh (Iraq) and Mazen Maarouf (Palestine)—two authors exiled from their home countries and now living in Scandinavia—to participate in conversations, film screenings, and readings with a focus on human rights, freedom of speech, and the ways literature celebrates life and inspires social change. As part of this program, two short documentary films on Al-Sheikh and Maarouf will be screened. The segments are part of Poets of Protest, an Al Jazeera produced series by British filmmaker […] ## Pages - [Printers Row Lit Fest](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/special-events/printers-row-lit-fest/): About THE FESTIVAL: Held each September in Chicago’s historic Printers Row neighborhood—once a major publishing hub—Printers Row Lit Fest is an annual book fair and literary festival and the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest. The Guild Literary Complex is a proud regular presence at the festival. Stop by our table, meet authors at signings, and catch us hosting and sponsoring readings on the stages throughout the weekend. Learn more about Printers Row Lit Fest on their website. - [Impact & Reports](https://guildcomplex.org/about/impact-reports/) - [Organization Policies](https://guildcomplex.org/site/org-policies/) - [Accessibility](https://guildcomplex.org/site/accessibility/): The Guild Literary Complex presents programs in collaboration with venues throughout the city. Because we present programs across many partner spaces, accessibility features vary. We recommend reviewing each venue’s published accessibility information before attending. We will do our best to coordinate reasonable accommodations with advance notice. Service animal policies are determined by the host venue. If something would make participation easier, you are encouraged to contact us with questions about a specific program at info@guildcomplex.org. For our digital spaces, we strive to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. If you encounter any accessibility barriers while using our website or digital interfaces, […] - [2019: Writers to Watch](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/signature/writers-to-watch/writers-2019/): ABout Writers to Watch In 2014, the Guild Complex named 25 Writers to Watch for our 25th Anniversary. That list included: Jamila Woods, Roger Reeves, Kathleen Rooney, Eric May, Parneshia Jones, Zayd Dohrn, Erika L. Sanchez, Coya Paz, Bill Hillman, Rey Andújar, Jac Jemc, Megan Stielstra, Kristiana Rae Colón, and many more who have gone on to wider recognition for work the Guild was championing first. These writers are identified by our extended community and selected by the Guild as individuals whose careers represent the future of the literary arts in Chicago and beyond, and whose work reflects the spirit and […] - [About](https://guildcomplex.org/about/) - [GBOMA Submissions](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/brooks-legacy-programming/gboma/gboma-submissions/): GBOMA Submissions — 2026 — The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) is an annual poetry competition founded by Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) and open to all Illinois residents over the age of 18. This year, the top contestants will be selected by our guest judge, and will be invited to perform their original poems at the live finals event, where the audience favorite is awarded the $500 prize. Deadline to submit: July 23rd, 2026 Finalists will be announced the week of August 31st. The live event will take place on October 1st at the Epiphany Center for the Arts. Submission Guidelines: Participant must be 18 years […] - [Latest News](https://guildcomplex.org/news/) - [Press](https://guildcomplex.org/about/press/): Explore recent press coverage highlighting the Guild Literary Complex, our programs, and the writers and artists we support. - [Privacy Policy](https://guildcomplex.org/site/privacy/): We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring a safe online experience. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit this website. We collect information to provide and improve our services, including: We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to collect and analyze non-personal information data about how visitors use our website. Google Analytics helps us understand user behavior, such as number of page hits, which pages are visited most often, and how users navigate through our website. This information helps us improve user experience and tailor […] - [Transvengence](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/collab/transvengence/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs + Applied Words + Musicality of Poetry + Palabra Pura + Press Room + Transvengence + Specialty Programming + Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming + BrooksDay + Brooks Specialty Programming + GBOMA Partner Programming + Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events + Exhibit B + Lit & Luz + Slam Diáspora Past Programs + GuildCast + Leon Forrest Prose Awards + Poetry Performance Incubator + Voices of Protest Transvengence Launched in 2022 as part of the Guild’s Press Room series, the Transvengence reading series is the brainchild of your host, Joss Barton, a trans performer, poet […] - [Slam Diáspora](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/collab/slam-diaspora/): About the Program: Slam Diáspora es un colectivo con el fin de fomentar la poesía en voz alta en español en Chicago y el resto de los EEUU. Nuestra meta es unir la diáspora latinoamericana con América Latina por medio de la poesía.Slam Diáspora on Facebook - [Lit + Luz](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/collab/lit-luz/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Transvengence Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit & Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Lit & Luz The Lit & Luz Festival is a one-of-a-kind series of events featuring renowned authors, visual artists, and musicians from Chicago and Mexico in cultural exchange and conversation. This series of readings, conversations, artist talks, and performances, including signature event, the Live Magazine Show, […] - [Exhibit B](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/collab/exhibit-b/): Founded by School of the Art Institute of Chicago alums J. Howard Rosier, Alex Wells Shapiro, James Stewart III, and Ian Wojcikiewicz, Exhibit B pushes artists to think beyond the typical limitations of a reading and develop new ways to bring their work into the world. “We don’t want to tell people what to do, we just want to create a space for people to express themselves,” shared Rosier. At Exhibit B, this means that writers experiment with new forms—poets turn their work into video essays—and artists who don’t traditionally exhibit at readings, like photographers, have a new outlet for their work. More than […] - [Specialty Programming](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/special-events/specialty-programming/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs + Applied Words + Musicality of Poetry + Palabra Pura + Press Room + Transvengence + Specialty Programming + Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming + BrooksDay + Brooks Specialty Programming + GBOMA Partner Programming + Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events + Exhibit B + Lit & Luz + Slam Diáspora Past Programs + GuildCast + Leon Forrest Prose Awards + Poetry Performance Incubator + Voices of Protest Specialty Programming Under construction—more information coming soon. Printers Row Lit Fest More coming soon Poesia en Abril More coming soon Say Their Names Click here to learn more […] - [Subscribe to Our Mailing List](https://guildcomplex.org/site/subscribe/): Subscribe to our mailing list to stay connected with upcoming events, artist opportunities, community programs, and ways to support our nonprofit’s work. - [Work With Us](https://guildcomplex.org/about/work-with-us/): Volunteers, artists, partners, and collaborators are vital to our work. Whether you’re interested in lending your skills, sharing your writing, shaping our future through board service, or collaborating on programs, we welcome your interest and invite you to get involved. - [Past Programs](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/) - [Our Team](https://guildcomplex.org/about/team/): Building Chicago’s Literary Community Be part of our work The work of the Guild Literary Complex is made possible by our dedicated staff, volunteers, interns, and board. Together, they bring our mission to life through collaboration, care, and a shared commitment to literary arts. If you’re interested in contributing your time, skills, or leadership, we’d love to hear from you. - [Our Story](https://guildcomplex.org/about/our-story/): Our Mission The Guild Literary Complex is a 35-year-old grassroots literary arts organization creating performance-based events in and around the Chicagoland area. We partner and collaborate with other community groups on social and restorative justice issues, providing arts and advocacy programming for marginalized voices. Our HISTORY In 1989, a local, community-based bookstore, Guild Books (once located on Lincoln Avenue) began regularly hosting progressive, stimulating, and eclectic literary events. Soon after, the Guild Complex established itself as an official non-profit organization with poet Michael Warr as its first executive director. For the last 35 years, the Guild Literary Complex has been a […] - [Events](https://guildcomplex.org/events/): June 2023 Jun 07 07 June 2023 10th Annual BrooksDay South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S South Shore Dr. Chicago, Illinois 60649 This year marks the 10th anniversary of BrooksDay! Join the Guild Literary Complex as we honor the legacy of poet Gwendolyn Brooks as an artist and an iconic figure of […] Free Find out moreMay 2023 May 20 20 May 2023 TAKING ROOT: Poetry Event with the South Asia Institute South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60616 In honor of AAPI Month, the South Asia Institute and the Guild Literary Complex bring you TAKING ROOT. This […] - [Upcoming Events](https://guildcomplex.org/events/upcoming-events/): Events & Programs 3.3.23 | Slam Diáspora ¡EN VIVO! - [Past Events](https://guildcomplex.org/events/past-events/): Past Events November 2023 Nov 19 19 November 2023 Palabra Pura: Marc Zimmerman Carlos Cumpian Book Launch + Open Mic 18th Street Casa de Cultura, 2057 W. 18th St. Chicago, Illinois 60608 United States LACASA Chicago, Movimento Artístico Chicano (MARCH), 18th Street Casa de Cultura & Guild Literary Complex Invite you to Marc Zimmerman’s Pre-85th Birthday Book Launch of his most important Chicago Latino Publication on the rise of a literary movement: Mexican and Chicano Literature in Chicago: Transplanting Early Roots to the Barrios and Beyond. “Zimmerman a writer keenly sensitive to the vital literary, socio-cultural and ethno-communal nuances which his […] - [Applied Words](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/signature/applied-words/): About the Program: The Applied Words program explores contemporary issues through a multidisciplinary lens. Poetry readings are paired with performances from other creative mediums, such as dance, theatre, and visual art. By experiencing how different methods of artistic exploration intersect, attendees come away with a refreshed vocabulary for talking about old problems and a renewed sense of understanding and overcoming. - [Palabra Pura](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/signature/palabra-pura/): About the Program: Palabra Pura is a bilingual reading series that promotes literary expression in Spanish, English, and/or other languages. Launched in 2006, the series celebrates the work of Latinx writers in Chicago and beyond, and provides a space for the interaction of diverse voices, ideas, and aesthetics. Palabra Pura es una serie de lecturas bilingües que promueve la expresión literaria en español, inglés y otros idiomas. Lanzada en 2006, la serie celebra la obra de escritores latinx dentro y fuera de Chicago, y provee un espacio para la interacción de voces, ideas y estéticas diversas. - [Press Room](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/press-room/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs + Applied Words + Musicality of Poetry + Palabra Pura + Press Room + Transvengence + Specialty Programming + Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming + BrooksDay + Brooks Specialty Programming + GBOMA Partner Programming + Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events + Exhibit B + Lit & Luz + Slam Diáspora Past Programs + GuildCast + Leon Forrest Prose Awards + Poetry Performance Incubator + Voices of Protest Press Room Press Room is an ongoing series through the Guild Literary Complex that explores topics often shunned by the media, offering a view from both a personal […] - [BrooksDay](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/brooks-legacy-programming/brooksday/): About the Program: BrooksDay is the Guild Literary Complex’s annual celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks, held every year on June 7th, the anniversary of her birth. Since 2013, BrooksDay has been a marquee event in the Guild’s yearly calendar with many literary, cultural, and civic leaders from Chicago—and beyond—taking the stage to celebrate and honor Gwendolyn Brooks, former poet laureate of Illinois and the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize.BrooksDay honors her legacy as an artist and an iconic figure of generosity and civic conscience in Chicago and the nation. Learn more about Gwendolyn Brooks from the Poetry Foundation here. - [Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA)](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/brooks-legacy-programming/gboma/): About the Program: The Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards (GBOMA) is an annual poetry competition founded by Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) and open to all Illinois residents over the age of 18. The top contestants selected by guest judges from the poetry community are invited to perform their original poems at the live finals event, where the audience favorite is awarded the $500 prize. How It Began In 1994, Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks began talking to the Guild Complex about creating a contest in which Illinois poets would read their poetry to win a cash prize. She wanted a way to […] - [Brooks Specialty Programming](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/brooks-legacy-programming/brooks-specialty-programming/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Transvengence Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit + Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Brooks Specialty Programming Additional programming that brings out further dimensions of Brooks’ work and her legacy. - [Leon Forrest Prose Awards](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/leon-forrest-prose-awards/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit + Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Leon Forrest Prose Awards The Leon Forrest Prose Awards is an annual competition through which The Guild Complex honors the memory of Chicago novelist, essayist, and educator Leon Forrest (1937-1997) by acknowledging promising new work by emerging and established prose writers in fiction and non-fiction from Chicago […] - [Musicality of Poetry](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/musicality-of-poetry/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit + Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Musicality of Poetry Musicality of Poetry showcases and interrogates the interrelationship between poetry and music. Events feature local Chicago artists and poets who help emphasize these connections. This dynamic series brings many neighborhoods and voices together through performances, art, music, and writing, highlighting Chicago’s diversity. Stay tuned […] - [Partner and Special Events](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/special-events/partner-and-special-events/): Programs Applied Words Palabra Pura Voices of Protest Press Room Brooks Legacy Programming Brooks Day Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards(GBOMA) Brooks Specialty Programming Other Programming 30 Writers to Watch Leon Forrest Prose Awards Musicality of Poetry Partner and SpecialEvents PARTNER AND SPECIAL EVENTS PAST PARTNER AND SPECIAL EVENTS Backbone Press ChicagoReading (30 Writers to Watch) - [Programs](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/): The Guild Literary Complex presents a range of programs that reflect our commitment to literary arts, community, and cultural legacy. Our work includes our Signature Programs, which are created and produced by the Guild; Gwendolyn Brooks Legacy Programming, which honors the life and impact of poet Gwendolyn Brooks through events and initiatives throughout the year; and Sponsored & Partnered Programs, which are developed in collaboration with organizations we formally sponsor or co-host with. Signature Programs Gwendolyn Brooks Legacy Programming Sponsored & Partnered Programs Special Events - [Gwendolyn Brooks Legacy Programming](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/brooks-legacy-programming/): Programs Applied Words Palabra Pura Voices of Protest Press Room Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Awards(GBOMA) Brooks Specialty Programming Other Programming 30 Writers to Watch Leon Forrest Prose Awards Musicality of Poetry Partner and SpecialEvents BROOKS LEGACY PROGRAMMING The Guild’s annual and ongoing programs that celebrate the legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks as a friend of the Guild, as a vital member of the Chicago literary community, and as one of the most important American poets of the 20th Century. BrooksDay The Guild’s annual celebration of Gwendolyn Brooks, held every year on June 7th, the anniversary of her birth. […] - [Home](https://guildcomplex.org/): Amplifying voices. Honoring legacy. Building what’s next.  Since 1989, the Guild Literary Complex has been elevating the literary voices of Chicago by connecting writers, artists, and audiences across the city. Born from a community bookstore and shaped by decades of pioneering and inclusive programming, the Guild Literary Complex brings together people and ideas through readings, performances, conversations, and experimental art that celebrate language.  From honoring the legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks to Spanish-language programming and amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices, our work centers the literary as a powerful force for connection, reflection, and social imagination. Words matter.  Upcoming Events Find us across Chicago for […] - [Past Voices of Protest](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/voices-of-protest/past-voices-of-protest/):  2019 Voices of Protest Our inaugural program event will be a film screening of the documentary, U-Turn, by Guatemalan filmmaker, Luis Argueta October 16, 2019 6:30pm – 9:00pm Chopin Theatre 1543 West Division Co-sponsored by the Chicago City of Refuge The program will consist of an introduction of the film by the filmmaker and the 55-minute screening, followed by a brief panel discussion with the filmmaker and performance from local artists and authorities on the topic of immigration. The film, U Turn,  tells the story of a group of Guatemalan immigrant women and children who broke the silence about the abuses […] - [Writers to Watch](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/signature/writers-to-watch/): About the Program: In 2014, the Guild Complex named 25 Writers to Watch for our 25th Anniversary. That list included: Jamila Woods, Roger Reeves, Kathleen Rooney, Eric May, Parneshia Jones, Zayd Dohrn, Erika L. Sanchez, Coya Paz, Bill Hillman, Rey Andújar, Jac Jemc, Megan Stielstra, Kristiana Rae Colón, and many more who have gone on to wider recognition for work the Guild was championing first. These writers are identified by our extended community and selected by the Guild as individuals whose careers represent the future of the literary arts in Chicago and beyond, and whose work reflects the spirit and values […] - [Voices of Protest](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/voices-of-protest/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit + Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Voices of Protest Voices of Protest offers unique events at the intersection of arts and activism. Writers from around the globe who are working in or visiting Chicago, including those who have inherited diasporic legacies from earlier generations, share work and reflections on the political situations that […] - [Guilded](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/guilded/): From the Archives: Guilded Watch a video of a 2010 performance by poet Kent Foreman. 2012 – “Illuminate” featured prominent graphic novelists Nicole Hollander, Audrey Niffenegger, C. Spike Trotman and Chris Ware in an exploration of the challenges and opportunities in pairing word with image. 2011 Facebook Yearbook: Celebrating people’s favorite work from their year of writing Download the 2011 Virtual Yearbook here.
 Guild friends and fans tied a bow on their 2011 while getting their writing energy going for 2012 with our first annual Facebook Yearbook. The yearbook is a virtual open mic where people share their favorite line from […] - [Donors, Partners, and Friends](https://guildcomplex.org/about/donors/): Donors Sponsors of the Guild Literary Complex support diverse, divergent, and emerging writers from all over Chicago, and shape a dynamic culture with guest authors from around the United States and the world. Partners We are proud to work with the follow partners: Big Shoulders BooksBrooks PermissionsChicago History MuseumChicago Literary Hall of FameChopin TheaterHaymarket HouseThe Honeycomb NetworkHypertextLa BruquenaLit & Luz (Make Literary Productions)Rhino PoetryStoryStudioThird World Press - [Give](https://guildcomplex.org/site/give/): Support Our Work Your financial support makes everything possible. It helps ensure that our unique, cross-cultural programs continue to provide an outlet for Chicago’s established and emerging artists and writers, and opportunities for provocative conversation between artists and audiences. It helps us with things like paying featured artists and awarding contest prices, renting space for rehearsals and performances, hiring videographers to share event footage with new audiences, and keeping low ticket prices to all our events. Your donations in action: Emerging Writers Thanks to your generosity, we were able to put on events this year that showcased talented, up and coming […] - [Poetry Performance Incubator](https://guildcomplex.org/programs/past-programs/poetry-performance-incubator/): PROGRAMS Menu Current Programs Applied Words Musicality of Poetry Palabra Pura Press Room Specialty Programming Writers to Watch Brooks Legacy Programming BrooksDay Brooks Specialty Programming GBOMA Partner Programming Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Events Exhibit B Lit + Luz Slam Diaspora Past Programs GuildCast Leon Forrest Prose Awards Poetry Performance Incubator Voices of Protest Poetry Performance Incubator ABOUT THE INCUBATOR The Incubator was founded in 2004 to create work that bridges the disciplines of poetry and theater. Incubator members write collaboratively to create the performance – writing and performing pieces they have written for and with each other. Tour Guides, the […] - [Contact](https://guildcomplex.org/about/contact/): The Guild would love to hear from you! Please reach out with any inquiries.  info@guildcomplex.org Subscribe to our newsletter [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)