Literary Cleveland, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help create and nurture a vibrant literary arts community in Northeast Ohio, is set to host its annual fundraiser party, “A LIT Summer Night” (formerly “Where the Writers Are”) on Friday, June 1st at The Bop Stop at the Music Settlement in Ohio City.
Emceed by WCPN’s own Amy Eddings, A LIT Summer Night features a number of activities and performances by some of Cleveland’s brightest writers and musicians. Specifically, attendees will enjoy a unique “Lit Jam” featuring local writers Kisha Nicole Foster, EF Schraeder, and Michael Garriga backed by accomplished jazz trio “Sun Song”; celebrity writers-for-hire Mary Weems, Ray McNiece, and Susan Petrone; lit-themed raffle baskets and a silent auction; and delicious food courtesy of Boney Fingers Barbeque.
“We’ve got a wonderful line-up in store, and are delighted to highlight some of the amazing talent here in Cleveland,” says Cathy Barber, Lit Cleveland board member and chief organizer of the event. “It’s also a treat to host this event at the Bop Stop for the third straight year – it’s a beautiful space and well suited for the kinds of performances we’ll be hosting.”
Due to heightened interest in this event, A LIT Summer Night has sold out of tickets. Support for A LIT Summer Night provided by OverDrive and Council Gardens.
Lit Cleveland has also recently announced details for its fourth-annual Cleveland Inkubator literary festival, set to take place Tuesday, July 31st through Saturday, August 4th at venues throughout the city. Beginning in 2015 as a daylong conference at Cleveland Public Library’s Main branch, Inkubator has developed into Northeast Ohio’s largest free annual festival for writers and readers.
This year’s Inkubator festival includes a book swap and open mic at Market Garden Brewery; a panel discussion on place-based writing led by D.L. Ware, Justin Glanville, and Kisha Nicole Foster; a celebration of Northeast Ohio’s LGBTQ+ literary community; a craft talk with award-winning fiction writer and essayist Benjamin Percy; and more. The festival culminates in a daylong immersive conference at Cleveland Public Library featuring a wide variety of workshops, craft talks, readings, and more. Details on the daylong conference will be announced on Friday, June 1st.
“We’ve worked hard to try and offer something for everyone at this year’s Inkubator, and are pleased with how things are coming together,” says Lit Cleveland Director Lee Chilcote. “Whether you’re an established writer looking for resources on publishing or promoting your work, or an aspiring writer in search of community and confidence, we’re confident that Inkubator will help you along your journey.”
Cleveland Inkubator is made possible by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, as well as through support from Cleveland Public Library, OverDrive, Council Gardens, and others.
In addition to these opportunities, Lit Cleveland has recently announced a number of new programs, including classes on poetry, memoir, writing family history, performing your writing, and writing for young readers; Cleveland Stories, a place-based writing program spotlighting Mount Pleasant and surrounding neighborhoods on Cleveland’s eastside; a discussion on playwriting presented in partnership with Playwrights Local; and more.
For a full list of program offerings, and to learn more about this year’s Inkubator Festival, please visit Lit Cleveland.
