Norfolk, VA—The Association of Writers & Writing Programs is excited to announce its 2027 conference in Chicago, Illinois on March 17–March 20 at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center, where the organization and its community of literary champions—writers, readers, presses, publishers, and literary educators—will gather to celebrate AWP’s 60th anniversary.
The AWP Conference & Bookfair is the annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers of contemporary creative writing and the largest gathering of its kind. It includes thousands of attendees, hundreds of events and bookfair exhibitors, and four days of essential literary conversation and celebration. Past keynote speakers include Roxane Gay, George Saunders, Min Jin Lee, Jericho Brown, and Colson Whitehead.
AWP Board Chair Travis Kurowski says “AWP is thrilled to return to Chicago, a resilient, vibrant city that has given us influential writers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg, as we trailblazing editors like Margaret Anderson. We are honored to commemorate our 60th anniversary in America’s city by the lake – whose people, energy, and beauty remain constant inspirations for writers and readers.”
AWP Executive Director Michelle Aielli adds “Chicago has such a vibrant, exciting, and longstanding literary history and is the perfect place to celebrate 60 years of amplifying writers’ voices. We look forward to connecting with many AWP members and supporters throughout 2026 to gather and share impact stories, and to thank and celebrate the amazing AWP community.”
The 2027 conference will include special events — to be announced – commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of AWP. AWP was established as a nonprofit organization in 1967 by fifteen writers representing thirteen creative writing programs. AWP was created to overcome the resistance in higher education against establishing creative writing programs and employing literary writers, and to provide publishing opportunities for young writers. Today, AWP supports creative writing programs at 370 colleges and universities, and over 11,000 individual members.
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