Friends of the Chautauqua Writers’ Center
Friends of the Chautauqua Writers’ Center, formerly known as Chautauqua Literary Arts Friends (CLAF), is a volunteer network of writers and readers who work year-round in support of Chautauqua Literary Arts. During the nine-week summer program, the Friends provide support to the Chautauqua Writers’ Center, sponsor weekly opportunities for writers to present their work and meet other writers and readers, and organize contests and other special events.
Contact Information
Friends of Chautauqua Writers’ Center
friendsofthewriterscenter@gmail.com
2024 Weekly Events
Open Mic
Sundays, 5 p.m. • Alumni Hall Prose Room
People 18 and older are invited to share 3-5 minutes of their work or just listen to what is read.
Informal Prose and Poetry Critiques
Fridays, 1:15 p.m. • Alumni Hall Garden Room
Bring 10 copies of one page of your work to get feedback from a group guided by a published author.
Authors’ Hour Readings
Tuesdays, 12:15 p.m. • Alumni Hall Porch
- Week 1, June 25: Pat Averbach, fiction, Dreams of Drowning and Deb Pines, fiction, Caught in the Snare
- Week 2, July 2: Ann E.Wallace, poetry, Days of Grace and Silence: A Chronicle of COVID’s Long Haul and Karen Weyant, poetry, Avoiding the Rapture
- Week 3, July 9: Lara Lillibridge, essays, The Truth About Unringing Phones and Sabeeha Rehman, non-fiction, either It’s Not What You Think or We Refuse to be Enemies
- Week 4, July 16: Fred Zirm, poetry, Rescue Dogs and Object Lessons and Craig Sipe, poetry, Here It Comes….and It’s Gone
- Week 5, July 23: Moxie Gardiner, fiction, Virgin Snow and Carol Jennings, poetry, The Sustain Pedal
- Week 6, July 30: Estelle Rauch, fiction, Masters of Betrayal and Alissa Sammarco, poetry, See Them Now and Moon Landing Day
- Week 7, August 6: Tim Love, non-fiction, Discovering Truth and Paul Scimonelli, non-fiction, biographies of Roy Sievers and Joe Cambria
- Week 8, August 13: Susan Nusbaum, poetry, This Uncertain Voyage and Christine Kessides, fiction, Magda Standing
- Week 9, August 20: Lennie Hay, poetry, Lost in America and David Walsh, poetry, Threads and Touchstones
2024 Special Events
Annual Writing Contests
Open to writers of all ages; prose and poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction welcome. Submission window June 22, 2024 through July 28, 2024. Awards ceremony Aug. 11 in Hall of Philosophy. Further information and submission forms.
Reception with Friends
Wednesday, July 3 • 4 p.m. • Alumni Hall Porch
Enjoy light refreshments and stimulating conversation with other people who support writers and writing at Chautauqua.
Authors Among Us Book Fair
Sunday, July 14 • 12–2 p.m. • Bestor Plaza
Selected Chautauqua authors are available to sell and sign their books.
For more information and to apply to participate in the Book Fair, click here.
Contact 4normarees@gmail.com or 717-644-4347 for further information.
Annual Robert Pinsky Favorite Poem Project
Monday, August 5 • 5 p.m. • Hall of Philosophy
Selected Chautauquans will read their favorite poem and briefly explain why it means so much to them.
Submission deadline is 12 p.m. (Noon) of August 3, 2024.
For more information and to submit to the Favorite Poem Project, click here.
Membership Information
Annual membership is $20/person. Membership fees help provide housing scholarships for emerging writers.
Join ONLINE now or in person during the Summer Assembly on the second floor of the Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall!
Chautauqua Authors’ Publication List
The Friends maintain a list of books published by Chautauqua authors.
If you are an author and would like to be included on the list, please email friendsofthewriterscenter@gmail.com with the following information:
- Name
- Type of writing
- Most recent book
- Other books
- Where the book(s) can be purchased, including links to any online vendors.