Join us online for a discussion with Dr. Rima Vesely-Flad about her new book The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde. Black, queer, feminist, Buddhist: The Fire Inside casts a fresh new light on the radical literary legacies of James Baldwin and Audre Lorde. This is an online-only program with the American Writers Museum. This program […]
Celebrate all things charming, hilarious, and heart-fluttering at Get Lit: Rom-Com Night as we bring the world of romantic comedies to life. Test your knowledge of rom-com films in our Meet Cute Trivia Challenge. Meet with our friends from the Last Chapter Book Shop, Chicago’s first & only romance bookstore. Unwrap your next read at the Blind Date with a […]
The best night of the year is back: Grown-Up Book Fair! With books for sale, games to play, and drinks to drink… cheers! Indulge your literary impulses at Get Lit: Grown-Up Book Fair! Mix and mingle with fellow bookworms, share your favorite titles, and discover new ones. From cozy mysteries to epic adventures, there’s something for […]
A generative, first-person writing workshop about religion, spirituality, and faith with National Book Award finalist Andrew Krivák (The Sojourn, The Bear). Co-presented by StoryStudio Chicago. This is the second writing workshop presented in conjunction with American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, a powerful new exhibit that takes you on the ultimate exploration through spirituality and storytelling. American Prophets is supported by a […]
Step back into the glittering, shadowy world of the Roaring Twenties at Get Lit: Speakeasy Rhymes, an evening of clandestine charm, jazz-age flair, and unfiltered artistic expression. Share an original piece of poetry or song during our open mic. Don’t have anything to share? We’ll have pieces from notable American poets and songwriters that you can select. […]
Award-winning poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema K. Shehabi visit the American Writers Museum to read from their powerful new book Water to Water: Gaza Renga, a poetry collaboration in the call-and-response form of Renga during the conflict in Gaza. The pair will have a conversation on their writing journey and share how the collaboration came to be. This is the […]
Award-winning poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema K. Shehabi visit the American Writers Museum to read from their powerful new book Water to Water: Gaza Renga, a poetry collaboration in the call-and-response form of Renga during the conflict in Gaza. The pair will have a conversation on their writing journey and share how the collaboration came to be. Books will be […]
Pop culture historian and bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (Seinfeldia, When Women Invented Television) visits the AWM to discuss her new book about the making of a beloved television show. Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America tells the definitive story of the creation and legacy of Parks and Recreation, with exclusive interview […]
Pop culture historian and bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (Seinfeldia, When Women Invented Television) visits the AWM to discuss her new book about the making of a beloved television show. Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America tells the definitive story of the creation and legacy of Parks and Recreation, with exclusive interview […]
Raise a glass and grab your sketchbook for Get Lit: The Art of Cocktails. Author and illustrator Sarah Becan (Let’s Make Bread!, Let’s Make Dumplings!) visits Get Lit to share a live demonstration of her favorite cocktail recipes from her newest book, Let’s Make Cocktails!, followed by a hands-on drawing session learning to illustrate the same cocktail in […]
American Writers Festival – Day 1 The American Writers Festival is back and bigger than ever. Two days, two locations. One free literary event in Chicago! The American Writers Festival is a free literary event co-presented by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library. It features in depth conversations with diverse writers from across […]
American Writers Festival – Day 1 The American Writers Festival is back and bigger than ever. Two days, two locations. One free literary event in Chicago! The American Writers Festival is a free literary event co-presented by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library. It features in depth conversations with diverse writers from across […]
American Writers Festival – Day 2 The American Writers Festival is back and bigger than ever. Two days, two locations. One free literary event in Chicago! The American Writers Festival is a free literary event co-presented by the American Writers Museum and Chicago Public Library. It features in depth conversations with diverse writers from across […]
Join us for a professional development session co-presented by Teach Tank. This professional development session will include brand-new creative writing exercises designed to spark stimulating conversations with a focus on making new connections and learning from one another. If you have attended any of our previous writing institutes, this workshop is an entirely new session that […]
Join your fellow investigators for a mystery 250 years in the making! A special artifact from the museum’s pop-up Declarations exhibit has been stolen and it’s up to you to find it. Work solo or team up with fellow sleuths to decipher clues, interrogate your fellow Americans, and piece together the truth behind this crime of patriotic passion. […]
Your classic book fair, reimagined for a night out. Find your next favorite read at this pop-up fair with drinks and after-hours access. Sip, shop, and explore the American Writers Museum’s galleries while enjoying a lively atmosphere featuring music, themed drinks, and interactive activities. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect beach read, building your to-be-read stack, […]
2026 Summer Writing Institute Join us for a professional development session co-presented by Teach Tank. This professional development session will include brand-new creative writing exercises designed to spark stimulating conversations with a focus on making new connections and learning from one another. If you have attended any of our previous writing institutes, this workshop is an […]
Join us for an illuminating conversation streamed live from the AWM with writers Reyna Grande and Erika L. Sánchez. The two bestselling authors sit down to discuss Grande's new book Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can't Forget, an ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that […]
Join us for an illuminating conversation at the AWM with writers Reyna Grande and Erika L. Sánchez. The two bestselling authors sit down to discuss Grande’s new book Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, an ambitious memoir in essays that illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. […]
Join us for a special afternoon poetry reading and Q&A with acclaimed Irish poet Micheal O’Siadhail, who will read from and discuss his latest collection The Essential Poems. O’Siadhail will be joined in conversation by Parneshia Jones, Director for Northwestern University Press. Books will be available for purchase and O’Siadhail will sign them following the […]