The Southern Lit Alliance has announced the eighteenth biennial Celebration of Southern Literature will take place April 16-18 at the Tivoli Theatre.
The Southern Lit Alliance, formerly known as the Arts & Education Council, began the Celebration of Southern Literature in 1981. It is a keynote event for the organization which brings other special literary events, including readings, book signings, and workshops with authors to Chattanooga throughout the year.
This three-day conference is hosted with the Fellowship of Southern Writers, a nonprofit organization that recognizes and encourages excellence in Southern literature. The FSW commemorates literary achievement through awards and recognizes distinction in writing by election to membership.
Humorist and author Roy Blount, Jr., a frequent guest on NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and “Prairie Home Companion,” as well as a contributing writer to he Oxford American and Garden and Gun, is among the speakers at the Celebration of Southern Literature.
Other featured writers include novelist Richard Bausch, 2010 winner of the prestigious Dayton Peace Prize, Natasha Tretheway, former U.S. Poet Laureate, and acclaimed short story writer Jill McCorkle.
Clif Henry, the chairperson of the 2015 Celebration of Southern Literature states, “The Celebration is one of the most unique literary festivals in the South. We are excited to have the writers again visit with local high school students, lead instructional workshops, and participate in paneled discussions at the Tivoli. We are also excited to be planning new events and opportunities within the community that will offer participants and attendees an even more personal, engaging experience.”
For more information on the Celebration of Southern Literature and the Southern Lit Alliance, visit www.SouthernLitAlliance.org.