The University of Central Arkansas creative writing program will host the ArkaText literary festival, the annual celebration of Arkansas writers, Feb. 19-23.
ArkaText features readings, presentations and craft lectures. Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Sandy Longhorn said the festival would show UCA students the varieties of noteworthy writing and writing-related activity accomplished each year by people in the state or connected to the state.
All events are free and open to the public.
“In 2016, we added the winner of the Phillip H. McMath Post-Publication Book Award winner, adding one non-Arkansas based writer to the lineup each year,” Longhorn said. “In addition, students themselves have a chance to contribute to the literary community by reading from their own works as well.”
She said ArkaText had been one of the highlights of the program for 10 years.
“It gives the students a chance to interact with and learn from exemplary working writers,” Longhorn said.
The 2018 schedule includes:
- Undergraduate Student Reading — Monday, Feb. 19, 2-3 p.m., Win Thompson Hall lobby. Any undergraduate at UCA is invited to attend and read from their creative works.
- Rachel Hall, craft talk (fiction) and Q&A — Tuesday, Feb. 20, 9:25 a.m., Thompson 331.
- Rachel Hall, reading and book-signing — Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., UCA Downtown (1105 W. Oak St., Conway, 72032).
- John Andrews, craft talk (poetry) and Q&A — Wednesday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m., Thompson 331.
- John Andrews, reading and book-signing — Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2-3 p.m., Thompson lobby.
- J. Bradley Minnick, craft talk (radio) and Q&A — Thursday, Feb. 22, 10:50 a.m., Thompson 331.
- J. Bradley Minnick, presentation — Thursday, Feb. 22, 1:40 p.m., Thompson Hall 211.
- Faculty reading — Friday, Feb. 23, 6-7 p.m., UCA Downtown.
- Graduate student reading, Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop — Friday, Feb. 23, 7-8 p.m., UCA Downtown.
For more information about ArkaText, contact Longhorn at 501-450-5108 or slonghorn@uca.edu.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.
By John Anderson
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office
