During the second annual Prairie Gate Literary Festival, March 29–31, 2012, aspiring writers and literary enthusiasts will experience free public readings from nationally and internationally-recognized authors. This year, we have a comic non-fiction writer, Mike Perry, giving a hybrid reading/concert with his alternative country band, the Long Beds; we have one of the foremost American Indian novelists, Susan Power, giving a reading; we have graphic novelists, Anna Bratton and Brittney Sabo, sharing this exciting new form; we have a poet and visual artist, Michael Dekel, reading from and discussing his work; and we have two of America’s most brilliant young poets, Ilya Kaminsky and Simone Muench, giving a joint reading.
The mission of the festival is to provide the University of Minnesota, Morris and Lake Region of Minnesota unique opportunities to learn from and interact with published writers and other professionals in the field of literary arts through such activities as readings, workshops, and panel discussions. Invited authors are chosen partly for the diversity of their backgrounds and styles, and are meant to appeal to a wide variety of audience members. This year features events that are bound to please as the Prairie Gate Literary Festival builds the role of the literary arts in our community!
This activity is funded in part by a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council through a Minnesota State Legislature appropriation. Additional funding was provided by Friends of the Prairie Gate Literary Festival, Briggs Library, Briggs Library Associates, the Campus Activities Council, the Commission on Women, the UMM English Discipline, Friends of the Morris Public Library, the International Programs Committee, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Intercultural Programs, the UMM Studio Art Discipline, the UMM Division of Humanities, the UMM Alumni Association, the Imagine Fund, and the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. Thank you to all our supporters.
