Ex Libris

by Ex Libris on January 23, 2026

Galena LitFest: The Work of Poetry with Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte

Galena LitFest returns this January with a month-long celebration of literary arts. The fest concludes with an engaging evening of poetry and conversation with Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte on January 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. In collaboration with the Galena Public Library and the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, the event will be held at the Mąą Pįį Preserve and Center’s historic Hess House at 1221 N Ferry Landing Rd in Galena, IL. This free, hybrid event allows participants to choose between attending in person or virtually via Zoom. Register here!

by Ex Libris on January 20, 2026

Upcoming Events Through The Center For Black Diaspora

There are tons of free events happening through The Center For Black Diaspora this quarter as part of “Black Imagination: At the Intersections of Blackness, Music, Magic and Creativity.” Check them all out below:

by Ex Libris on January 20, 2026

Interactive Ancestral Storytelling & Artist Conversation

Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 for an interactive gaming experience developed by Professor Allen Turner of the School of Design. The audience is invited to discuss how the past has purpose today by demonstrating and celebrating the power of family, ancestral connections, and storytelling. This event continues in the yearly theme of “Black Imagination: At the Intersections of Blackness, Music, Magic and Creativity” at the Center for Black Diaspora. The event takes place 4 – 7 p.m. on Jan. 28 in the Lincoln Park Student Center, Room 314 AB.

by Ex Libris on January 16, 2026

Event: Janet Burroway and Miles Harvey Discuss ‘Simone in Pieces’

Award-winning author Janet Burroway will be in conversation with Miles Harvey, DePaul professor and English Chair, about Janet’s new novel, Simone in Pieces at Bookends & Beginnings in Evanston on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 4 p.m. Janet is also the author of Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, (a bestseller through 10 editions) and has written eight previous novels, as well as a memoir, plays, short fiction, children’s books, and more. Recipient of the Florida Humanities Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Writing, she is Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Emerita at Florida State University… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 15, 2026

Apply for the Luminarts Cultural Foundation Fellowship!

The Luminarts Fellowship Program includes core awards in Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Classical Music, and Jazz Improvisation. Core Fellowships include an unrestricted monetary award of $10,000 – $15,000, depending on the discipline. Once an artist is awarded a Luminarts Fellowship, they are eligible to apply for additional opportunities for a period of 10 years. These opportunities include project grants, workshops, mentorship, and facilitated conversations that provide valuable insights into building a successful career in the arts. Apply here!

by Ex Libris on January 15, 2026

2026 NOR Literary Prizes are Open for Submissions

Submit your best work to New Ohio Review’s 2026 contests in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction! Three prizes of $1,500 each and publication in New Ohio Review will be awarded for a poem or group of poems, a short story, and an essay. Submit a story or essay of up to 20 pages or a poem or group of poems of up to 6 pages with a $22 entry fee between now and April 15th. For the cost of your entry, you will also receive two complimentary issues of NOR (37 and 38). See the full guidelines on the submissions page… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

2026 AWP Award Series

The 2026 AWP Award Series is open for submissions! Submit your manuscript in poetry, creative nonfiction, short fiction, or the novel between now and February 28, at 11:59 p.m. ET, for a chance at a cash prize and publication by one of our partner presses. This year’s prizes will be judged by Maggie Smith, Kiese Laymon, Weike Wang, and Justin Torres. The 2026 AWP Conference and Bookfair will take place on March 4-7, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. Check out how to attend or get involved here.

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

2026 Editorial Fellowship at A Public Space

Are you interested in a career in independent publishing? In exploring the role of the editor and imagining new possibilities for the future? Applications for the 2026 Editorial Fellowship at A Public Space are now open. In addition to working alongside APS staff on the magazine and other programs, fellows have the opportunity to create and oversee an open call and edit a piece for the magazine. The deadline to apply is February 28. Find additional details, including work by previous fellows and a link to the application, here.

by Ex Libris on January 14, 2026

“Borders as Fictions,” an Essay by Libby Kalmbach Clark

Libby Kalmbach Clark, an alumna of the MAWP program at DePaul University, published her essay Borders as Fiction in Witness, a magazine of the Black Mountain Institute. Libby is a nonfiction writer and a legal representative at the National Immigrant Justice Center. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Ascent, and the Prairie Schooner blog. She lives and works in Chicago. For more information, visit her website here.

by Ex Libris on January 13, 2026

“Look At Us,” a Poem by Chris Tran

Chris Tran, a graduate student in the MAWP program, had her poem “Look At Us” published in the Chicago Sun-Times this past weekend. The poem is a response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE officials and a tribute to her: Say her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Remember her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Look at us and insist / All of this is meant for good. You brand her a domestic terrorist, / But herein lies: / Beloved mother and wife / Daughter / Neighbor / Poet Justify your murder /… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 13, 2026

Submit to These Writing Contests!

Check out these writing contests for January through September 2026: One Room, One Hour Contest – Open submissions One essay on what you encounter. $1,000 for no more than 1,000 words will be awarded to winning entries posted to Substack. Essays accepted through the end of the year. Give it a whirl and see what you see. New Millennium Writing Awards – January 31, 2026 $1,000 EACH for Best poetry, fiction, nonfiction, flash fiction. All winners published in our anthology and online. Kentucky Visions Short Story Contest – January 31, 2026 Enter your fiction (up to 7,500 words) for a chance to… Read Article →

by Ex Libris on January 12, 2026

Free Author Event This Month!

Professor and Fiction Editor for Wildhouse Publishing Rebecca Johns-Trissler will be in conversation with Kaethe Schwehn, the author of The Gospel of Salome on Sunday, January 25 at the International Museum of Surgical Science from 3-4 p.m. The discussion will center on researching for historical fiction, the erased histories of female physicians in ancient times, and the novel itself, which was reviewed in the Chicago Review of Books. The event is free but requires registration, and guests who attend will receive free access to the International Museum of Surgical Science!