Baltimore’s 21st CityLit Festival later this month will feature a master class by novelist Jami Attenberg; a conversation between debut novelist Mateo Askaripour and Baltimore’s own D. Watkins; and more.
Held in partnership among the CityLit Project, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC), the festival will take place on Friday, April 12; Friday, April 19; and Saturday, April 20. This year’s theme is “Dismantling the Culture of Silence.”
The theme honors readers and writers in the face of unprecedented book banning in public schools and libraries, especially books by people of color and members of the LGTBQI+ community. It also tackles the inevitability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the literary domain, dangers faced by journalism and how it disseminates information, historical erasures, ageism in the publishing industry, and more. This all falls under the umbrella of refusing to be silenced.
To open the festival on April 12, CityLit will hold a poetry event at CSC called “Praising the Mouth that Speaks” with poet/curator Mahogany L. Browne and Baltimore’s musical artist Black Assets. They’ll be joined by fellow poets, including BSO’s Wordsmith, Latorial Faison, DewMore Youth Poet Laureate A’niya Taylor, with Alexa Patrick moderating.
“Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is proud to partner with CityLit Project on the kickoff event,” said Jalen Lee, CSC Communications Manager. “Music and poetry have a permanent home on the CSC stage. It is an honor to work with CityLit in their efforts to enrich the artistic culture of this region and beyond.”
On Friday, April 19, New York Times bestselling novelist Jami Attenberg will teach a Master Class at Greedy Reads – Remington. “Shut Up and ‘Speak’” Ways to shut down the noise and write your next best thing” will examine essays on creativity and productivity from authors like Roxane Gay and Lauren Groff. Attenberg’s online project, “#1000WordsofSummer” has more than 30,000 followers, an accountability project that has participants writing 1000 words a day for two weeks.
The Master Class has limited seating, and costs $10 per person. Register by clicking this link.
Saturday, April 20 will be a full day of events at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall with an outdoor literary marketplace, which will include vendors from small publishers, independent presses, self-published authors, literary services organizations, and more. Inside the Hall, there will be 30-minute sessions with the area’s esteemed authors and editors.
One such session will involve poetry time travel with Chicory Magazine’s founding editor Melvin Brown, curator Mary Rizzo, and a wide range of Baltimore poets. Another session will feature trans poets speaking on “Creating Living Archives.” There will also be sessions as part of The Writer’s Room about the inevitability of AI and another about supporting writers in their “winter years.”
CityLit and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance will present the 2024 Baker Artist finalists and the 2023 Mary Sawyers Imboden Prize winner, .
“What an incredible honor it is for Baker Artist Award Literary Finalists to be showcased as part of the CityLit Festival, said Jeannie Howe, executive director of Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. “The breadth of work and unique voices of these writers speaks to the richness of the region’s literary community. Funded by the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund and managed by GBCA, the Portfolios provide artists in all disciplines with an international platform for their work.”
Mateo Askaripour, whose debut novel, “Black Buck” was an immediate bestseller, will speak on reinvention and navigating success with Baltimore’s own D.Watkins. “Black Buck” is a cautionary tale that serves as a manual on how to survive as “other” in a corporate world.
The festival finale spotlights Be Steadwell in “Who We Become.” She’s a queer pop composer with roots in jazz, acapella, and folk, and a storyteller whose films have screened in festivals around the world. She has composed songs for Alvin Ailey Dance Company and is releasing a new album soon.
“It is remarkable to reflect on CityLit’s 20-year history,” says Dana Harris-Trovato, CityLit Board Chair, “from the visionary work of our founders to our strong, ongoing impact, offering bold and important programming, attracting an international audience, lifting the voices of those traditionally underrepresented in literary spaces, and creating a lively, supportive literary community. We are fully grateful for all those who have helped make this adventure possible.”
Joyful Signing – ASL services are provided by Baltimore National Heritage Area. \ Pre-registration is required for the One-on-One, 30-minute Editorial Critiques ($10) and the Master Class ($10). Masks remain optional. Information will continue to be posted and updated on the website throughout the month.
Dates, times, and locations for the CityLit Festival are as follows:
Friday, April 12, 2024
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD
Friday, April 19, 2024
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm ($10)
Greedy Reads – Remington
320 West 29th Street, Baltimore, MD
Saturday, April 20, 2024
9:30 am – 6:30 pm
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
1212 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD
