Appalachian Literary Arts Festival

05/23/2026

📖✏ We have writing classes for you! These four outstanding Appalachian writers will be teaching at the Rowan County Arts Center on August 29. Learn more and sign up at appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com!

Gwenda Bond - Fiction
Bernard Clay - Poetry
Mandi Fugate Sheffel - Creative Non-Fiction
Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr.- Cross-Genre

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We can't wait to see you in August!

05/22/2026

The Mission of the James Baker Hall Foundation is to support and promote literary excellence in Kentucky Letters through funding deployed to writers across the Commonwealth using direct initiatives and regional grants. They've accomplished that and more with their incredible support of Rowan County's writing community. James Baker Hall Foundation continues to lift Appalachian literature higher than the mountains with their resources, and we can't thank them enough for their support of our festival. Learn more at jamesbakerhallfoundation.org

www.appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com

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We can't wait to see you in August!

05/18/2026

📣 A CALL FOR ARTISTS
The Appalachian Literary Arts Festival invites artists to submit work for Answering the Mountains: A Visual Response to Appalachian Literature.
This juried exhibition challenges artists to reverse the traditional ekphrasis process — creating original visual artwork inspired by Appalachian literature.
Open to artists of all levels
Adult & K–12 divisions
1–3 submissions per artist
No submission fee
📅 Submission Deadline: July 10
🖼 Exhibition Dates: August 3–30
Learn more + view full details:
🔗 https://www.rowancountyartscenter.com/answering-the...
Submit your work here:
📝 https://form.jotform.com/260614777356162
Let the mountains speak — and answer them.

05/16/2026

Poet Bernard Clay is no stranger to Appalachian literature- he exemplifies it! We're so honored that he'll be lending his talents to our poetry writing workshop on August 29 at the Rowan County Arts Center. In this generative workshop, you will invoke rather than describe, curating heirlooms and mapping the unseen to summon kin onto the page. You will leave with a draft and an approach for writing about family that embodies myth, history, and place.

About Bernard Clay:
Bernard Clay is a Kentucky native who grew up in Louisville. He has spent years developing a deep appreciation of the state's unique natural and urban areas. Bernard earned an MFA in creative writing from the University of Kentucky Creative Writing Program and is a member of the Affrilachian Poets collective. His work can be found in various journals and anthologies. He currently lives on Scorpion Hollow Farm in eastern Kentucky with his herbalist partner Lauren, founder of Resilient Roots, where he homesteads and continues writing. English Lit (Swallow Press, 2021) is his first poetry collection.

Sign up for Bernard's class at:
www.appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com

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We can't wait to see you in August!

05/14/2026

It is because of our generous sponsors that we're able to bring the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival to Morehead. We want to give special thanks to one of our bronze sponsors- Maysville Community and Technical College. Maysville Community and Technical College is an incredible resource, with four campuses dedicating to serving our region. More than its variety of programs and buildings, Maysville Community and Technical College is a community where students find confidence, collaboration, compassion, and success. Visit maysville.kctcs.edu for more information. Maysville Community and Technical College

www.appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com

Please follow our socials for updates and announcements.
We can't wait to see you in August!

05/13/2026

Roberta Schultz and her bandmates (Raison D'Etre) are well-known and well-loved poets and musicians in the Appalachian writing community. We're so thrilled to feature their lyrical prowess and mindblowing harmonies at the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival on August 29- on stage outside Sawstone Brewing!

About Roberta Schultz:
Roberta Schultz, author of Deep Ends, A Chorus of Strays and Underscore, is a maker of songs, poems and drum circles. She writes some of her songs on a mountain in North Carolina, and is co-founder of the Poet & Song Series with her trio, Raison D’Etre. You can find out more at RobertaSchultz.com and raison3.com.

Please follow our socials for updates and announcements.

We can't wait to see you in August!

05/10/2026

To warm up for the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival, be sure to check out what else our authors are up to! The Carnegie Center's Books In Progress Conference, June 5 & 6, will be the perfect opportunity to hone your writing prowess with industry professionals. We love Carnegie Center!

05/08/2026

The brilliant Gwenda Bond will be joining us on August 29 and 30 for the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival! Join her in useful discussion about bringing your raw ideas into a cohesive storyline during her fiction writing workshop on Saturday. She'll also be meeting and greeting all you fabulous readers at the Sunday author experience! Be sure to RSVP to her class (and the others) at appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com

About Gwenda Bond:
Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. She also clearly escaped from a classic screwball romantic comedy.

Her recent books include the romantic comedies Mr. & Mrs. Witch, and The Match Made in Hell series, which includes Not Your Average Hot Guy and The Date from Hell. She cofounded the charitable efforts Creators 4 Comics and the Lexington Writer’s Room, and lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with a veritable zoo of adorable doggos and queenly cats.

Learn more and sign up: https://www.appalachianliteraryartsfestival.com/event-list

Please follow our socials for updates and announcements.

We can't wait to see you in August!

05/05/2026

We'll be hosting a slew of publishers and presses, both big and small, at the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival on August 30 at the Rowan County Arts Center. One of our fabulous independent publishers, Blair, will be tabling on the lawn as well as speaking on our publisher panel in CoffeeTree Books at 1:30 PM. We hope authors can come by to learn more about the incredible work that Blair puts out and that readers can get excited about their upcoming titles.

About Blair:
Blair is a nonprofit press based Durham, NC. We publish ten to twelve books per year: fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They strive to publish quality writing, focusing on authors and subjects historically neglected by mainstream publishers, including authors of color, authors with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ authors. True to their roots in North Carolina, they look to the many voices of the South—and beyond—as sources of work and inspiration.

Please follow our socials for updates and announcements.

We can't wait to see you in August!

05/05/2026

Are you a food truck fanatic like us? Your tummy will be happy to know that we have TWO local favorites stationed right in town during the Appalachian Literary Arts Festival.

Meg's Culinary Kitchen has gorgeous brick oven style pizzas and decadent salads.
MunCheez Food Service styles your favorite comfort classic - the grilled cheese - into exciting new varities.

Be sure to stop by and treat yourself during our live music on Saturday night (August 29) and during our festival day (August 30).

05/04/2026