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A Lit Summer Night: Story Slam is Literary Cleveland's fun, moving fundraiser party that brings together the creative community for a memorable night to help increase equitable access to writing and publishing opportunities in Cleveland.
Three local writers will share true, personal stories on the theme of "Grow Sweetly Wild," taken from Mary Oliver's poem "The Other Kingdoms." Hear about personal development, life transformations, societal change, and growing wild. The program, hosted by Amy Eddings with an opening poem by Ray McNiece, will highlight the transformative power of literature and storytelling and help raise funds to support Literary Cleveland's free Inkubator Conference, yearlong writing residency, community programs, and scholarships for writers.
Speakers including Literary Cleveland member Mistinguette Smith, local author and Literary Cleveland instructor Echo Brown, and bestselling author justin a. reynolds will share true, personal stories that explore the range and depth of the human experience.
Mingle with fellow supporters of the arts for a fun night at Ariel International Center. Tickets include parking, appetizers, drink tickets, and more.
When you attend this celebration you help provide literary arts programming for our community. Free community workshops, neighborhood writing programs, and events like the upcoming 2023 Inkubator Conference are only possible with your support.
Join us and your donation will help launch a local writer on their own adventure.
Registration deadline: May 17, 2023
Ticket sales are closed, but there are still ways you can support Literary Cleveland
by Mary Oliver
Consider the other kingdoms. The
trees, for example, with their mellow-sounding
titles: oak, aspen, willow.
Or the snow, for which the peoples of the north
have dozens of words to describe its
different arrivals. Or the creatures, with their
thick fur, their shy and wordless gaze. Their
infallible sense of what their lives
are meant to be. Thus the world
grows rich, grows wild, and you too,
grow rich, grow sweetly wild, as you too
were born to be.
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Location: A Lit Summer Night takes place Thursday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET at Ariel International Center (1163 E 40th St, Cleveland, OH 44114).
Parking: Parking is included for free with your ticket in the lot surrounding the building.
Food and drink: Light appetizers will be served and each attendee will receive two drink tickets.
Auction: Win local and literary items and baskets at our silent auction (available both online and in-person).
Dress: Creative Cocktail Attire—semi-formal dresses and jackets with personal style and creativity encouraged!
Individual Tickets: $100 individual tickets are available for general seating.
Table Tickets: Save by purchasing a half-table (4 tickets) for $350 or a full table (8 tickets) for $700. You can share tickets with friends or donate them to a special group. Either way you help support Literary Cleveland and local writers.
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Silver sponsors: Chautauqua Institution, Hathaway Brown, Loganberry Books, Mac's Backs Books, and USPack
Bronze sponsors: Appletree Books, Learned Owl Book Shop, Ohio Health Benefits, Quick Ship Cleveland, Rosenberg Advertising, and Stadium Mustard.
A Lit Summer Night: Story Slam is Literary Cleveland's fun, moving fundraiser party that brings together the creative community for a memorable night to help increase equitable access to writing and publishing opportunities in Cleveland.
Three local writers will share true, personal stories on the theme of "Grow Sweetly Wild," taken from Mary Oliver's poem "The Other Kingdoms." Hear about personal development, life transformations, societal change, and growing wild. The program, hosted by Amy Eddings with an opening poem by Ray McNiece, will highlight the transformative power of literature and storytelling and help raise funds to support Literary Cleveland's free Inkubator Conference, yearlong writing residency, community programs, and scholarships for writers.
Speakers including Literary Cleveland member Mistinguette Smith, local author and Literary Cleveland instructor Echo Brown, and bestselling author justin a. reynolds will share true, personal stories that explore the range and depth of the human experience.
Mingle with fellow supporters of the arts for a fun night at Ariel International Center. Tickets include parking, appetizers, drink tickets, and more.
When you attend this celebration you help provide literary arts programming for our community. Free community workshops, neighborhood writing programs, and events like the upcoming 2023 Inkubator Conference are only possible with your support.
Join us and your donation will help launch a local writer on their own adventure.
Registration deadline: May 17, 2023
Ticket sales are closed, but there are still ways you can support Literary Cleveland
by Mary Oliver
Consider the other kingdoms. The
trees, for example, with their mellow-sounding
titles: oak, aspen, willow.
Or the snow, for which the peoples of the north
have dozens of words to describe its
different arrivals. Or the creatures, with their
thick fur, their shy and wordless gaze. Their
infallible sense of what their lives
are meant to be. Thus the world
grows rich, grows wild, and you too,
grow rich, grow sweetly wild, as you too
were born to be.
Location: A Lit Summer Night takes place Thursday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET at Ariel International Center (1163 E 40th St, Cleveland, OH 44114).
Parking: Parking is included for free with your ticket in the lot surrounding the building.
Food and drink: Light appetizers will be served and each attendee will receive two drink tickets.
Auction: Win local and literary items and baskets at our silent auction (available both online and in-person).
Dress: Creative Cocktail Attire—semi-formal dresses and jackets with personal style and creativity encouraged!
Individual Tickets: $100 individual tickets are available for general seating.
Table Tickets: Save by purchasing a half-table (4 tickets) for $350 or a full table (8 tickets) for $700. You can share tickets with friends or donate them to a special group. Either way you help support Literary Cleveland and local writers.
Silver sponsors: Chautauqua Institution, Hathaway Brown, Loganberry Books, Mac's Backs Books, and USPack
Bronze sponsors: Appletree Books, Learned Owl Book Shop, Ohio Health Benefits, Quick Ship Cleveland, Rosenberg Advertising, and Stadium Mustard.
Echo Brown is a visionary storyteller from Cleveland, Ohio who strives to inspire and provoke. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard, was released in January 2020 to rave reviews by Macmillan.
justin a. reynolds has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce Top Ten Debut, a School Library Journal Best Book, translated into 19 languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. His Marvel graphic novel debut featuring Brooklyn’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales: Shock Waves, was an instant ABA Indie Bestseller.
Writing about race, land and place is Mistinguette Smith’s purpose and joy. Her creative nonfiction and poetry have appeared in literary journals including Beloit Poetry Journal, The Common, Emergence Magazine, and Pluck! A Journal of Affrilachian Arts and Culture. Her guest essays have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer and USA Today.
