For more than 80 years writers have come to Iowa City to work on their manuscripts and to exchange ideas about writing and reading with each other and with the faculty. Many of them have gone on to publish award-winning work after graduating. With the spirit of an arts colony and the benefits of the research University of which we are a part, the Writers' Workshop continues to foster and to celebrate American literature in all its varied forms.

Upcoming Events

Events

Live from Prairie Lights | C. Mallon in conv with Kevin Brockmeier - 'Dogs'

Wednesday, August 27, 2025 7:00pm
Prairie Lights Books
Iowa Writers' Workshop alum C. Mallon will read from her debut novel, Dogs, and will be joined in conversation by visiting Iowa Writers' Workshop instructor, Kevin Brockmeier. Described by Simon and Schuster as a story that "traces the fallout of one catastrophic night in the lives of five high school wrestlers, asking what can survive in the blast radius of latent trauma and violence," Dogs is praised by Kevin Brockmeier, author of The Brief History of the Dead, as "equal parts scouring and...

Live from Prairie Lights | Amie Barrodale - 'Trip'

Thursday, September 4, 2025 7:00pm
Prairie Lights Books
Amie Barrodale will read from her newest book, a novel called Trip. Described by Penguin-Random House as "an absurd, profound and irresistibly entertaining odyssey," Trip follows a mother named Sandra who, three days after her unexpected death, discovers her son Anthony has run away from a troubled youth center in the American desert, and only she knows where he is and how to keep him from joining her in death too soon. Mary Gaitskill praises Barrodale as "witty, soulful, and sharp all at once,"...
Art & Write Night promotional image

Art & Write Night

Friday, September 5, 2025 6:00pm to 8:00pm
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
Join the long, rich, historical tradition of artists creating in our spaces.Professional, aspiring, and amateur artists alike, make our museum your muse. The return of this popular program series welcomes guests into the Museum of Natural History's magical gallery spaces after-hours to work on sketching or writing projects with other campus and community artists.Tell a friend, grab a notebook, and join us on the first Friday of each month. We'll provide a new inspo prompt for each session and...