Pittsburgh, PA – City of Asylum Pittsburgh announces their third annual Pittsburgh International Literary Festival (LitFest‘23). The 16-day festival opens on Saturday, September 30 and considers themes of identity and marginalization with an emphasis on literature from around the world. City of Asylum is committed to producing literary programs that encourage cross-cultural exchange. This festival continues that work and its work to protect and celebrate freedom of creative expression.
“City of Asylum’s 2023 LitFest is an invitation to be curious,” says Director of Programs, Kelsey Ford. “Together, we will explore topics like the translation of Indigenous writing, international queer experiences, how womanhood is translated across languages, and so much more.”
This year’s festival will present 17 programs showcasing a diverse array of over 50 writers and artists representing 20 different countries and nations. “With panel discussions, workshops, author interviews, storytelling, and concerts as well as programs for children, teens, and adults, the content of this festival will inspire the curiosity of all,” says Ford.
Programs include:
September 30: Freedom to Create Keynote featuring Ben Okri and moderated by Anderson Tepper
October 3: Lost & Found in Translation: Storytelling with the World Affairs Council featuring Justin Wilson, Cherry Aye, Bigyan Regmi, Charity Adhiambo, Dakota Nicholson, Brianna Battles, Ryan Pan, Sara McCarrel
October 4: Writing Away From Home: In-Conversation with Rania Mamoun and Leila Aboulela
October 7: Translating Indigenous Writing featuring Mathilde Magga, Arthur Malcolm Dixon, Wendy Call, Christian Elguera, and moderated by Michelle Gil-Montero
October 7: Alphabet City Teens: Brazil Meets Pittsburgh
October 7: Where Are the Women in Translation? featuring Marit Kapla, Ebru Ojen and Yu Miri
October 8: From Idea to Translation: Masterclass with Marit Kapla
October 8: Desire & Dissonance: In-Conversation with K Patrick, moderated by S. Brook Corfman
October 8: Blending Drama & Satire: In-Conversation with Novuyo Rosa Tshuma, moderated by Anderson Tepper
October 9: Jazz Poetry Concert & Collaboration featuring Mat Maneri, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Yashika Graham, Tammy Lai-Ming Ho, Denver Butson, Saba Hamzah سبأ حمزة
October 10: Global Voices: A Collaborative Performance with City of Asylum & The University of Iowa featuring Jorge Olivera Castillo, Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko, Rania Mamoun, Volodymyr Rafeyenko, Olena Boryshpolets, Anouar Rahmani, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Yashika Graham, Tammy Lai-Ming Ho, Raoul de Jong, Saba Hamzah سبأ حمزة
October 12: Celebrating the Global Majority with the #notwhite collective
October 14: Alphabet City Kids: Story Hour with Jack Wong 黃雋喬
October 14: Stories That Free Us featuring Ariel Dorfman, moderated by Anderson Tepper
October 14: Censored Cartooning featuring Rob Rogers & Pedro Molina
October 15: Writing the Anti-Hero: In-Conversation with Guy Gunaratne, moderated by Anderson Tepper
LitFest 2023 is organized alongside international, national, and regional partners. Partners include World Affairs Council, Words Without Borders, House of Sweden, and University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. Sponsors include The Allegheny Regional Asset District, Hillman Family Foundations, The Jack Buncher Foundation, The Buhl Foundation, Eden Hall Foundation, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP, Allegheny Health Network, Opportunity Fund, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, The Fine Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and UPMC Health Plan.
For more information, including a full schedule of events, visit: cityofasylum.org/pittsburgh-
About City of Asylum: City of Asylum builds a just community by protecting and celebrating freedom of creative expression. We provide sanctuary to endangered literary writers, so that the writers can continue to write, and their voices are not silenced. We offer a broad range of free literary, arts, and humanities programs in a community setting to build social equity through cultural exchange. And by transforming dilapidated properties into homes for our programs, we anchor neighborhood economic development.
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