Pittsburgh, PA — City of Asylum Pittsburgh announces their second annual Pittsburgh International Literary Festival (LitFest ‘22)—a 10-day festival (starting on Saturday, September 10) that considers themes of identity and marginalization with an emphasis on literature in translation. City of Asylum is committed to producing literary programs that encourage cross-cultural exchange and this festival continues that work and the work to protect and celebrate freedom of creative expression.
The festival features a diverse array of writers and artists from 15 countries and speaking more than 11 languages. “We are thrilled to announce LitFest ’22, a true hybrid festival, with programs connecting audiences and artists in Pittsburgh and around the world, both in person at Alphabet City and online,” states City of Asylum’s Executive Director Andrés Franco.
Readings include:
- Neustadt Prize winning author Dubravka Ugrešić (Croatia) and her newest novel Thank You For Not Reading.
- Our Country Friends from New York Times best-selling author Gary Shteyngart (Russia).
- Woman’s Prize nominee and Pittsburgh-based author Angie Cruz (Dominican Republic) for the launch evening of her newest novel How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water. Cruz’s previous novel, Dominicana, was the inaugural pick for the Good Morning America Book Club.
Programs include:
- An evening celebrating the cultural heritage of Ukraine and the country’s theater traditions in partnership with Slovo House Kharkiv—a writer-residency situated in the city’s center.
- A first-of-its-kind panel featuring artists from three cities in the U.S. Cities of Asylum movement: Ithaca City of Asylum, City of Asylum Detroit, and City of Asylum Pittsburgh.
- A discussion about language inclusion and children’s literature in translation. Featuring children’s book In the Meadow of Fantasties, Persian translator Sara Khalili, and renowned Iranian illustrator Nooshin Safakhoo.
- The launch of Pittsburgh Live/Ability: Encounters in Poetry and Prose, an e-book and audio anthology capturing the dynamic and textured lives of Pittsburghers with disabilities and the experience translating oneself into an abled world
City of Asylum’s Program Director Abby Lembersky says, “I look forward to bringing together authors and translators from around the world for discussions on the craft of translation, conversations that demonstrate the intersection of translation and other important social justice and equity topics, and many engaging readings.”
LitFest 2022 is organized alongside international, national, and regional partners. These include Archipelago Books/Elsewhere Editions, City of Asylum Detroit, Eulalia Books, Europa Editions, Flatiron Books, Ithaca City of Asylum, Open Letter Press, and Slovo House Kharkiv, among others.
LitFest ’22 is funded in part by a grant from the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation.
See the full roster, more details, and register for free.
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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