LitFest: New Orleans' Young Writers

Each spring, more than 150 young writers in grades 9 – 12 gather in New Orleans to meet authors, take workshops, and celebrate the writing life. 2017 marks the 10th annual LitFest, a day-long event with screenwriting, poetry, fiction, comic art, creative non-fiction and story game workshops, spoken word performances, a youth open mic, and a guest keynote writer (TBA). Previous keynote speakers include Ricky Laurentis, Richard Siken, Deb Olin Unferth, and Lorrie Moore. 

Though LitFest is a favorite event for young writers, funds are drying up! Please help us raise money to keep LitFest going for an additional ten years.

"LitFest is a great way to explore -- with other quirky, imaginative students -- different types of writing, like screenwriting and food writing. The minute I stepped out of LitFest last year, I wanted to sign up again!" said high school junior Ryanne Autin.

Another high school student, Clara Souvignier reflected, “There’s never a dull moment at LitFest, and what I gain from all of the lessons and workshops is really priceless. The community that comes together at LitFest is so unique, and you know when you get there that you’ll be making friends.”

The participating artists -- including fiction and nonfiction writers, poets, a screenwriter, a documentary filmmaker, a dancer, and a spoken word artist -- take the students seriously as writers and people. They treat the students like the aspiring professional artists that they are.

Coordinated by Lusher faculty member Brad Richard and NOCCA faculty member Lara Naughton, LitFest is a fairly inexpensive event to put on. The money we fundraise will be used to pay  guest artists and workshop leaders. If we raise enough money before January 1,  we'll be able to provide lunches for students and offer an additional afternoon workshop. Any additional funds we raise will be used to support future LitFests.

Thank you for all supporting New Orleans' promising young writers!!