Jack Straw Writers Program

The Jack Straw Writers Program was created in 1997 to introduce local writers to the medium of recorded audio; to develop their presentation skills for both live and recorded readings; to encourage the creation of new literary work; to present the writers and their work in live readings, an anthology, on the web, and on the radio; and to build community among writers.

The 2021 Jack Straw Writers / Jack Straw Writers Events

Each year twelve writers/writing teams are selected by a curator out of dozens of applicants, based on artistic excellence, diversity of literary genres, and a cohesive grouping of writers. The program features voice and presentation training, in-studio interviews, public readings, a published anthology, and podcasts. Live readings are recorded, and selected portions are produced for podcasts and radio broadcast.

To date, the Jack Straw Writers Program has included over 300 writers from the Pacific Northwest and beyond who represent a diverse range of literary genres. Writers Program participants have included novelist Harold Taw (2011); Washington Poets Laureate Elizabeth Austen (2003), Kathleen Flenniken (2002), and Claudia Castro Luna (2014); legendary Litmus Inc. founder Charles Potts (2007); author Cheryl Strayed (2007); Seattle Civic Poets Jourdan Imani Keith (2006) and Anastacia-Renée (2014); Stranger Genius Award recipient for poetry John Olson (2004); Floating Bridge Press founder Peter Pereira (2001); Writers In The Schools founder Kip Robinson-Greenthal (2000), and humorist David Schmader (1998).

Top row: 2009-2017 Jack Straw Writers reading, writing, and recording at Jack Straw Cultural Center (photos by Sherwin Eng); Bottom row, L-R: 2015 Jack Straw Writers (photo by Levi Fuller); 2012 Jack Straw Writers at the Royal Room with the Bushwick Book Club Seattle (photos by Melissa Thompson); 2018 Jack Straw Writers at Jack Straw with the Bushwick Book Club Seattle; 2017 Jack Straw Writer Wancy Young Cho reading at the Jack Straw May Reading Series

The 2021 Jack Straw Writers, selected by Curator E. J. Koh, are S. Erin Batiste, C.R. Glasgow, Patrycja Humienik, Grace Jahng Lee, José Luis Montero, Greg November, Tochukwu Okafor, Michael Overa, Paulette Perhach, Abi Pollokoff, Kristie Song, and Daniel Tam-Claiborne.

Jack Straw Cultural Center gratefully acknowledges Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, 4Culture King County Lodging Tax Fund, Washington State Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFund, and individual contributors for their support of the Jack Straw Writers Program.

Jack Straw Cultural Center produces SoundPages, a podcast featuring excerpts from live readings and interviews highlighting literary artists from the Jack Straw Writers Program.