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POSTPONED – LitCon 2020
May 29 @ 6:00 pm - May 30 @ 5:00 pm
About this Event
Overview:
The 2020 Literature for All of Us Summit (LitCon) is an initiative of program staff at Literature for All of Us, along with representatives from Chicago’s leading literary arts organizations: ConTextos, 826Chi, Chicago Literacy Alliance, Young Chicago Authors, Open Books, and Resilience Chicago.
On the weekend of May 29th, we’re bringing leaders and educators from a range of backgrounds to share knowledge, build relationships, and advance a common vision: a working collective where literary arts organizations and the communities we work with are brought together to connect and create with one another.
In our inaugural year, LitCon will showcase visionary creative change-makers from across Chicago who are using the power of literary arts to examine and challenge inequity, engender hope, and promote connected, creative communities.
LitCon will be held May 29-30, 2020 at the Literacenter, run by the Chicago Literacy Alliance, and feature programs and presenters discussing how to build and share best practices for collaboration in literary arts programming, developing teaching and learning tools for new and returning teaching artists to the literary arts field, and offering exciting workshops to challenge participants’ creativity.
SCHEDULE:
Pre-Conference Poetry Bash: Friday, May 29, time TBD
Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St. Chicago, IL 60654
Come celebrate poetry at our end-of-year Poetry Bash! Featuring the work from the students from Sinclair Alternative High School and Second Chance High School
LitCon Mixer and Open Mic!: Friday, May 29, 6-7:30pm
Chicago Literacy Alliance, Literacenter, 641 W. Lake St. 3rd Floor, Chicago 60661
Enjoy drinks and snacks and the performance work of local musicians and artists as we kick off our first-annual LitCon!
LitCon Summit: Saturday May 30, 9am-5pm
Chicago Literacy Alliance, Literacenter, 641 W. Lake St. 3rd Floor, Chicago 60661
A full day summit of workshops, artistic practice, and idea sharing.
Ticket holders have full access to all LitCon events.
PROGRAM TRACKS
Saturday’s day-long conference will host three tracks: one for program participants, one for teaching artists, and one for staff leadership.
[Please note: Tickets must be purchased according to your chosen track.]
1) Participants (P) Curious to experience other workshops from different literary arts organizations? The Participant track is for you! Each workshop offered is a sample of just some of the work LitConpartners are offering, ranging from creative writing to group discussions and more.
Programming is inclusive for both youth and adult participants.
2) Educators/Teaching Artists (ETA) For teachers, teaching artists and community advocates alike, the Educator/Teaching Artist track has been curated to offer skills and tools sharing for program execution, self-care tips to prevent burnout, and opportunities to brainstorm new programming ideas with fellow educators.
Programming is geared towards certified teachers, teaching artists, community advocates and workers interested in developing programming and collaborative opportunities.
3) Program Leadership (PL) As Program and Organization Leaders, navigating the best practices of how to implement and support literary arts-based programming can be challenging. Questions that the Program Leadership track can help with include:
“How can you create sustainable programming relationships?”
“How can my organizational team support teaching artists and educators?”
“How do I know what kind of programming my organization is capable of?”
Programming is geared toward Program Managers, Directors and other organization leadership, but is inclusive to Educators and Teaching Artists.
Goals:
This event is a chance for skill sharing and network-building, and an avenue for community feedback. LitCon will:
- Gather literary arts leaders, educators and participants in one space to learn from one another’s skills, share their experiences, and create art together
- Share materials, connections and ideas across organizations, both in-person and online, that will strengthen the field of literary arts in Chicago
- Create opportunities for participants (authors, youth, etc.) to give their feedback to organizations with whom they work
Launching LitCon : A note from the organizers
Ruth Orme-Johnson, Program Operations Director, Literature for All of Us
Co-organizer, LitCon 2020
“Sometimes in non-profit work, we can feel as though we work in isolation. It can be difficult to discover what good (let alone “best”) practice might be. Especially if we operate in an unusual space like literary arts, where creativity, literacy and social justice all intersect.
At LitCon, organization leaders will gather to examine how we might best support our staff, communicate our messages, and meet our programming needs, all while maintaining a strong bottom line. LitConwill provide space for input from director, staff and program participant levels, creating a unique chance to consider our work from a holistic perspective.
Join us to create, share, and explore together.”
Haydée Souffrant, Book Group Leader, Literature for All of Us
Co-organizer of LitCon 2020
“When Ruth asked me to join her in the planning of LitCon, it had been a few weeks into my position as a new Book Group Leader, facilitating discussions about the books and topics that could echo in our lives. I had always drawn from the model of collective work and restorative justice as the link for successful arts programming, so naturally I said of course I’ll help.
Having been a teaching artist and arts administrator for over 7 years, I had no idea how to start— let alone create—a sustainable educator practice that allowed me to be intentional about work that reflected my core values, while allowing me to be a creative agent. If only I had LitCon back then! It’s my hope that this summit guides teaching artists to not have to search into the void for collaborators or the next TA opportunity, especially those seeking work in the literary arts.”
****FAQ****
I want to attend LitCon! Can I buy a ticket? Yes, you can purchase tickets here.
What if I don’t work in non-profit, am not a teaching artist, educator, or a program participant?
That’s okay! Feel free to purchase a ticket at the “Community Advocate” level, which asks purchasers to pay what they can (up to $50). You will be able to attend and participate in whatever programming feels relevant to your interests.
Who will be there and what will be going on at LitCon? We’ll have details on individual workshops and other activities in the coming weeks.
I would like to lead a workshop. Great! Please fill out this form by March 2.
Is this summit ADA-friendly? Yes, the building has a wheelchair accessible entrance through Open Books (614 W. Lake) that will lead you to elevators. There will be signage for all areas related, and restrooms are ADA accessible.
What ages are the tracks intended for? While there is no specific “age” for each track, the workshops and programs are inclusive for youth grades 9-12 and adult participants.
How long will the summit be? The day-long summit will run from 8am to 5pm on Saturday May 29, with breaks for breakfast and lunch.
I’m a college/grad student, where do I fit in with programming? We’re glad to have you join us! Feel free to explore the Educators/Teaching Artist track if you are interested in literary arts education, or the Participants track if you want to experience new writing/literary arts activities. Program details will be announced in the coming weeks.