Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest
Each fall, Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest celebrates the power of writing that grows in the Midwest.
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Proof: A Midwest Lit Fest Schedule
View the full 2025 schedule.
Read the full Proof lineup
A Conversation with Bernardo Wade and Ross Gay
Wade is a published poet and editor for Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, and Gay is the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights
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A Conversation with Danez Smith
Smith is the award-winning author of four poetry collections, including their most recent book, Bluff, and teaches at the Randolph College MFA Program in Minneapolis
Learn moreSaturday, October 11, 2025 Schedule
Writing Workshops
- Cracks in the Concrete: Documentary Poetics in the Face of Injustice with Teresa Dzieglewicz
Test out a new style of poetry that makes something new from official documents like news articles - Magical realism as a vessel for marginalized voices with Téa Franco
Combine the magical with the mundane to give your characters a voice that can be heard by all - Mapping memories: A family write-in with Katherine Higgs-Coulthard
Use prompts to make neighborhood maps and write about childhood memories - Real life, reimagined workshop with Sarah Layden
Incorporate real-life conversations and moments into your own fictional narrative. Supported by hello & handshake. - Zine making workshop
Engage in creative expression by reading a short story and crafting your own zine - “Aye! Slow down for a minute,” or your nervous system is safe, here: with Thomas Kneeland
Slow down and create freely with a sound bath and guided poetry prompts - A haiku workshop with David Hoppe
Brush up on your 5/7/5 game and learn how this Japanese art form can become a part of your everyday life - How did that get on stage?: The evolution of the egg with Lou Harry
Dig into the warts-and-all realities of writing, workshopping, and staging a play
Readings
- Midwestern Memoir
with Melissa Fraterrigo, Jill Christman, and Acamea Deadwiler - Poetry Reading
with MARS. Marshall and Sylvia Thomas - Poetry reading
with Rosalie Moffett, Kristine Esser Slentz, and Teresa Dzieglewicz - Midwest Goodbyes: Poets on Loss
with Mary Ardery, Corey Ewing, Samantha Fain, and Sreepadaarchana Munjuluri
Conversations
- The Literary Social Life: A History of the Indianapolis Woman’s Club
A presentation about how the historic Propylaeum has been a space to gather and explore literature for generations of women - The Craft of Crime Writing
Award-winning midwestern crime writers in conversation about the craft of writing a good mystery - Literary Landscapes of the Midwest
A conversation that begins with the hyperlocal literary experience and builds toward a larger mosaic of the diverse stories we tell about our region - The Legacies of Booth Tarkington
Panelists bring different perspectives on Tarkington’s literary and historical legacy - Censorship: A Conversation on Voice, Artistic Risk, and Imagination
A panel exploring how creative expression collides with cultural norms, political power, and the evolving lines of public acceptability - The Responsibility of Editors
A discussion focused on the idea of an editor’s role during a time of increasing censorship and how editors are meeting these challenges - How We Show Up: Building Literary Communities
A panel diving into what it means to build community today, and how we can do it with intention, resilience, and care - Unpacking Publishing: Approaches to Getting Your Book Published
Presented by Tomorrow Bookstore, this conversation provides an inside look at the publishing industry and breaks down various models of how to be a successful, published author - A Conversation with Danez Smith
Smith is the award-winning author of four poetry collections, including their most recent book, Bluff, and teaches at the Randolph College MFA Program in Minneapolis
Literary Activity
