Wally MFA Alumni Reading Series Survey — From the LA Group
The newly formed SoCal Wally MFA Alumni chapter, based in Greater Los Angeles, is launching a reading series for local alums and current students. To benefit from community wisdom and experience, Dinah Berland (poetry, ’95) and her cohorts would appreciate hearing from other Wally alums who run similar reading series elsewhere who might be willing to share their experiences, as follows:
- How often are your readings held?
- How many readers are invited?
- By what rationale are they selected (e.g., to feature those with new books or publications, to give voice to emerging writers, to achieve gender/ethnic diversity, or by using some random means for fairness)?
- Do you also attempt to contact Wally alums who may be passing through town?
- How long does each reading last, and how many writers are featured each time?
- Are readings held in a public venue (such as a library or art gallery) or a private home; or if in various locations, which has been most successful and why?
- Are poets and fictioners featured together or at separate events?
- Are refreshments served?
- Any other advice you might offer for establishing a successful reading series, besides making full use of social media, word of mouth, and institutional contacts?
Please send your responses to Dinah: [email protected]
