A Hub, a Network, an Archive: 55 Years of International Writers in Iowa City

This exhibit, which is open August 22 – December 16, 2022, celebrates the 55th anniversary of the International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa. This program has brought close to 1,600 writers from more than 150 countries to the UI since 1967, and this exhibition tells the story of the IWP’s genesis, its role in cultural diplomacy, Iowa City as a site of literary praxis and global networking, and the images of Iowa that writers have carried home with them through their work. Curators Nataša Ďurovičová and Lisa Gardinier dove into Special Collections & Archives materials, including the Paul Engle Papers, the International Writing Program Records, the Toothpaste/Coffee House Press Records, and more while researching for the exhibition. Also included are items from the UI Libraries circulating collection, IWP’s Shambaugh House, and friends of the IWP in addition to large portraits of writers by photographer Thomas Langdon.