Iowa City student wins top prize of one year of free tuition at the University of Iowa; runners up from Ankeny, Bettendorf, and Riverside win scholarships Contest will be open […]
Winners named in City of Literature student essay contest
Cole Swensen named 2025 Paul Engle Prize winner
Cole Swensen has been named the 14th recipient of the Paul Engle Prize, presented by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization. The prize, established in 2011, honors an […]
Slamovision qualifying slam set for Sept. 9
Slam poets from around Iowa are invited to participate in a special slam on Sept. 9 that will pick our entrant for an international slam competition. SlamoVision is a project […]
Statement on U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO
We are profoundly disappointed by the U.S. State Department’s announcement that the United States will once again withdraw from UNESCO. When this happened in 2017, we reaffirmed our commitment to […]
2025 Iowa City Book Festival set for Oct. 5-12
The 17th annual Iowa City Book Festival will be held Oct. 5-12, 2025, at locations throughout downtown and beyond. It will showcase a dynamic mix of original events and collaborative […]
Protecting our Literary Resources and Institutions Requires Action
May 7 is Johnson County Great Give Day! Join us to raise awareness and funds for our local nonprofit organizations! #JoCoGreatGiveDay You can support the City of Literature by donating […]
Cedar Falls student named new Iowa Student Poet Ambassador
Literary representatives from across the state have selected award-winning young writer and poet Daniel Somotochukwu Umemezie as the 2025-26 Iowa Student Poet Ambassador (ISPA). Chosen from a highly talented pool […]
MusicIC Festival presents PENELOPE on April 26
Tickets are now available! ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY: Music and literature festival will feature Grammy-nominated artist Shara Nova in the contemporary multimedia song cycle, Penelope, written by Sarah Kirkland Snider and […]
Comic book cats tell story of protecting Ukrainian cultural heritage
“Marisel and Panna Kota are ordinary cats which lived a carefree and peaceful life in the unusual Odesa Museum, better known in Ukraine as the Bleshchunov House. 24/02/2022 is the […]
A statement on anti-library legislation in Iowa
A statement from the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization regarding anti-library legislation pending in the Iowa Legislature: For almost 90 years, Iowa City stood at the forefront of […]
