Mission & Vision
Our Mission
We promote and encourage the love of literature by providing opportunities for the enjoyment of every genre to inspire and enrich the minds and souls of readers and writers of all ages and from all parts of our community.
Our Vision
We lead by inclusion and collaboration, celebrating the emotions, discovery and connections inspired by the written word in all its forms.
Our Values
• Collaboration: we engage in complementary and cooperative work.
• Community: we foster inclusive engagement to create connection locally and globally.
• Creativity: we seek, engage, and support innovation.
Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The City of Literature encourages, supports, and celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in its operations and programming. We seek to create a welcoming environment where people with different backgrounds and experiences are treated with respect.
About Us
The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization is a nonprofit 501(c)3 that manages the Iowa City area’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature.
For more than 80 years, Iowa City has been teaching the world to write. The Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa pioneered the teaching of creative writing at the university level. Dozens of creative programs within the university and the city followed. The newest chapter in this tradition is Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature.
How could a small city in the center of the American heartland have such a wide-ranging impact on creative writing? The answer is that Iowa City, for its size, may be the most literary city on earth. It has a unique set of influential literary institutions, which explore new ways to teach and support writers. At the same time, it has long been, quite simply, a place for writers: a haven, a destination, a proving ground, and a nursery.
Together, these synthesizing aspects – the writers and the institutions that have grown from them and for them – have created a history and an identity in which its people take enormous pride, prizing a role in celebrating and honoring writers and good writing. The University of Iowa continues to invest substantially in the dozens of writing and literary programs.
By designating Iowa City as a City of Literature, UNESCO has recognized Iowa City’s deeply elaborated cultural assets and its strong creative and economic foundations.
Iowa City and the University of Iowa treasure this honor and will continue to create opportunities locally and with its new global partners.
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature Bylaws
Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature 2022 – 2023 Annual Report
Member of
Background
On September 16, 2008, Iowa City and the University of Iowa unveiled the city’s formal application (PDF) to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to designate Iowa City the world’s second City of Literature. The proposal — a beautiful boxed volume of hand-made paper and original calligraphy, designed and created by the UI Center for the Book — was shipped to the UNESCO office in Paris for final consideration. On November 20, 2008, UNESCO designated Iowa City, Iowa, the world’s third City of Literature, making the community part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
“This is at once a celebration of the literary riches and resources of Iowa City and a spur to action,” said University of Iowa International Writing Program Director Christopher Merrill, who led the UI Writing University committee that submitted the city’s proposal. “We look forward to working with our new partners in the Creative Cities network — to forging dynamic relationships with writers, artists and others committed to the life of discovery. This is a great day for Iowa City.”
Iowa City joined Edinburgh, Scotland; and Melbourne, Australia; to become the third UNESCO Cities of Literature. Since that time, other cities have earned that designation, including: Dublin, Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Norwich, England; Krakow, Poland; Granada, Spain; Dunedin, New Zealand; Heidelberg, Germany; and Prague, Czech Republic. To learn more about all 53 cities that hold the City of Literature designation, please visit the cluster’s website.
The overall Creative Cities Network, which has 350 members, recognizes cities in seven different creative areas: crafts and folk arts, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music. Nine U.S. cities are members of the network. In addition to Iowa City, the members are: Austin, Texas (Media Arts); Detroit (Design), Kansas City (Music); Paducah, Ky. (Crafts and Folk Arts); San Antonio (Gastronomy); Santa Fe, N.M. (Craft and Folk Arts); Seattle (Literature); Tucson, Ariz. (Gastronomy)
Creative Cities Overview
UNESCO is the educational, scientific and cultural arm of the United Nations, facilitating international co-operation among its member states. Its Creative Cities Network, launched in 2004, is designed to promote innovative social, economic, and cultural growth in leading cities around the world, fostering both local initiatives and global connections. The Creative Cities Network connects cities who want to share experiences, ideas and best practices for development. Cities may apply to be endorsed by the Network and join the program to ensure their continued role as centers of excellence and to support other cities, particularly those in developing countries, in nurturing their own creative economy.
Once the city is appointed to the network, it can share experiences and create new opportunities for itself and others on a global platform, notably for activities based on the notion of creative tourism. A key ingredient is the creation of public/private partnerships that help unlock the entrepreneurial and creative potential of small enterprises, which play an important role in the new economy. To underpin their development, small creative businesses also need innovative talent, and therefore cities with strong contemporary art, fashion, craft, music and design schools are most likely to flourish.
