The Los Ángeles area offers many reading series to complement the abundance of open mics the literary community hosts. These literary events are where the public can usually hear fiction and nonfiction writers read and discuss their craft and books. Occasionally poets will be featured. Many of these reading series take place at local colleges and universities and the majority of these events are free. They range from ALOUD run through the Los Angeles Public Library to the less well known, “Trenches Full of Poets” hosted by poets Nikolai Garcia and Mauricio Moreno to university run reading such as CalArts’ “The Writing Now Reading Series.” As always, check out their websites to learn who is featuring at their next reading.

ALOUD

About: ALOUD features a range of authors, scientists, thinkers, political luminaries and artists to engage Angeleños in critical civic and cultural discourse, inspiring lifelong learning and exploring. Past events have featured Reza Aslan, Margaret Atwood, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Denis Johnson, Dinaw Mengestu, Marilynne Robinson and Marisa Silver.

When: Various dates; 7:15 pm
Where: Central Library–Mark Taper Auditorium and off-site venues
Address: 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.lfla.org/calendar/

Antioch University Literary Uprising Reading Series – Virtual

About: Come to Antioch University Los Angeles’ Literary Uprising quarterly reading series and hear Faculty, students and alumni share their latest work! Hosted by MFA and UGS teaching Faculty Alistair McCartney!

When: 5 pm – 6 pm Antioch University Los Angeles
Where: Livestream
Address: Livestream—HTTPS://ANTIOCH.Zoom.us/
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.facebook.com/TwoHawksQuarterly/ or https://www.antioch.edu/events

CalArts/The Writing Now Reading Series

About: Structured around the work of several visiting contemporary writers, the Writing Now Reading Series and Seminar is a required course for CalArts MFA creative writing graduate students that showcases vibrant new modalities for writing that refresh today’s interconnected creative fields. Writing Now offers inspiring points of contact and critical conversation about writing process and practice between visiting writers, students and local audiences, with an eye for fostering the collaborative, the future-forward, and the unexpected in literature.

When: 7 pm
Where: CalArt campus–Butler Building #4G
Address: 24700 McBean Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355
Cost: Free
Website: Reading Series | CalArts School of Critical Studies

First Press Reading Series – Virtual

About: First Press Reading Series is Woodbury’s literary reading series. It has four events each year, roughly scheduled for September, November, February and April. Each reading they feature one or two well regarded poets or writers and include an open mic section.

When: 4 pm – 6 pm
Where: Woodbury University
Address: Livestream—https://bit.ly/36GCyUv
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.moriaonline.com/first-press-reading-series

Jean Burden Poetry Series – Virtual

About: This Cal State L.A. series, one of the longest running and most prestigious in the U.S., was established in 1986 by friends and supporters of Jean Burden to honor her achievements as a poet, essayist, editor, teacher, and scholar. An Illinois native, University of Chicago alumna, and Altadena resident, Burden served as poetry editor of Yankee Magazine for 47 years, and published her poetry in prominent magazines including Poetry, Saturday Review, Prairie Schooner, Virginia Quarterly Review and American Scholar. She is the author of two poetry collections, Naked as the Glass (October House, 1963) and Taking Light from Each Other (University Press of Florida, 1992). Her poetry has been praised by figures such as James Dickey who called “[h]er voice unforced and lovely, saying the right un-heard-of-things with naturalness,” and Mary Oliver who described her poems as “silky, meditative, purposeful…filled with the deft cadences of reason.” Burden wrote six bestsellers on animal welfare, and an essay collection, Journey Toward Poetry (October House, 1966), lauded by May Sarton as “a key to a way of looking and a way of being.” The Jean Burden Series also honors and celebrates Jean Burden’s decades of commitment to sustaining poetry’s presence at Cal State LA.

This increasingly popular event features an annual reading by a major poet. Noted poets, Pulitzer Prize winners and Poets Laureate have been guest readers since the inception of this series at Cal State LA., including Andrew Motion, Rita Dove, Anthony Hecht, Maxine Kumin, Mary Oliver, Harryette Mullen, Lucille Clifton, Galway Kinnell, Carolyn Kizer, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Richard Wilbur, Linda Pastan, and Mark Strand.

When: Spring Semester; 6 pm
Where: Zoom, register for event to get the link
Address: Livestream
Website: http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/CCPP/jean-burden-poetry-series

Library Girl

About: Now in its 13th year, Library Girl is a literary series, created and produced by Susan Hayden. Featuring words and music by some of the most vibrant writers and musicians in the Los Angeles Arts Community and Beyond.

When: Second Sunday of the month; 7 pm
Where: Ruskin Group Theatre
Address: 3000 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Cost: $15
Website: Facebook Page

Live Talk Los Angeles – Hybrid and Virtual Only

About: Since 2010, Live Talks Los Angeles is conversation series (in-person and livestramed) that curates and produces live talks featuring authors, innovators, politicians, comedians, celebrities, activists, musicians, chefs, and many of the worlds top thought leaders. They video all their events and make them available to a wider global audience after their talks on their website and their YouTube Channel. Previous writers include: T.C. Boyle, Oscar Hijuelos, Sandra Cisneros, Jane Smiley and Scott Turow.

Where: Various venues in Los Ángeles and Riverside
Time: Weekday Events at 8 pm, Weekend Events at 3pm
Address: Various venues in Los Ángeles
Cost: Different for each event; $20 – $80 dollar range
Website: www.livetalksla.org

LOOSE LIPS – Currently on Zoom

About: Loose Lips is a poetry reading series which is dedicated to bringing a diverse array of the best contemporary poets to Topanga and to provide authors and audiences (near and far) with a poetic forum and community, delivering literary events which are edgy, spiritual, inspiring, and at times irreverent.

When: Quarterly; 6 pm
Where: Zoom
Address: N/A
Cost: Free
Website: Facebook

Miriam’s Garden

About: Mriam’s Garden is a monthly poetry reading series founded in 2023 and hosted by Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Branch Library in their outside garden.

When: Monthly; 2pm – 3:30pm
Where: Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Branch Library
Address: 2205 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90043
Cost: Free
Website: Instagram

New Short Fiction Series – Currently on Crowdcast

About: The New Short Fiction Series is Los Angeles’ longest running spoken word series. As they say on their website “The West Coast’s best short fiction.” 26 years of new fiction voices with founder and host Sally Shore. Second Sunday of the month.

Where: Crowdcast
Time: 7 pm
Address: Live Streamed
Cost: $12 advance ticket purchase; $20 same day.
Note: Ticket sales end 3 hours before performance stream
Website: https://newshortfictionseries.net/

Next Words Reading Series

About: Next Words is a reading series and publication featuring CalArts’ graduating Creative Writing MFAs. Taking place in the spring at venues across Los Angeles—bookstores, art spaces, and even a former City Hall—it culminates in a final showcase at REDCAT. Next Words is organized by second-year writing students, with dedicated administrative support. It provides the Los Angeles literary community a formal introduction to the new and exciting work coming out of the CalArts program.

When: April and May; Verious times, Starts between 4 pm – 8 pm
Where: Various Venues
Address: N/A
Website: https://criticalstudies.calarts.edu/programs/creative-writing/reading-series/next-words

One For The Books

About: One For The Books is a literary series hosted by Traci Thomas. She and her guests will share their hot takes on the written word—novels, nonfiction, screenplays, it’s all fair game. There will be trivia, rants and raves, author interviews and maybe even a little gossip. Since this isn’t your momma’s book club, there’s no required reading. Their partner bookseller is the local Black woman owned bookstore Reperations Club.

When: Monthly; 7 pm – 8 pm
Where: Crawford Family Forum
Address: 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105
Cost: Three payment tears: Pay What You Choose – General Admission; Preferred Seating $12; Preferred Seating + Book Package $35
Website: https://laist.com/events/laist-events

Otis: Visiting Writers Series – VIrtual

About: Otis College of Art and Design’s M.F.A. program in Creative Writing hosts the Visiting Writers Series to bring poets and writers of national renown sharing their work and expertise with the students and the wider literary community of Los Angeles. Past writers have included: Ron Carlson, Bernard Cooper, D.J. Waldie, Sesshu Foster, Percival Everett, Jane Smiley, Jonathan Lethem and Cristina Garcia.

When: Monthly during school year
Time: 4 pm
Where: Zoom
Address: N/A
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.otis.edu/programs/undergraduate/first-year/liberal-arts-sciences/visiting-writers-series.html

Palabra: A Literary Salon

About: Join Latinx with Plants for their PIOPC seasonal poetry & literary reading/salon event held in their backyard greenhouse space, hosted by Jen Cheng, featuring a lineup of local writers and their works. Please RSVP so that we can provide an accurate amount of chairs for everyone.

When: Bi-mothly, third Sunday of the month
Time: 2 pm
Where: Latinx with Plants
Address: 2208 E. Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Cost: Free
Website: https://latinxwithplants.com/pages/calendar

Pitzer Literary Series – VIrtual

About: Literary events at Pitzer College. Past events include authors Mark Arax, Myriam Gurba, Sesshu Foster, Joyce Carol Oates, Kevin Kwan and Carribean Fragoza.

When: Varrious times on Zoom. Check website for exact information.
Where: Zoom
Address: Most events take place on Pitzer College’s campus, but some take place on the other Claremont College’s Campus’.
Website: https://5ccreativewriting.wordpress.com

The Poetry Brothel

About: Inspired by the turn-of-the-century brothels in New Orleans, Paris, and Buenos Aires, many of which functioned as permissive spaces were marginalized, fringe, and avant-garde artists could experiment and perform their work alongside sex workers, or while also performing sex work, The Poetry Brothel strives to promote empowered sexuality practices and radically open artistic expression. At The Poetry Brothel, a “madam” presents a rotating cast of poets, artists, and artisans who operate within self-constructed characters and share their work through staged public performances, spontaneous immersive eruptions, and, most distinctly, as purveyors of poetic goods, services, and experiences in intimate spaces.

Where: El Cid Sunset Concert Theater
Time: 8 pm
Address: 4212 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029
Cost: General Admission: $50; VIP Admissions: $80; Group Table: $220
Website: https://www.thepoetrybrothel.com/home/

Queer Spaces Storytelling Night

About: The theme is always queer space. The spaces that shape queers. Where they find love, tears and found family. Hosted by Jen Hitchcock.

Where: North Figueroa Bookshop
Time: 7pm
Address: 6040 North Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free
Website: www.instagram.com/bookshowla

Readings At The Hammer – Poetry

About: Readings are organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation.

Where: The Hammer
Time: 7:30 pm
Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Cost: Parking $7 flat rate after 6 pm.
Website: https://hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events?start_date=10%2F10%2F2022&category[5311]=5311

Roar Shack

About: Roar Shack is a collective of writers and artists, who bring audiences a diverse array of writers. Some of them come from fiction, some from memoir, some from poetry, and from music and performance and just about anything that leaves its own blood on the page. There is also a Live Write component to the reading. It’s a thrilling feat of writerly improvisation! Upon arrival, the audience gets to vote on a prompt. The winning prompt will be revealed to two audience members, onstage for all to see! They will write to that prompt while the musical guest plays – it’s going to be impossible not to listen, but no one said this was going to be easy. Then the Live Writers will each read their just-written words, and the audience gets to vote! The winner will develop the work into a finished piece to be read at the next show.

Where: 826LA Echo Park
Time: 2nd Sunday of the month: 4 pm
Address: 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar/

Scripps Presents

About: An electrifying mix of storytellers and artists, policymakers and musicians—and everything in between.

Where: Balch Auditorium or Hampton Room (Noon hour events), Garrison Theater
Time: 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm; 6 pm – 7:15 pm; 7 pm – 8:15 pm; and other various evening times.
Address: 1030 Columbia Ave, Claremont, CA 91711 (Balch Auditorium); 345 E. 9th Street (Hampton Room); 231 E 10th St, Claremont, CA 91711 (Garrison Theater), and other venues.
Website: http://www.scrippscollege.edu/scrippspresents or Facebook

Some Favorite Writers

About: This series of readings is organized by Mona Simpson, author of Casebook, My Hollywood, Anywhere But Here, and Off Keck Road. Readings are followed by discussions with Simpson. This series is supported, in part, by the UCLA Department of English and Friends of English.

When: First half of the year; 7:30 pm
Where: Billy Wilder Theater, Hammer Museum; can watch on Hammer Chanel
Address: 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
Cost: Free but tickets required due to limited seating; Parking $7 under the museum
Website: www.hammer.ucla.edu/programs-events

SUMARR

About: SUMARR is the personification of summer in Norse mythology. Sumarr Reading Series is thus a summer happening on Sundays at Pop-Hop Books & Print. Each event includes four readers and a live musical performance. Diana Arterian started in Sumarr 2010 in her backyard, and continues to curate and host the series today at Pop-Hop.

Where: Pop-Hop Books & Print
Time: 5 or so summer readings: 3 pm – 4:30 pm
Address: 5002 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Sumarr.Reading.Series