Aug 6, 2026 - Culture

Writers Center Stage reveals 2026-2027 season

Sam Allard

Illustration of a book surrounded by a line of velvet rope. — Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Cuyahoga County Public Library has announced the lineup for the 23rd season of its William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage series at the Maltz Performing Arts Center.

Why it matters: The annual series brings the buzziest and most acclaimed contemporary writers to Cleveland for conversations about their newest books and creative lives.

Zoom in:

Jesmyn Ward (Sept. 14)
Alexis Nikole Nelson (Oct. 29)
LeVar Burton (Nov. 12)
Virginia Evans (March 4)
Tayari Jones (April 19)
George Saunders (May 6)

💭 Sam's thought bubble: As usual, CCPL knocks it out of the park. Evans' "The Correspondent" was one of the most talked-about books last year.

And the novels of both Ward (wrenching, luminous) and Saunders (wacky, uproarious) have led to memorable conversations at my own book club in recent years.

What's next: Current subscribers can renew their ticket packages beginning Aug. 10.

New subscriptions and single tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.

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Writers Center Stage reveals 2026-2027 season

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