Literary Cleveland is currently accepting submissions of original work on the theme of immigration. Selected works will be included in an original staged reading on Sat. March 18th and Sun. March 19th as part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival. We encourage writers to interpret the theme broadly, and welcome submissions from all genres — including (but not limited to) poetry, memoir, short story, and creative nonfiction. Submissions do not have to be written in first-person. Maximum word count for submissions should be no more than 2,500 words.

Young writers and teens are encouraged to submit, and we especially encourage entries from individuals who might not consider themselves writers but have an important story to tell. To clarify, your story does not have to include Cleveland; we are simply calling on Cleveland writers and residents to tell a story relating to the theme of immigration. Previously published work is eligible for submission too.

Submissions will be reviewed by a committee comprised of both Lit Cleveland board members and community members. Payment for accepted works consists of two free tickets to the staged performance, as well as recognition on stage and in the program.

In order to transform your written work into a dynamic performance, Lit Cleveland will engage a director to work with actors to provide a dramatic interpretation of selected works. If you are looking for ways to jumpstart your writing, Lit Cleveland will host a free workshop titled “Writing Your Family History” on Sat. Feb. 4th, from 10a-12p at Lake Erie Ink, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleve. Hts. 44118.

The deadline for submissions is Feb. 15th. Please send submissions to [email protected] and use “Crossing Borders: Immigrant Narratives in Cleveland” as the subject header. If you have any questions, please send them to [email protected] and we will respond as quickly as possible.

“Crossing the Border: Immigrant Narratives in Cleveland” will be produced in collaboration with Cleveland State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and will be held in the CSU Student Center ballroom. This event is co-sponsored by the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities and Cleveland State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.