Poets Claudia Rankine, E. Ethelbert Miller, and Paul Lisicky lead a list of 25 main stage authors and more than 30 concurrent programs at the 13th annual CityLit Festival. This year's edition--positioned as a celebration of National Poetry Month and in reflection upon the anniversary of last April's demonstrations focus the literary community on matters of race and social justice.

Expanded and held in new locations, CityLit Festival includes special appearances by award-winning poet Claudia Rankine, who appears Friday, April 15, at 7pm at the Maryland Institute College of Art (in a partnership between CityLit Project, Enoch Pratt Free Library, and MICA), and again Saturday, April 16, at 10:30am at the Pennsylvania Avenue branch of The Enoch Pratt Free Library, with support from the Maryland Humanities Council.

CityLit Festival's main activity then takes place from 11am to 6pm throughout April 16 on the campus of the University of Baltimore. For the first time in its history, the festival takes place away from Pratt Library's central library, but enlists both the Enoch Pratt Free Library and UB's MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program as partners.

Also appearing: D. Watkins, Lester Spence, Susan Muaddi Darraj, Kathy Flann, Amber Sparks, Barbara Paca, Danielle Shapiro, Marlene Trestman, Jill McCroskey Coupe, Garinè Isassi, Celeste Doaks, Jehanne Dubrow, Reggie Harris, Elizabeth Hazen, Elisabeth Dahl, and Laura Shovan, Slangston Hughes, Shirley Brewer, Sheri Venema, and Deborah Arnold.

Sessions include readings and conversation centering on John Keats with former UK Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion and Maryland Poet Laureat Stanley Plumly, a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's EMMA (with English Country Dancing afterward on Gordon Plaza), free critiques of prose and poetry, literary magazine/reading series/small press "speed dating," an agent pitch session with literary agent Emily Williamson of Chrysalis Literary, and a book arts session where participants can make their own journal.

CityLit Festival programs will take place in UB's Learning Commons (1415 Maryland Avenue), adjacent to Gordan Plaza and the Poe Statue, and across the street at UB's Student Center (12 W. Mount Royal Avenue).

Download the program here: http://www.citylitproject.org/index.cfm?page=news&newsid=164

Questions can be directed to [email protected] or 410-274-5691.