Monday August 18

CLAS appreciates hearing from so many who benefited greatly from the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. I take decisions like we made last week very seriously, and I fully recognize that it has felt confusing to many.

Right now is a challenging time for higher education and programs that don’t directly serve our undergraduate or graduate students, such as the ISWF, must at a minimum be self-sustaining. ISWF has lost more than $100,000 annually for the past five years, resulting in a cumulative deficit of approximately $578,000. Unfortunately, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can no longer continue to cover the shortfall and for that I am incredibly sorry.

Iowa’s commitment to writing remains very strong and we are excited about the new initiatives we have launched, particularly the Office of Writing and Communication which will create greater collaboration between our many areas of distinction.

Thank you again for sharing your concern. This difficult decision was in no way a reflection of the dedication or effort of the staff of the festival, only the realities of the resources required.

Sara Sanders, PhD, MSW
Dean

Monday, August 11

As we conclude another Summer Writing Festival on campus, we have some sad news to share. After careful review and consideration, due to ongoing funding challenges CLAS has made the difficult decision to discontinue the Iowa Summer Writing Festival effective December 31st, 2025.

We are proud of how ISWF has welcomed adult writers from across the country to campus every summer since 1987, making Iowa City’s writing community and immersive education in the craft of writing accessible to so many. This decision is in no way a reflection of the dedication or effort of the staff of the festival, only the realities of the resources required.

We are forever grateful to all those writers who have participated in the festival over the decades, with many of you coming back year after year. You made this festival what it was and brought creativity and energy to Iowa City each summer.

We invite you to share your favorite memories of the festival on Facebook or Instagram. For questions, please email clas-feedback@uiowa.edu.