First Draft Writers’ Series
Third Thursday of each month, always FREE

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Check out the list of esteemed writers who have headlined First Draft since 2013.
Become a Friend of First Draft HERE.

 

Ursula LeGuin reading at First Draft.

The First Draft Writers’ Series brings authors and poets of note to the Pendleton stage to share new work. On the third Thursday of each month people who love the written word gather at the PCA’s Pearson Auditorium to hear our featured authors as well as three to five minute open mic readings by local emerging writers.

“Truly, [First Draft] was one of the best adventures of my writing career, right up there with winning the PNBA awards and being interviewed by Studs Turkel.”   – Craig Lesley

 

Open Mic

Our Open Mic readers add incredible life to First Draft. Whether you’re a professional, emerging literary artist, amateur or just get a burst of inspiration to write one thing, we’d love to have you read your original 3-5 minute piece for the audience. Up to ten people can sign up each month to share their work after the featured author and a quick Q&A. Just send us a note in the Zoom chat that you’d like to read.

NEXT: Join us for a reading with Rachel Barton

Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025
7:00 p.m. ZOOM ONLY

Zoom link Here

Having trouble with the link? Text or call Roberta at 541-310-7413 and she’ll send it to you directly.

Rachel Barton welcomes readers to her poetry with an approachable air; “This is where you might find dogs, bicycles, family, flowers, the sweetness of jam, the lightness of a well-earned fatigue–where whatever you put your hands on, wherever your eyes lead you, becomes more by virtue of your attention–this is the poetry of everything.”

 On Thursday, February 20th, Barton will read from her new collection of poems as part of the Pendleton Center for the Arts’ First Draft Writers’ Series. First Draft is a Zoom-based event, and the link is available at PendletonArts.org.

 Rachel Barton is a poet, writing coach, and founding editor of Willawaw Journal. She also serves as an associate editor for Cloudbank Books. Her collection, This is the Lightness, was published by The Poetry Box in 2022. Her newest collection, Jacob’s Ladder, was published by Main Street Rag 2024.  Barton’s recent publications include SALT, SLEET, Cirque, and the Oregon English Journal.

Poetry reviewer Dale Champlin recently wrote, “The poetry in Rachel Barton’s latest book, Jacob’s Ladder, takes the reader, rung-by-rung, up into a not-so everyday world of wonder. It’s as if the poet views even the most mundane as an opportunity for reverence and pleasure. With incandescent phrases many of these often prose poems—lead to home. Barton explores her surroundings with equal attention to nature as to human relationships. Cascade mountains embrace, corn silk whispers, jeweled mounds of pomegranates stain sticky fingers, and hummingbirds emit a heavy low hum.”

PCA Executive Director Roberta Lavadour noted that Barton describes her own work as,”98% Accessible.”

“We’re always trying to grow the audience for First Draft, and poetry can be a hard sell,” said Lavadour. “Someone like Rachel is the perfect gateway for those who love books and reading but haven’t quite caught the poetry bug yet—and the Zoom format makes it easy to dip your toe in.”

First Draft Writers’ Series is every third Thursday and is free for everyone. More information about Barton’s work can be found at RachelBartonWriter.com 

Coming Soon:

March: Laura Winter
Laura Winter lives in Portland Oregon with visual artist, Brad Winter and Kinta, an orange tabby cat. Laura is a past vice president for Oregon Community Foundation where she
worked for 30 years. Winter is author of poetry collections, broadsides and performance projects. Her poems have been translated into several languages. Winter’s recent book,
noble scratch, roughly spoken, features visual artist Brad Winter.