The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute (BMI) at UNLV continues its 20th anniversary celebration with free in-person and virtual literary events through May 2026. These events are free to attend and open to everyone.
BMI’s literary events bring together emerging writers, artists, and scholars in conversation around ideas and questions that are important to the Las Vegas and wider community. Notably, this season’s in-person events are co-curated by BMI’s fellows and this season’s virtual events are co-curated by graduate students in UNLV Creative Writing International program.
In-Person Events (BMI Live):
- Jan. 30, 2026, at 6 p.m. | The Art of Retelling the Truth featuring Melissa Febos, Jamie Hood, and Isle McElroy at the UNLV Dr. Arturo Rando-Grillot Hall
- Feb. 28, 2026, at 5 p.m. | Writing the Book You Needed featuring George M. Johnson and KB Brookins at the New West Las Vegas Library (co-presented with Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and co-sponsored by The LGBTQ+ Center)
- March 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. | On Persian Poetry and the Art of Translation: Celebrating Ahmad Shamlou’s Centennial featuring Niloufar Talebi and Maryam Ala Amjadi at the UNLV Rogers Literature & Law Building Room 101
- March 27, 2026, at 7 p.m. | Nature is What We Come To in the Practice of Remembering featuring Saretta Morgan with Lazarus Letcher, Erica Vital-Lazare, and Claytee D. White at the New West Las Vegas Library (co-presented with Las Vegas-Clark County Library District)
Virtual Events (Shop Talk):
- Feb. 6, 2026, at 12 p.m. Pacific | The Word Makes the World: Reclaiming Language and Creating Imagined Histories featuring Gina Balibrera and Tanya Shirazi Galvez
- April 3, 2026, at 3 p.m. Pacific | Poetry and Resistance: A Conversation with Farid Matuk and Hüseyin S. Arıkan
- April 9, 2026, at 12 p.m. Pacific | Seeking Meaning Through a Latino Futurist Lens featuring Ruben Reyes Jr. and Gustavo Alvarenga
For full event details, including information about the speakers and to register, please visit Black Mountain Institute's website.
About Black Mountain Institute
Black Mountain Institute champions writers and storytellers through programs, fellowships and community engagement. From the brightest spot on the planet, Black Mountain Institute amplifies writing and artistic expression to connect us to each other in the Las Vegas Valley, the Southwest, and beyond.
