Memorial Lectures

Since 2011, The Leslie Scalapino series of memorial lectures have presented over 20 talks, discussions, and performances by some of our most dynamic contemporary poets, artists, and thinkers.

The Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics is an annual lecture series with a focus on critical analysis of innovative poetry, essays, plays and cross-genre work primarily by women poets. The series invites contemporary writers to present their work in the spirit exemplified by Scalapino’s own critical writing and editorial vision as publisher of O Books.

The first lecture was presented at Small Press Traffic and the current series is now presented on an annual basis at Naropa University and UC Berkeley. A new series will be launched in 2022 on the east coast, facilitated by Litmus Press.

The current video archive of Leslie Scalapino Memorial Lectures is generously hosted by PennSound.


Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at Naropa University (2012- )

The Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at Naropa University is curated and administered by the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics as part of their annual Spring Symposium.

Lectures Presented:
Joan Retallack, 2012
Jalal Toufic, 2012
Steve Evans, 2014
Dorothy Wang, 2015
Dawn Lundy Martin, 2016
Caroline Bergvall, 2017
Julie Carr, 2018
Cecilia Vicuña, 2019
Erin Mouré, 2021


Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at UC Berkeley (2013- )

The Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at UC Berkeley is curated by Lyn Hejinian. As of Lyn Hejinian’s retirement in 2021, the Lecture is now The Scalapino-Hejinian Lecture in Innovative Poetics and is administered by the English Department at UCB.

Lectures Presented:
Judith Goldman, 2013
Renee Gladman, 2014
Lisa Robertson, 2015
Nate Mackey, 2016
Emilie Clark, 2018
Jennifer Scappettone, 2019
Eugene Ostashevsky, 2021


Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at Pratt Institute (2015-2021)

The Leslie Scalapino Lecture in Innovative Poetics at Pratt Institute (2015-2021) was curated and facilitated by E. Tracy Grinnell.

Lectures Presented:
Erica Hunt, 2015
M. NourbeSe Philip, 2016
Myung Mi Kim, 2017
Tisa Bryant, 2018
Lyn Hejinian, 2021


Leslie Scalapino Memorial Lecture in 21st Century Poetics at Small Press Traffic (2011-2015)

The Leslie Scalapino Memorial Lecture in 21st Century Poetics at Small Press Traffic was founded and curated by Michael Cross and Samantha Giles.

Lectures Presented:

Joan Retallack, 2011
Jalal Toufic, 2012
Petah Coyne, 2013
Divya Victor & Simone White, 2014
Ronaldo Wilson, 2015