Centrum’s literary programming creates rigorous, craft-focused community for writers working in a variety of styles.

It all started in 1974 with the founding of the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference by novelist Bill Ransom, who envisioned an egalitarian, non-hierarchical conference where the emphasis was on the craft of literary writing.

Subsequent program leadership includes Jim Heynen, Carol Jane Bangs, Sam Hamill, Carla Vander Ven, Rebecca Brown, Christina Garcia, Erin Belieu, Jordan Hartt, Sam Ligon, George Marie and Gary Copeland Lilley, who have all continued the Conference’s emphasis on community, writing craft, and writing inspiration over the last few decades. The Conference remains as it has been for nearly 50 years: an annual pilgrimage for many.

Smaller weekend retreats have become a part of Centrum’s year-round programming, as well. Happening in the winter, spring, and autumn, these retreats provide the time and space to write, in the inspiration of Fort Worden State Park.

Whether writers seek to create or revise new work, find writing community, or simply desire a writing retreat, Centrum’s Port Townsend Writers’ Conference is at the wild heart of the thriving Pacific Northwest literary scene.

Past faculty members appear below. We are missing a couple of years (1976, 1977, and 1989) in our records, so if you are able to fill in these gaps, please do let us know!

2023

PTWC Artistic Curator Gary Copeland Lilley and award-winning faculty (listed alphabetically) Kim Addonizio, Quenton Baker, Elizabeth Colen, Alice Derry, ​Melissa Febos, CMarie Fuhrman, Tess Gallagher, Derrick Harriell, Arna Bontemps Hemenway, Brandon Hopson, Ravi Howard, Sasha LaPointe, ​Sam Ligon, Rena Priest, Sebastian Matthews, Laura Read, Anastacia Reneé, Shawn Vestal, and Kristen Millares Young. 

2022

PTWC Artistic Curator Gary Copeland Lilley and award-winning faculty (listed alphabetically) Adrian Blevins, Arna Bontemps Hemenway, Wendy Call, Elizabeth Colen, Sayantani Dasgupta, Melissa Febos, CMarie Fuhrman, Tess Gallagher, Terrance Hayes, David Haynes, Kate Lebo, Sam Ligon, Kristen Millares Young, Sebastian Matthews, Matthew Olzmann, Shin Yu Pai, Dawn Pichón Barron and Anastacia-Reneé.

2021

Kim Addonizio, Diana Abu-Jaber, Steve Almond, Jenny Boully, Rebecca Brown, Claudia Castro Luna, Gary Copeland Lilley, CMarie Fuhrman, Jourdan Imani Keith, Mikhail Iossel, Melissa Kwasny, Sam Ligon, Robert Lopez, Kristen Millares Young, Paisley Rekdall, Shawn Vestal, Maya Jewell Zeller.

2020

Rebecca Brown, Debra Gwartney, Robert Lopez, Sam Ligon, Alexandra Teague, Paisley Rekdal.

2018
Sam Ligon, Lily Hoang, Patricia Henley, Bill Ransom, Shawn Vestal, Ilya Kaminsky, Bruce Beasley, Suzanne Paola, Emily Kendal Frey, Melissa Febos, Luis Urrea, Debra Gwartney, Kate Lebo, Gary Copeland Lilley, Alexandra Teague, Tristan Beach, Jourdan Imani Keith, Richard Widerkehr.

2017
Sam Ligon, Dan Chaon, Kate Trueblood, Priscilla Long, Melissa Febos, Mark Doty, Erin Belieu, Dana Levin, Alexandra Teague, Emily Kendal Frey, Gary Copeland Lilley, Maya Jewell Zeller, Laura Read, Kami Westhoff, Elizabeth Vignali, Richard Widerkehr, Susan Landgraf, Theresa Barker, Kathryn Hunt, Colette Tennant, Shawn Vestal, Nina Mukerjee Furstenau, Kate Lebo, Jourdan Imani Keith, Susan J. Erickson.

2016
Marvin Bell, Kwame Dawes, Jonathan Evison, Melissa Febos, Nine Mukerjee Furstenau, Greg Glazner, Eric Greenwell, Debra Gwartney, Gary Copeland Lilley, Pam Houston, Jourdan Imani Keith, Dorianne Laux, Susan Landgraf, Kate Lebo, Sam Ligon, Joseph Millar, Joy Passanante, Marcia Perlstein, Colette Tennant, Shawn Vestal, Helena Maria Viramontes.

2015
Kim Addonizio, Thomas Aslin, Erin Belieu, Wendy Call, Patty Cogen, Christopher Clow, Gary Copeland Lilley, Claire Davis, Nine Mukerjee Furstenau, Judith Glass Collins, Allison Green, Skip Horack, Pam Houston, Jimmy Kimbrell, Susan Landgraf, Sam Ligon, Ellie Mathews, Tom Miller, Dawn Pichon Barron, Marcia Perlstein, Colette Tennant, Luis Alberto Urrea, Richard Widerkehr, D.D. Wigley, Maya Jewell Zeller.

2014
Kim Addonizio, Thomas Aslin, Erin Belieu, Sheila Bender, Mark Bibbins, Jennine Capó Crucet, Dan Chaon, Gary Copeland Lilley, Ellen Graham, Tom Healy, Gayle Kaune, Susan Landgraf, Dana Levin, Sam Ligon, Robert Lopez, Ellie Mathews, Bill Mawhinney, Marcia Perlstein, Emily Rapp, Midge Raymond, Diane Roberts, Ciara Shuttleworth, Colette Tennant, David Thacker, Elizabeth Thorpe, Kate Trueblood.

2013
Henry Alley, Janée J. Baugher, Erin Belieu, Sheila Bender, Jennine Capó Crucet, Dan Chaon, Terrance Hayes, Patricia Henley, Ann Hood, Skip Horack, Gayle Kaune, Susan Landgraf, Dorianne Laux, Sam Ligon, Bill Mawhinney, Joseph Millar, Jeanne Morel, Ruby Murray, Joy Passanante, Terry Persun, Bill Ransom, Midge Raymond, Laura Read, Ronni Sanlo, Arthur Sze, David Thacker, Elizabeth Thorpe, Maya Jewell Zeller

2012 
Benjamin Alire Saenz, Elizabeth Austen, John Baxter, Jim Bertolino, Wendy Call, Jennine Capó Crucet, Mark Clemens, Gary Copeland Lilley, Heidi Garnett, Anne Germanacos, Lia Gladstone, Fayette Hauser, Pam Houston, Gayle Kaune, Arlene Kim, Alex Kuo, Susan Landgraf, Stellasue Lee, Wayne Lee, Sam Ligon, Bill Mann, Ellie Mathews, Bill Mawhinney, Jeanne Morel, Midge Raymond, Diane Roberts, Philip Shaw, Cheryl Strayed, Colette Tennant.

2011
Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Pam Houston, Dorianne Laux, Sam Ligon, Cate Marvin, Carl Phillips, Paisley Rekdal, Bob Shachochis, Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Austen, Sheila Bender, Jenifer Browne Lawrence, Wendy Call, Ashley Capps, Susan J. Erickson, Gayle Kaune, Anne Germanacos, Gabriel Gudding, Kitty Hoffman, Susan Landgraf, Gary Lilley, Bill Mawhinney, Deborah Poe, Midge Raymond, Laura Read, Susan Rich, Kelli Russell Agodon, Michael Schein, Jeremy Voigt, Richard Widerkehr, Maya Jewell Zeller.

2010
Martín Espada, Bich Minh Nguyen, Dana Levin, Erin Belieu, Peter Orner, Chris Abani, Ana Menéndez, Sam Ligon, Wendy Call, Lana Hechtman Ayers, Lindsay Wilson, Kathryn Farris, Susan Rich, Maya Jewell Zeller, Sheila Bender, Daniel Zolinsky, Tamara Kaye Sellman, Bill Ransom, Stan Sanvel Rubin, Michael Schein, Gary Lemons, Deborah Poe, Kitty Hoffman, Susan Landgraf.

2009
Mark Doty, Robert Wrigley, Adrian Castro, Chris Abani, Peter Orner, Denise Chavez, Kim Barnes, Tony Cohan, Sam Ligon, Barbara Sjoholm, Lana Hechtman Ayers, Sheila Bender, Deborah Poe, Kitty Hoffman, Wendy Call, Jeremy Voigt, Paul Lisicky, Sayantani Dasgupta.

2008
Kim Addonizio, Gary Lilley, Kathleen Alcalá, Chris Abani, Lesley Hazleton, Selah Saterstrom, Brian Evenson, Sam Ligon, Peter Pereira, Jeannine Hall Gailey, Brenda Miller, Deb Lund, Ellie Mathews, Brandon Schrand, Barbara Bloom, Stephanie Lenox, Heather Hummel, Wendy Call, Lana Hechtman Ayers.

2007
Camille Dungy, Arthur Sze, Rikki Ducornet, Brian Evenson, Thomas Glave, Barbara Sjoholm.

2006
Ilya Kaminsky, Lynn Emanuel, Reginald Gibbons, Chris Abani, Breena Clark, Nahid Rachlin, Rafael Campo, Anne Finger, John Yau.

2005
Kim Addonizio, Bhanu Kapil, Peter Pereira, Alberto Ríos, Michelle Cliff, Michael Collins, Debra Magpie Earling, Lesley Hazelton, Paisley Rekdal.

2004
Martín Espada, Joseph Stroud, Emily Warn, Erin Belieu, Linda Bierds, Valerie Miner, Bill Ransom, Craig Lesley.

2003
Olga Broumas, Jane Brox, Brett Lott, Michael Martone, Thisbee Nissen, David St. John, Eleanor Wilner, Erin Belieu, Primus St. John, Joseph Stroud.

2002
Reetika Vazirani, Yusef Komunyakaa, Chase Twichell, Dorianne Laux, Arthur Sze, Judith Kitchen, Jim Heynen, Doug Unger, Stephen Kuusisto.

2001
Rebecca Seiferle, Marvin Bell, Colette Inez, Carolyn Kizer, Alberto Ríos, Judith Barrington, Patricia Henley, David Long, Gregory Orr.

2000
Terry Tempest Williams, Rikki Ducornet, Nance Van Winckel, John Haines, Carolyn Kizer, David Lee, Carol Muske, Primus St. John.

1999
Alan Cheuse, Quincy Troupe, Olga Broumas, John Balaban, John Keeble, Jane Hirshfield, Forrest Gander, C.D. Wright, Judith Barrington.

1998
Susan Zwinger, Bill Ransom, Richard Jones, John Balaban, Ben Mochizuki, Jane Hirshfield, Tom Robbins, James Welch, Annick Smith, William Kittridge, Marvin Bell, Eleanor Wilner.

1997
John Balaban, Linda Bierds, Marilyn Chin, Billy Collins, Alfred Corn, Stanley Crawford, Sam Hamill, Robin Hemley, John Keeble, Denise Levertov, Brett Lott, Valerie Miner, Jane Yolen.

1996
Percival Everett, Ursula Hegi, Joyce Thompson, Carol Muske, Marvin Bell, Cornelius Eady, Kay Morgan, Sue Halperin, Anna Grossnickle Hines, Josip Novakovich, David Rigsbee.

1995
Carolyn Kizer, Agha Shahid Ali, Richard Kenney, David Rigsbee, David Wagoner, Janice Eidus, Craig Lesley, Pam Houston, Omar Castañeda, Christopher Merrill, Jane Yolen, Bruce Colville, Kay Morgan.

1994
Sharon, Bryan, Ron Carlson, Bruce Coville, Omar Castaneda, Jane Hirshfield, Garrett Hongo, David Long, Valerie Miner, Robert Michael Pyle, Pattiann Rogers, Jane Yolen.

1993
Christianne Balk, Marvin Bell, Tess Gallagher, Linda Gregg, Theresa Pappa, Peggy Schumaker, William Stafford, Alan Cheuse, David Guterson, Michael Martone, Bruce Brown, Bruce Colville.

1992
Brenda Hillman, David St. John, David Wojahn, Craig Lesley, Kent Nelson, Joyce Thompson, Terry Tempest Williams, Bruce Colville.

1991
Maggie Anderson, Christianne Balk, Marvin Bell, David Bradley, David Guterson, Mark Halperin, Jane Hirshfield, Garrett Hongo, Robert Butler, Alex Kuo, Valerie Miner, David Bradley, Stanley Greenthal, Robert Michael Pyle, Maxine Scates, David Shields, Jane Yolen

1990
William Stafford, Carolyn Kizer, Olga Broumas, Alan Cheuse, James Houston, Nahid Rachlin, Jane Yolen, Bruce Brown, Craig Lesley, Belle Randall.

1988
Stephen Dunn, Jane Miller, Richard Kenney, Jane Hirshfield, Marge Piercy, Robert Olen Butler, Jane Yolen, Craig Lesley, Belle Randall.

1987
William Stafford, Margaret Randall, Jonathan Holden, Carolyn Kizer, Leonard Michaels, Charles Johnson, Carol Bly, Craig Lesley, Belle Randall, Geoffrey Wolff, Etheridge Knight, Jane Hirshfield, Marvin Bell, Scott Walker.

1986
William Stafford, Margaret Randall, Jonathan Holden, Carolyn Kizer, Leonard Michaels, Charles Johnson, Carol Bly, Belle Randall, Craig Lesley, Geoffrey Wolff, Etheridge Knight, Jane Hirshfield, Marvin Bell, Scott Walker, Carol Simmons Oles.

1985
Carolyn Kizer, William Stafford, Charles Wright, Ishmael Reed, Margaret Atwood, Tree Swenson, Barry Lopez, David Quammen.

1984
Margaret Atwood, Marvin Bell, Tess Gallagher, Graeme Gibson, Lewis Hyde, Carolyn Kizer, Barry Lopez, David Quamman, Belle Randall, Ishmael Reed, William Stafford, Mark Strand, Tree Swenson, Charles Wright.

1983
Marvin Bell, Kay Boyle, Carol Bangs, Diane Di Prima, Linda Gregg, Jim Heynen, William Kittridge, Michael McClure, Howard Nemerov, Tree Swenson.

1982
Olga Broumas, Henry Carlile, Raymond Carver, Carolyn Forché, Tess Gallagher, Sam Hamill, Paul Hansen, Jim Heynen, James Laughlin, Gordon Lish, Thomas McGrath, Sandra McPherson, Richard Shelton.

1981
Margaret Atwood, Jon Anderson, Jack Cady, Robert Hass, Sam Hamill, Jim Heynan, David Lee, Leslie Marmon Silko, William Matthews, Richard Shelton, William Stafford, Tree Swenson,  Jane Yolen.

1980
James Bertolino, Madeline DeFrees, Sam Hamill, Donald Hall, Jim Heynan, Jane Kenyon, Galway Kinnell, Bill Knott, Meridel LeSueur, William Matthews, Lisel Mueller, Bill Ransom, Richard Shelton, Ann Stanford, Tree Swenson.

1979
Robert Bly, Mark Halperin, Sam Hamill, Robert Hass, Ken Kesey, Maxine Kumin, Thomas McGrath, James Masao Mitsui, Denise Levertov, William Pitt Root, Bill Ransom, Robert Stone, Tree Swenson, David Wagoner.

1978
Olga Broumas, Carolyn Forché, Len Fulton, Tess Gallagher, Ken Gerner, Sam Hamill, Laura Jensen, Stanley Kunitz, Barry Lopez, Sandy Lopez, Tim McNulty, Bill Ransom, William Stafford, Tree Swenson, Diane Wakowski, James Welch, Kathleene Weste.

1977
Olga Broumas, Ed Harkness, Carolyn Kizer, Billy Mack Gamill, Steve Sanfield, Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen.

1976
Jack Cady, Cheryl Van Dyke, Madeline DeFrees, Frank Herbert, Phillip Levine, Vonda McIntyre, Leonard Randolph, Kenneth Rexroth, Tom Robbins, Robin Skelton, William Stafford, Tree Swenson.

1975
Jack Cady, Kelly Cherry, Len Fulton, Sam Hamill, Robert Hedin, Richard Hugo, James Masao Mitsui, Leonard Randolph, Primus St. John, Tree Swenson, David Wagoner, Alice Walker, James Welch, Jessamyn West.

1974
Paul Brase, Jack Cady, James Crumley, Herbert Gold, Frank Herbert, Jack Hicks, Richard Hugo, R.P. Jones, Glenna Luschei, William Penn, Leonard Randolph, Primus St. John, Cheryl Van Dyke, Diane Wakoski, James Welch, Thomas Withridge.