Fresno Poets' Association
The Fresno Poets' Association is a decades-old community reading series that features poetry and prose readings hosted by the Creative Writing Program. The FPA series is committed to bringing talented and creative writers to campus to share their work with the community.
Poet Chuck Moulton founded the Fresno Poets' Association as a community organization in the 1980s. Originally as much a social group as a literary one, the FPA provided opportunities for local poets to gather regularly at the old Wild Blue Yonder night club in the Tower District. Readings were later held inside the Bonner Auditorium at the Fresno Art Museum. In 1994, C. G. Hanzlicek became the director of the FPA, bringing noted poets from across the country for readings. Hanzlicek retired as director in 2009. After a brief time directed by the Henry Madden Library, the FPA series is now hosted by the Creative Writing Program, in conjunction with the College of Arts and Humanities. MFA faculty Connie Hales serves as series coordinator.
Current Season
Fall 2018
Sept. 29 — Fresno State MFA faculty @ Arte Américas
Oct. 26 — Venita Blackburn and Joseph Cassara @ The Backroom at The Revue
Nov. 16 — C. G. Hanzlicek @ Alice Peters Auditorium (PB 191) at Fresno State
Spring 2019
Feb. 15 — Tina Mozelle Braziel @ Alice Peters Auditorium (PB 191) at Fresno State
March 8 — Patricia Smith @ Arte Américas
April 26 — Brynn Saito and Mai Der Vang @ The Backroom at The Revue
Recent Visitors
2017-18
Glover Davis, Shawn Wen, Rachel Rinehart
2016-17
Andrea Jurjević, Biljana Obradović, Kristen Radtke, Solmaz Sharif, Mai Der Vang, Gary Young
2015-16
Myriam Gurba, Kerry Howley, Dennis Maloney, Wendy C. Ortiz, Jen Percy, Christine Poreba, Khaty Xiong
2014-15
Christopher Buckley, Marilyn Chin, John Gery, Jeffrey Schultz, Jon Veinberg, Chelsea Wagenaar