Jenny Holzer Art Installation to Light Up Rockefeller Center Buildings with Prose in Celebration of PEN America’s 100th Birthday, Starting Wed., 9/14
The outdoor installation, titled SPEECH ITSELF, will include quotes from more than 60 authors in a visual tribute to the right to express ourselves freely. Among the authors whose… More
Artist Jenny Holzer to Light Up Rockefeller Center in Tribute to PEN America’s 100 Years of Defending Free Expression
Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said: “Because her work reifies and celebrates words, there could not be an artist more fitting to celebrate PEN America’s centenary than the… More
The PEN Pod: Fighting for Artistic Freedom in Myanmar with Karin Deutsch Karlekar and Bart Was Not Here
“It’s really striking to see the degree to which writing is at the heart of what we are debating about. . . . we are seeing just… More
A Story of Two Brains
“That’s what artists do: We imagine possibilities. . . . But the thing is, sometimes we get it wrong.” More
Cuban Rapper El Radikal Released on Bail
After 40 days of detention, Cuban rapper Richard Adrián Zamora Brito, known as El Radikal, was released last Friday on bail. More
Cracking Down on Creative Voices: Turkey’s Silencing of Writers, Intellectuals, and Artists Five Years After the Failed Coup
PEN America outlines the legal mechanisms that the Turkish government has used to silence writers, activists, artists, academics, and creative professionals. More
Trial of Russian Artist Charged With “Disseminating Pornography” Begins
A Russian feminist artist and LGBTQIA+ activist is being tried this week on charges of disseminating pornography for her artwork that depicts nude bodies. More
The PEN Pod: Finding Inspiration in History with Maaza Mengiste
“What writers and novelists force us to do in the work is to pause. . . And if there’s anything that COVID has made me consider, it’s how we… More
PEN America Calls for Immediate Release of Chinese Artist Arrested for Supporting Hong Kong Protesters
“ The arrest of Yang Licai is an assault on free speech and artistic freedom. It’s part of an alarming crackdown against Chinese activists and artists involved in pro-democracy… More
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As we hurtle toward the midterms, the public turns to local journalism for accurate and timely information about elections, process, & candidates. Join us to celebrate the role of local news in democracy next week, on Tues. 10/11 in Fort Worth, Texas.
➡️https://pen.org/event/celebrating-the-power-of-community-journalism-in-fort-worth-during-election-seasons/
#StandWithSalman in Hawai'i!
Saturday October 8 at 1PM: A free outdoor event of readings from Salman Rushdie’s acclaimed works on the steps of the Hawaii State Library.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rally-and-readings-in-honor-of-salman-rushdie-tickets-428164370157
In the cause of human rights, the new #NobelPeacePrize winner Ales Bialiatski sacrificed his own freedom and remains jailed with 100s whose only “crime” is speaking the truth. Read more: https://pen.org/press-release/pen-america-recognizes-the-courage-and-activism-of-nobel-peace-prize-winners-in-ukraine-russia-and-belarus/ https://twitter.com/pen_belarus/status/1578316010263715840