Fiscal Sponsorship
Southwest Word Fiesta
The Southwest Word Fiesta
Overview
The Southwest Word Fiesta, originally known as the Southwest Festival of the Written Word, was created to celebrate authors who live and work in the Southwest. Festivals feature the heritage of writing and writers in the Southwest, showing how that deep history connects to the present. The festival reveals how the diverse literary genres and interests coalesce and relate. Writers who have produced outstanding work that deserves continued appreciation are honored. People of all ages who want to improve their writing or make a career out of putting words together are encouraged.


Mission and Celebration
The Southwest Word Fiesta deliberately uses the word ‘celebrate’ in its mission statement because the power and freedom of ideas cast in words of subtle art always create, among other emotions, joy. Celebration alone is cause enough for a Southwest festival. Our festival also creates a crossroads where people from Arizona, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, and beyond meet and talk literature, publishing, and the myriad topics that engage writers and readers.
Founding and History
The Southwest Festival of the Written Word was founded in 2010 by members of the major cultural institutions in Silver City: the university, the public library, and the Western Institute of Lifelong Learning. The festival takes place every other year and attracts over 800 visitors. The first festival was held in 2013.

Ongoing Projects and Highlights
In the interim between festivals, the Southwest Word Fiesta runs ongoing projects such as writers’ workshops, a regular radio show (“Use Your Words: Writers Speak”), school visits, the Poet Laureate Program, Word Feast, book launches, and other readings. One highlight was the organization and sponsorship of the visit to Silver City in 2016 by the Poet Laureate Program, Word Feast, book launches, and other readings. One highlight was our organization and sponsorship of the visit to Silver City in 2016 of the Poet Laureate of the United States, Juan Felipe Herrera. Participating authors have included several other internationally-known figures such as Mark Medoff, Ana Castillo, and Denise Chávez
