From Away is produced in collaboration with the IWP at the University of Iowa, a unique residency program that brings together the writers of the world. Founded in 1967, the IWP brings established writers from around the globe to the University of Iowa, where they become part of a lively literary community on campus. Over the years, well over a thousand poets, writers, and dramatists from more than 130 countries have completed residencies in the program.
Many of the writers who have taken part in From Away have pushed for social change in their countries through the power of metaphor and the written word, and give Portland audiences a first-hand, behind-the-headlines perspective on artistic and political issues from around the globe. From Away takes place near the culmination of the writers’ three-month residency in the International Writing Program, and has become a favorite event of many writers.
