Reading Series

The Juniper Reading Series is held during the week of the Juniper Summer Writing Institute and features readings by our workshop faculty and visiting poets and writers. Institute participants’ tuition costs include access to this reading series, which is funded in part by support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. These readings are open to the public, though public seating is limited. We suggest a sliding-scale donation of $5 to $20 from members of the public attending the reading series. You can donate to our scholarship fund online through this secure link.


2026 Reading Series

From June 21st to June 26th, join us in our 2026 Reading Series! All events will take place from 7:30pm-9:00pm, with events on Monday-Thursday taking place on the 2nd floor of the Old Chapel on the UMass Amherst campus and Friday’s event taking place at the Orchard Pavilion*.

Sunday: June 21, 7:30-9:00
Old Chapel, 2nd Floor
Khadijah Queen, Leila Chatti & Dantiel W. Moniz

Monday: June 22, 7:30-9:00
Old Chapel, 2nd Floor
Noy Holland & Ocean Vuong

Tuesday: June 23, 7:30-9:00
Old Chapel, 2nd Floor
Patrycja Humienik, Sarah Aziza & Madeline ffitch

Thursday: June 25, 7:30-9:00
Old Chapel, 2nd Floor
Desiree C. Bailey, Yasmin Zaher & Dur e Aziz Amna

Friday: June 26, 7:30-9:00
Orchard Pavilion*
Aria Aber, Craig Santos Perez & Eula Biss

* Please note that in the event of rain or thunderstorms, Friday’s reading will be moved from the Orchard Pavilion to the 2nd Floor of the Old Chapel.

Directions to the Orchard Pavilion: set your GPS to Orchard Hill Residential Area, or 151 Orchard Hill Dr, Amherst, MA 01003. Park in Lot 49 right next to Dickinson House. The Pavilion is a short walk directly north of the parking lot.

Juniper Poster Archive

  • The Juniper Reading Series 2023 poster. In the center of the poster, right below the Juniper Summer Writing Institute logo and the dates June 11-17, 2023, the readings are announced as follows. Monday, June 12, Diana Khoi Nguyen and Leni Zumas. Tuesday, June 13, Mahogany L. Browne and CAConrad. Wednesday, June 14, Tiphanie Yanique and Cynthia Arrieu-King. Thursday, June 15, Santee Frazier and Jeff Parker. On the left and right sides of the poster are grayscale photos of all of the reading faculty among red, green and blue decorative triangles. At the bottom of the poster is additional information, "Readings begin at 6:30. Old Chapel, 144 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA, 01003." In smaller text below that, "Sunday, June 11 and Friday, June 16 readings are closed to the public." Below that in the center is a Juniper QR code. "Scan this QR code to make a donation to our scholarship fund. Any amount helps keep literary programming accessible for all. Suggested donation $5-$20." At the bottom of the poster are the logos of the sponsors of the Juniper Summer Writing Institute, from left to right: The Valley Advocate, UMass Native American and Indigenous Studies, CalArts, College of Humanities and Fine Arts, UMass Amherst, Mass Cultural Council, University of the Arts, the J.E. and Marjorie B. Pittman Foundation, and NEOMFA.