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 The Southwest Writers Series began in 1985 with a Meet The Author grant written by Susan Lang of Yavapai College, and Sam Henrie of Prescott College. The grant was funded by the Arizona Commission on the Arts.
The idea was to bring both well-known and up-and-coming writers, primarily from the Southwest, to the area to hold workshops, discussions and readings in the community. The first years saw Ron Carlson, Alberto Rios, John Nichols, Edward Abbey, Scott Momaday, Luci Tapahonso, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Tony Hillerman, Barbara Kingsolver, Rudolpho Anaya, Chuck Bowden, and many other celebrated writers from the area. Eventually, the Series expanded its scope and brought writers such as Carolyn Forche, Marge Piercy, Charles Baxter, Grace Paley, Marilyn Robinson, Martin Espada, Rich Moody, Rodney Jones and other well-known writers from areas outside the Southwest.
The Series continues to bring many high-quality up-and-coming writers, such as Sherman Bitsui, Margo Tamez and Stella Pope Duarte..
Over the years, the Series has brought MacArthur Foundation, Pulitzer Prize, Lannon Foundation, and Nation Book Award winners. It has collaborated with the Northern Arizona Book Festival, with all three State Universities on an NEA grant, with the Arizona Foundation for the book , and also with One Book Arizona, the Montana Hellsgate Writers, the American Academy of Poets, and the Orion Society.
Today the Southwest Writers Series is a collaboration between Prescott College and Prescott Public Library. It is funded by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, with occasional funding furnished by other collaborators.
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