June 6, 11 a.m., SCI-Arc Library

Explore the world of publishing and literary arts with Chris Heiser, Nicole Katz, Joseph Mosconi, and Michelle Tea, who will be joined in conversation by LARB Radio Hour’s own Kate Wolf. As an opener to LITLIT, a festival all about the West Coast, this panel will dive into what the literary landscape is, where it’s going and where it’s been, and what inspires the panelists to dedicate their lives to the world of books and art.

Presented with support from Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club

June 6, 1:00 p.m., SCI-Arc Library

The Los Angeles Review of Books presents The Art of Comedic Writing, an exploration of the craft of comedy and the stories that it can tell. In an age of nihilism, the demand for whimsy feels like it’s on the rise. From clowns to sitcoms, this conversation will explore the importance and challenge of this kind of writing and why it shouldn't be laughed off. Join comedic writers and performers Christina Catherine Martinez, Maddie Connors, Jibz Cameron (Dynasty Handbag), and Ashley Brooke Roberts as they discuss the power that giving in to laughter holds, in addition to what comedy as a practice and art form can reflect about the world around us.

Presented with support from Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club

June 6, 3 p.m., SCI-Arc Library

Retellings: The Reimagination of Stories We Know is a panel conversation on pushing the possibilities of the traditional storytelling forms. From the lessons of Jewish folktales to Taiwanese myths, and from Filipino creatures to memories of an alien abduction, our panelists weave classic proverbs, tales, and fears into contemporary literature. Join Melissa Chadburn, K-Ming Chang, Ilana Masad, and sam sax as they discuss the use of myths and legends woven into their novels. This panel will be moderated by Mads Gobbo.

Presented with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club.

June 7, 11 a.m., SCI-Arc Library

Presented with UCLA Humanities.

How do we create memory in the digital age? Presented in partnership with UCLA Humanities, Collective Memory in Digital Spaces is a conversation dedicated to the technological tools that are being utilized to tell stories, build worlds, and create digital spaces that can reflect our real lives and the collective experience. Led by Daniel Snelson, this conversation will feature digital artists and designers Alice Bucknell, Yara Feghali, Sadia Quddus, and Whisper. Join us for a conversation that will dive into the positives of creating virtual containers and the artistry behind it.

Presented in partnership with SCI-Arc, Archiving Los Angeles: Art, Community, and Infrastructure is a discussion of archival work in its many forms. In the city of Los Angeles, which is constantly changing, burning, evolving, and disappearing, our panelists consider the ways in which we can capture the city, whether it’s through traditional or emerging forms of archival work. Moderated by journalist Michelle Peng, we welcome Tom Carroll (Los Angeles Times 404), Hailey Loman (LACA), Darío Herrera (Clockshop), and Pierce Myers (SCI-Arc) to discuss the storytelling behind it all.

How does an idea go from its start as just a spark to its final form? Finding Form is a conversation between multidisciplinary artists Gabrielle Civil, Tom Comitta, Harry Dodge, and Johanna Hedva, whose work takes them across formats—music, film, performance art, the page. Together, these artists will discuss how point of view is perhaps the most powerful tool for discovering art’s true form, and how they have assembled a sense of craft that lends itself to many modalities.