Top 10 Memphis Spots for Literary Events You Can Trust

Memphis, Tennessee, may be best known for its blues music, barbecue, and rich civil rights history—but beneath its soulful surface lies a thriving, deeply rooted literary culture. From intimate poetry readings in historic libraries to bustling book fairs in revitalized downtown districts, Memphis offers a diverse array of literary events that celebrate storytelling in all its forms. But not all events are created equal. In a city where community trust is earned through consistency, authenticity, and inclusion, knowing which venues truly deliver on quality, accessibility, and cultural relevance is essential. This guide highlights the top 10 Memphis spots for literary events you can trust—venues that have stood the test of time, consistently engaged local voices, and cultivated spaces where writers and readers feel seen, heard, and valued.

Why Trust Matters

In the world of literary arts, trust is not a luxury—it’s the foundation. Unlike commercial entertainment, literary events thrive on connection: between author and audience, between text and lived experience, between community and culture. When a venue earns trust, it does so by prioritizing substance over spectacle, inclusivity over exclusivity, and sustainability over fleeting trends.

Trust in a literary space means knowing that the readings will feature diverse voices—not just tokenized appearances, but meaningful representation across race, gender, class, and genre. It means knowing that the event is well-organized, the seating is accessible, the sound system works, and the host respects the writers’ time. It means that children, seniors, students, and non-native English speakers feel welcome. It means the venue doesn’t charge exorbitant fees to attend or require patrons to purchase overpriced merchandise just to enter.

Memphis, with its complex history and vibrant resilience, demands literary spaces that reflect its soul. The city’s literary events have long served as platforms for social commentary, healing, and education—especially in neighborhoods historically underserved by mainstream cultural institutions. Trust is built when venues partner with local schools, libraries, and grassroots organizations. It’s reinforced when events are free or pay-what-you-can, when readings are recorded and archived for those who can’t attend, and when the programming reflects the full spectrum of Memphis’s literary identity—from blues-inspired memoirs to experimental poetry from the Mississippi Delta.

This guide focuses exclusively on venues that have demonstrated a multi-year commitment to these values. We’ve evaluated each based on consistency of programming, community feedback, accessibility, diversity of featured authors, and transparency in operations. No sponsored placements. No paid promotions. Just the 10 spots in Memphis where literary culture doesn’t just happen—it endures.

Top 10 Memphis Spots for Literary Events You Can Trust

1. The Memphis Public Libraries – Main Branch

The Memphis Public Libraries, particularly the historic Main Branch on Third Street, is the cornerstone of the city’s literary ecosystem. Open since 1903, this Beaux-Arts building has weathered segregation, urban decay, and funding cuts—yet it remains a beacon for literary engagement. The library hosts over 150 literary events annually, including author talks, writing workshops, children’s story hours, and monthly poetry slams.

What sets it apart is its unwavering commitment to accessibility. All events are free, no registration required, and materials are provided in multiple languages. The library partners with local universities, the Tennessee Writers Alliance, and the African American Literary Society to curate programming that reflects Memphis’s demographic richness. Recent highlights include a panel on Southern Gothic literature featuring three Black female authors from the Mississippi Delta, and a reading series dedicated to incarcerated writers whose work was published through the library’s Prison Literature Project.

The staff are deeply embedded in the community. Many have lived in Memphis for decades and personally know the writers they feature. The space is quiet, well-lit, climate-controlled, and equipped with assistive listening devices. For anyone seeking a reliable, no-frills, deeply authentic literary experience in Memphis, the Main Branch is the first and last stop.

2. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – The St. Jude Writers’ Series

It may seem unexpected, but St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital hosts one of Memphis’s most revered literary programs: The St. Jude Writers’ Series. Born from the hospital’s belief in the healing power of storytelling, this series brings nationally recognized authors to read and discuss their work with patients, families, and the public.

Events are held in the hospital’s state-of-the-art auditorium and are open to the public without charge. The programming is curated by a team of literary professionals and hospital chaplains, ensuring that each selection offers emotional resonance, intellectual depth, and cultural relevance. Past participants include Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award finalists, and poets who write about grief, resilience, and hope.

What makes this series trustworthy is its transparency and intentionality. There are no advertisements, no product placements, and no fundraising pitches during events. The focus is solely on the literature and the human connection it fosters. Many attendees—parents of patients, medical staff, and community members—return year after year, not for the fame of the authors, but for the quiet dignity of the space and the profound emotional honesty of the readings.

3. Crosstown Concourse – The Literary Loft

Housed in the repurposed Sears, Roebuck & Co. building, Crosstown Concourse is a hub of innovation and community. Within its 1.5 million square feet, The Literary Loft stands as a dedicated space for writers, readers, and thinkers. Launched in 2017, it has quickly become one of the most trusted venues for literary events in the city.

The Loft hosts weekly open mics, bi-monthly author signings, and quarterly book clubs that rotate through neighborhoods to ensure broad participation. What distinguishes it is its commitment to emerging voices. Nearly 70% of featured authors are first-time or local writers. The space is intentionally designed to be inclusive: all-gender restrooms, wheelchair-accessible stages, ASL interpreters available upon request, and childcare provided during evening events.

The programming is co-created with community members through monthly town halls. Recent events have included “Memphis in Verse,” a collaboration with high school students that featured original poems about gentrification and memory, and “Letters to My Younger Self,” a reading series where formerly incarcerated individuals shared personal essays. The Loft also archives all events online, making them available to those unable to attend in person—a rare and valuable service in the literary world.

4. The University of Memphis – Department of English & Creative Writing

The University of Memphis’s Department of English & Creative Writing has long been a nurturing ground for literary talent in the Mid-South. Its public events—readings, craft talks, and thesis defenses—are open to the community and consistently draw diverse crowds. The department’s MFA program is one of the most affordable in the region, and its faculty are deeply committed to public engagement.

Events are held in the historic Art & Architecture Building and often feature visiting writers from across the country, including Native American, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ voices rarely seen in other regional venues. The department also runs “The Memphis Writers Collective,” a monthly reading series that pairs student writers with published authors for mentorship and dialogue.

Trust here is built through consistency and academic integrity. Events are free, well-advertised, and scheduled with ample notice. The faculty do not promote personal agendas or commercial publications; instead, they spotlight literature that challenges, comforts, and expands the imagination. Many local writers credit their first public reading to this venue. For students, aspiring authors, and lifelong learners, the University of Memphis offers a sanctuary where literature is treated as both art and civic responsibility.

5. The National Civil Rights Museum – Literary Voices of the Movement

At the National Civil Rights Museum, literature is not a sideshow—it’s a central narrative. The museum’s “Literary Voices of the Movement” series brings together authors of memoirs, historical fiction, and poetry tied to the Civil Rights era. Events are held in the museum’s intimate auditorium, often accompanied by curated exhibits of original manuscripts, letters, and photographs.

What makes this series trustworthy is its scholarly rigor and emotional authenticity. Presenters include Pulitzer Prize-winning historians, descendants of movement leaders, and formerly silenced voices whose stories are now being recovered. The museum does not shy away from difficult topics: police brutality, voter suppression, internal movement conflicts. Yet it balances these with moments of joy, resilience, and communal love.

Events are free and open to all, with materials available in Braille and Spanish. The museum partners with local high schools to bring student groups, and offers guided “reading walks” through the exhibits that connect literary passages to physical spaces of protest and healing. For those seeking to understand Memphis’s literary legacy through the lens of justice and memory, this is the most profound and reliable experience in the city.

6. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music – Soul & Story

While Stax is globally known for its music, its “Soul & Story” series reveals an equally rich literary tradition. Held in the museum’s intimate theater, this series explores the intersection of music, memoir, and spoken word. Authors featured include biographers of Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding, poets who channel the rhythm of soul into verse, and novelists whose characters move through the backstreets of Soulsville.

What makes this series trustworthy is its deep cultural grounding. The programming is curated by Stax’s own archivists and oral historians, many of whom lived through the era they document. Events often include live musical interludes performed by local artists, but the focus remains on the written word. The museum ensures that all authors are compensated fairly, and that their books are sold at cost—never marked up.

Recent events have featured a panel on “The Black Southern Epistolary Tradition,” where writers read letters exchanged between activists in the 1960s, and a reading of “Memphis in My Bones,” a collection of poetry by a former Stax employee who witnessed the rise and fall of the label. The space is intimate, the audience is engaged, and the stories feel sacred. For those who believe that music and literature are two sides of the same soul, this is the place to be.

7. The Crosstown Theater – Poetry in the Round

Located in the heart of the Crosstown Arts District, The Crosstown Theater hosts “Poetry in the Round,” a monthly event that has become a pilgrimage for Memphis poets. Unlike traditional readings, this series is performed in a circle, with no stage, no podium, and no hierarchy. Attendees sit on cushions and benches, and poets take turns standing in the center to share their work.

The event began in 2015 as a grassroots gathering of friends and has grown into a nationally recognized platform for experimental and marginalized voices. The curators—three local poets with decades of community experience—select participants through an open submission process with no entry fee. They prioritize voices from the South Memphis, North Memphis, and Orange Mound neighborhoods, ensuring representation from communities often excluded from literary circuits.

What makes it trustworthy is its radical transparency. The event is recorded and uploaded to a public archive. Attendees are encouraged to offer feedback, and poets receive anonymous evaluations to help them grow. The theater provides free tea, water, and snacks. No one is turned away for lack of funds. “Poetry in the Round” doesn’t just host events—it cultivates a literary family.

8. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art – Literary Art Dialogues

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art has long been a space for visual storytelling—but its “Literary Art Dialogues” series has transformed it into a literary destination. Each event pairs a contemporary writer with a piece from the museum’s collection, inviting the author to respond in prose, poetry, or performance.

Recent pairings include a novelist responding to a Jacob Lawrence painting of the Great Migration, a poet interpreting a 19th-century Southern landscape, and a playwright performing a monologue inspired by a surrealist sculpture. The dialogues are followed by open discussion, allowing the audience to engage directly with both the artwork and the text.

Trust is built through curation, not celebrity. The museum avoids big-name authors unless their work has a direct, meaningful connection to the art. All events are free, and materials are provided in multiple formats. The staff are trained in disability inclusion, and ASL interpreters are always present. The series has become a model for how literary and visual arts can coexist in mutual reverence—a rare and deeply trusted collaboration in the cultural landscape.

9. The Orange Mound Community Center – Voices of the Block

Nestled in the nation’s first African American planned community, the Orange Mound Community Center hosts “Voices of the Block,” a monthly literary gathering that is as much about neighborhood history as it is about poetry and prose. Events are held in a converted church with stained-glass windows and wooden pews, creating a sacred, intimate atmosphere.

The series is run entirely by local residents—retired teachers, librarians, and retired postal workers—who have spent decades collecting oral histories from their community. Participants read original work or recite letters, sermons, and family stories passed down through generations. Many of the writers have never published a book; their power lies in their truth.

What makes this series trustworthy is its refusal to perform for outsiders. There are no media crews, no social media influencers, no ticket sales. The audience is neighbors—grandparents, teenagers, local shopkeepers. The center provides free meals before each event, and children are welcome to sit with their parents. “Voices of the Block” doesn’t seek to impress—it seeks to remember, to heal, to hold space.

10. The Memphis Writers Guild – Pop-Up Literary Gardens

Founded in 2012, the Memphis Writers Guild operates without a permanent building. Instead, it brings literature directly to the people through “Pop-Up Literary Gardens”—temporary, open-air readings held in parks, community gardens, and even front porches.

Events are announced via flyers, word of mouth, and local radio. They are held rain or shine, with portable seating, shade canopies, and refreshments provided by local vendors who donate proceeds back to the guild. Authors range from high school poets to retired professors, and all are paid a modest honorarium.

What makes this initiative trustworthy is its radical accessibility. No ID required. No registration. No barriers. The guild has hosted readings in public housing courtyards, near homeless encampments, and at the edges of abandoned lots turned into green spaces. Their mission is simple: literature belongs everywhere, not just in libraries or universities. In a city where access to culture is often tied to zip code, the Pop-Up Literary Gardens are a quiet act of rebellion—and one of the most trusted literary institutions in Memphis.

Comparison Table

FAQs

Are all these literary events free to attend?

Yes. Every venue listed in this guide offers its literary events free of charge. Some may accept voluntary donations, but no one is turned away for inability to pay. This is a core principle of trust in Memphis’s literary community.

Do I need to be a writer to attend these events?

No. These events are for readers, listeners, thinkers, and curious minds of all backgrounds. Many attendees have never written a poem or published a story. The goal is not to produce writers, but to cultivate a culture of listening and shared humanity.

Are children welcome at these events?

Yes. Most venues actively encourage families to attend. Several, including the Main Library, The Literary Loft, and Orange Mound Community Center, offer dedicated children’s programming or childcare during evening events.

How can I submit my work to be read at one of these events?

Each venue has its own submission process. The Literary Loft and Poetry in the Round accept open submissions via email. The University of Memphis and Memphis Writers Guild have application windows each semester. Check their websites or visit in person for details. No venue requires payment to submit.

Are these events recorded or archived for later viewing?

Many are. The Literary Loft, Poetry in the Round, and the Memphis Public Libraries archive all events online. The University of Memphis and the National Civil Rights Museum also offer transcripts and audio recordings for educational use. This ensures that literary culture remains accessible beyond the physical space and moment.

Why aren’t there more big-name authors on this list?

Because trust in Memphis isn’t built by celebrity. It’s built by consistency, humility, and community investment. While some venues occasionally host nationally known writers, the focus remains on voices that reflect the lived experience of Memphis itself. The most powerful stories here come from the people who live here—not those who pass through.

How can I support these literary spaces?

Attend. Bring a friend. Volunteer. Donate books. Share events on social media. Write letters to local officials supporting arts funding. The greatest support you can offer is your presence—and your willingness to listen.

Conclusion

Memphis is not just a city of music and food—it is a city of stories. From the whispered confessions of poets in a church-turned-community-center to the solemn readings at a hospital where words are the only medicine left, literature here is not a pastime. It is survival. It is memory. It is resistance.

The 10 spots listed in this guide are not chosen because they are the biggest, the fanciest, or the most advertised. They are chosen because they are the most honest. They show up, week after week, year after year, without fanfare. They do not chase trends. They do not silence uncomfortable truths. They do not gatekeep access. They open their doors—and their hearts—to anyone who wants to hear a story, tell a story, or simply sit quietly with others who understand the weight of words.

Trust in a literary space is earned slowly, through small acts of dignity: a chair left empty for someone who arrived late, a book offered free to a child who couldn’t afford one, a moment of silence after a poem about loss. These are the moments that define Memphis’s literary soul.

If you are new to the city, or new to literature, start here. Attend one event. Sit in the back. Listen. Let the words find you. You may not leave with a new favorite book—but you may leave with a new understanding of what community truly means.

Memphis doesn’t need you to buy tickets. It needs you to show up. And when you do, you’ll find that the stories here aren’t just being told—they’re being held.