Chautauqua Poets & Writers brings the country's most respected poets and writers to the Rogue Valley to give public readings and to work with teachers and students.  The series grew from International Writers of 1980s and ‘90s and the New Chautauqua Lecture Series in the early 2000s. In 2005, Chautauqua Poets & Writers began by bringing Li-Young Lee to Southern Oregon University for a reading and to Ashland High School for a student workshop.  In 2006, two poets were added to the series-Naomi Shihab Nye and Jane Hirshfield. In 2007, Alberto Ríos and Ted Kooser presented for the series, giving readings at Ashland High School, workshops to students at Rogue Valley middle schools, Rogue Community College, Medford campus, and for graduate students and teachers for the Oregon Writing Project at Southern Oregon University.  The continued appearances of writers are funded through the generosity of many institutions, agencies, community members.

Printing letterpress broadsides of a visiting poet is a long time tradition. The broadsides for Jane Hirshfield, Naomi Shibab Nye, and Lawson Fusao Inada were printed by various preses in honor of their visit to Ashland, Oregon. Owner Cathy DeForest of Jubilation Press has printed broadsides for Robert Pinsky, Ted Kooser, Li-Young Lee, Alberto Rios and will continue to make this contribution to this community effort. Those broadsides can be viewed under Jubilation Press on this website.

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