About the Louisville Conference
Founded in 1973, the Louisville Conference on Literature and Culture (LCLC) has spent more than five decades building a global community around the sustained study of modern and contemporary writing. Hosted by the University of Louisville, the conference is distinguished by its commitment to three modes of inquiry: critical scholarship, creative practice, and work that blurs the line between the two.
LCLC draws participants from across the country and around the world: from graduate students presenting their first research alongside distinguished scholars and award-winning authors. All attend the conference with a shared investment in what literature does and why it matters.
Each year’s conference centers on a Call for Papers that invites proposals across a broad range of topics, periods, genres and approaches. Panels, roundtables, workshops and creative sessions run across multiple days, creating space for both deep disciplinary exchange and unexpected interdisciplinary conversation.
The conference also features keynote speakers who represent the breadth of literary and cultural life – from celebrated novelists and poets to critics and theorists shaping the field today.
Why attend LCLC?
Present Your Work to a Global Audience
LCLC draws scholars and practitioners from institutions worldwide. It’s a meaningful venue for workshopping new research, sharing creative projects, or testing ideas with a rigorous, engaged audience.
Three Modes of Participation
Critical, creative and critical-creative submissions are all welcomed. Present a paper, share new writing, or propose a format that doesn’t fit neatly into either category.
Hybrid Format – Virtual and In-Person
LCLC offers both virtual and in-person participation, making the conference accessible to scholars at every career stage and from every corner of the world.
Louisville, Kentucky
The conference is hosted at the University of Louisville — a research institution in a vibrant, culturally rich city that makes for an exceptional conference destination.
Stay Connected
Registration and our Call for Papers open annually. Sign up to be notified when submissions open, early bird registration launches and conference details are announced.