Conference Information

SVWC 2024

Saturday, July 20 – Monday, July 22

Sun Valley Resort

 

Celebrating our 30th anniversary year this July, the 2024 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference will be held Saturday, July 20 through Monday, July 22 at the stunning Sun Valley Resort and Pavilion. For three days, some of the country’s—and the world’s—best writers and thinkers, including fiction and nonfiction writers, journalists, policymakers, and poets will descend upon the small town of Sun Valley, Idaho. This year, the all-star lineup will include Margaret Atwood, Kristin Hannah, Justice Stephen Breyer, Padma Lakshmi, Erik Larson, John Vaillant, Judy Blume, Niall Ferguson, and many more!

CELEBRATING OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY 

Thirty years ago, the founders of the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference sat around a kitchen table and dreamt up what would become today’s premier literary conference. Over the last three decades, 525 poets, playwrights, historians, novelists, and musicians have graced the stage at SVWC, including authors Alice McDermott and Hernan Diaz, poets Naomi Shihab Nye and Rita Dove, and longtime friend of the Conference, Frank McCourt. We hope you will join us as we celebrate this momentous occasion. Learn more.

 

 

2024 PASSES — SOLD OUT

All 2024 Conference passes have sold out and our waitlist is full, but there are other ways to get involved with SVWC! We recommend signing up for our email newsletter for important updates and information about single event tickets, free lawn talks, our free Community Speaker Series, and free livestreaming.

 

 

2024 WRITERS & PRESENTERS

See the full list of 2024 Writers & Presenters, including Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume, Justice Stephen Breyer, Jonathan Eig, Niall Ferguson, Kristin Hannah, Padma Lakshmi, Anne Lamott, Erik Larson, Dennis Lehane, Ayana Mathis, Tiya Miles, David Miliband, Paul Muldoon, Maggie O’Farrell, Tommy Orange, John Vaillant, Clarissa Ward, and many more.

 

 

2024 SCHEDULE & PROGRAM

The program, when finalized, can be found on our Schedule & Program page. If you are a 2024 passholder, an email will be sent to you to sign up for your breakout sessions in May.

 

WHAT ARE BREAKOUT SESSIONS?

For those new to the Conference, breakouts are smaller speaker presentations held in open-air tents and more intimate venues around the resort. Several simultaneous talks take place during a single time slot, so you get to choose, in advance, which breakout you’d like to attend. Because they have limited seating, they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis with donors given priority.

 

 

2024 PAVILION SINGLE EVENT TICKETS – SOLD OUT

Even if you don’t have a full-access Conference pass, you still have the opportunity to come and see select talks inside the Sun Valley Pavilion. These single event tickets are available to purchase starting in June. Find more information at our Single Event Tickets page.

 

 

2024 READING LIST

We’ve compiled a 2024 Reading List of all the latest books by our 2024 Writers & Presenters. We highly recommend supporting our local independent bookstores, Chapter One and Iconoclast, if you’re looking to purchase. You can also purchase books at the Conference itself, in our on-site bookstore tent operated by Boise State University (100% of the profits go toward the BSU Readers & Writers Scholarship Fund).

If you aren’t in Sun Valley, you can find the entire reading list at Bookshop.org (also supporting independent bookstores from all over the world). Or, if you prefer audiobooks, visit Libro.fm for the reading list in audio form.

 

 

2024 FREE EVENTS & PROGRAMMING

There are many ways you can join in and get inspired this year, all for free! From free Pavilion lawn talks, free livestreaming, and a free Community Speaker Series, to free online audio and video recordings in our digital media library, we hope you will enjoy one (or all) of these free community offerings!

 

 

2024 FREE COMMUNITY SPEAKER SERIES

As part of our free Community Speaker Series in partnership with The Community Library, we will have two speaker events before and after the Conference! For details, registration, and more information about this program, visit our Community Speaker Series page.

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES

2024 CONFERENCE: Saturday, July 20 — Monday, July 22, 2024

PASSES ON SALE: February 22, 2024

GUEST NAMES DUE: April 30, 2024

PROGRAM ONLINE: May 2024

BREAKOUT SIGN-UPS OPEN: May 2024

SINGLE EVENT TICKETS ON SALE: June 5, 2024

BREAKOUT SIGN-UPS CLOSE: June 15, 2024

REGISTRATION OPENS: July 20, 2024 (9:00am)

2024 CONTENT AVAILABLE ONLINE: August 2024

DONOR PRIORITY PRE-SALE: October 1, 2023 — January 31, 2025

 

 

SECURITY, SAFETY & COVID-19

SVWC is committed to the safety and well-being of those in attendance–writers, attendees, staff, volunteers, and the community. For more information (including our COVID-19 Policy), visit our Safety & Security Protocols page.

 

 

2024 WRITER IN THE WORLD PRIZE

The Sun Valley Writers’ Conference (SVWC) is pleased to announce that its 2024 Writer in the World Prize will be awarded to Margaret Atwood, in recognition of her contributions to literature, freedom of expression, and social consciousness as a poet, novelist, story writer, essayist, and environmental activist.  Atwood will be joining us for our 30th Anniversary Conference this summer, July 20-22! Learn more at our Writer in the World page.

 

 

LATEST UPDATES

For all the latest news and updates, be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter and follow our Latest Updates blog!

 

 

FAQ

WHAT IS YOUR COVID-19 POLICY THIS YEAR?

We are closely monitoring any COVID developments. At this time, we do not expect to require proof of vaccination for attendance at SVWC 2024. Whenever possible, presentations and meals and signings will be held in open-air venues. Masks will be encouraged, but not required. Please keep in mind, our policy is subject to change. To learn more and for updated information, visit our COVID-19 Safety Protocols page.

 

IT’S MY FIRST TIME AT THE CONFERENCE. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION? 

We recommend you check out our First-Timers’ Guide and join us for New Attendee Orientation. You can also check out these helpful links for more information:

And, as always, feel free to reach out with questions!

 

I HAVE PURCHASED GUEST PASSES. HOW DO I SEND IN MY GUEST NAMES? 
If you still have a guest pass that is not assigned to anyone, please email that information (first name, last name, and email) to [email protected] by April 30 so they can receive important information and breakout sign-up links.

 

WHEN WILL THE PROGRAM BE FINALIZED?
The program will be finalized and posted to our Schedule & Program page in early May.

 

WHAT ARE BREAKOUTS AND WHEN / HOW DO WE SIGN UP?

Breakouts are smaller speaker presentations held in open-air tents and more intimate venues around the resort. Several simultaneous talks take place during a single time slot, so you get to choose, in advance, which breakout you’d like to attend. Because they have limited seating, they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis with donors given priority.

Sign-ups for breakout sessions will open in May. You will be email a personalized link to make your selections at that time.

 

WILL MORE PASSES BECOME AVAILABLE?
Additional passes may become available to our Wait List in the coming weeks. You can sign up here, and if additional passes become available for purchase, we will contact those on the list in the order received.

 

MY PLANS HAVE CHANGES. WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION POLICY?
If you contact us to cancel your pass purchase before May 15, we can issue a refund minus a $35 fee per pass. After that date, we are unable to issue refunds. However, you are welcome to transfer a pass to another person; just contact us with the new name and email.

 

WHAT TIME DO EVENTS BEGIN AND END EACH DAY? 
Registration opens 9am on Saturday, July 20 with the first talks starting at 12:30pm and the last talk ending at 6:15pm. On Sunday, July 21, breakfast will begin at 8:00am with the first talk starting at 9:00am and the last talk ending at 6:15pm. On Monday, July 22, breakfast will begin at 8:30am with the first talk starting at 9:30am and the Closing Reception ending at 6:30pm.

 

Subject to change. Please check out Schedule & Program page for the most up-to-date information. 

 

 

What’s missing from this page that you’d like to know about? Email [email protected] with comments and suggestions.

SVWC 2024 Presenters

Be Inspired.

Niall Ferguson
Anne Lamott
Tiya Miles
Justice Stephen Breyer
Abraham Verghese
Ayad Akhtar
Kristin Hannah
Vinson Cunningham
Padma Lakshmi
Rabbi Sharon Brous
James Shapiro
John Vaillant
Jonathan Eig
Firoozeh Dumas
Kaveh Akbar
Erik Larson
Jeffrey Rosen
Drew Gilpin Faust
Alejandra Campoverdi
Judy Blume
Margaret Atwood
Clarissa Ward
Dennis Lehane
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Mikhail Zygar
David Miliband
Paul Muldoon

“SVWC is everything I love in one place, during one week…I find that the most unique part of the conference is its enormous heart…SVWC is my church.”

– Firoozeh Dumas

The SVWC Experience