Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference

The 2026 Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference was held from May 16 to May 19 at the Kenai Peninsula College campus in Homer, Alaska, with views of the snowcapped mountain ranges across Kachemak Bay. The conference featured craft classes as well as craft conversations, readings, panels, and individual consultations for poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers. The faculty included poets Elizabeth Bradfield, Donika Kelly, and J. Drew Lanham; fiction writers Jamie Ford, Julia Phillips, and Diane Wilson; and nonfiction writers Bathsheba Demuth, Chris La Tray, and Zoë Schlanger. Participating publishing professionals included independent editor Chip Blake and agent Ayesha Pande (Ayesha Pande Literary). The keynote speaker was Jane Hirshfield. Tuition was $425 with registration by January 31, $475 with registration between February 1 and April 30, and $500 thereafter. Scholarship application forms were submitted to the conference director via e-mail by February 28. Space was limited; registration was first come, first served. Visit the website for more information.

Accessibility accommodations included elevators in all multilevel spaces; accessible sidewalks, pathways, and doorways; accessible bathrooms; accessible event spaces and reserved seating; accessible parking; closed captioning for online programming; ASL interpretation with advance request; and room numbers and building directions in Braille. Writers contacted the conference director via phone or e-mail for requests or additional accessibility details.