Creative writers from Fresno State’s Department of English will headline the “Fresno Writers Live” performances at the 2026 Rogue Performance Festival, Feb. 27 through March 7 in Fresno’s Tower District.
Fresno Writers Live will feature the latest poetry and prose from 18 emerging Fresno writers in four storytelling and spoken-word shows. The shows will include 11 graduate students from the Master of Fine Arts program, plus seven graduate and undergraduate English majors.
All Fresno Writers Live shows will be held on the back patio at Veni Vidi Vici (1116 N. Fulton St.). Tickets cost $10 per show, along with a one-time purchase of a $7 Rogue Festival wristband. The shows are rated PG-13, and latecomers are OK. Seating is limited.
- Saturday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. — Curated by the editorial team of the San Joaquin Review journal, this show features graduate students Deborah Mechele Bento, Emerald Hope Medrano, Jacquelyn Mejia and Steven Sandage, with undergrad Mel Hamilton.
- Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. — Curated by the Chicanx Writers and Artists Association, this show features graduate students Chloe Abella, Angelina Leaños, Leslie Kay Quintana and Taylor Seals.
- Thursday, March 5 at 8:30 p.m. — Curated as a Future Alumni Showcase, this show features undergrads Dani Conklin, Yeiri Farias, Raúl Rivera, Jacob Selway and Roy Zuberi.
- Saturday, March 7 at 8 p.m. — Curated by the Hmong American Ink and Stories club, this show features graduate students Isabella De La Torre, Ivy Tong, Bo Vang and Chou Xiong.
Located in the heart of California, the Fresno State Creative Writing Program enjoys a 65-year history of literary excellence. The program features graduate training in the advanced study of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction and an option in literary publishing and editing. The program also includes an undergraduate English degree in creative writing.
The Rogue Festival is an annual non-juried fringe festival that celebrates independent artists in theatre, music, dance, film, spoken word, performance art, puppetry and magic. The event is among the largest cultural arts events in California.
