Iowa City is surrounded by rolling farmland and peaceful residential neighborhoods making it an ideal retreat for writers and thinkers. The heart of the city is the University of Iowa  where the acclaimed Writers’ Workshop is located. The workshop is a 2-year residency program that has been running for the past 70 years and has graduated a number of award-winning authors. It was the first creative writing program established in the United States. In 1967, the International Writing Program was set-up to welcome authors from around the world in order to give them an opportunity to experience American university life.

Iowa City is a place to be experienced in literary ways. Prairie Lights is a landmark independent bookstore gathering local authors and hosting its own local radio show. The Iowa Literary Walk between Clinton and Gilbert streets is an opportunity to read a selection of words by writers who have a special relationship with the city. The Center for the Book is a unique place where writers, artists, designers, calligraphers and paper makers work together to learn various aspects of book making (from paper to letterpress printing, book-binding and illustration) and take books to the realm of fine art.