KYLE M. JOHNSON
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Oct. 13 – 15, UC San Diego will host the biennial &NOW Festival of New Writing.

According to www.andnowfestival. com, “&NOW is a festival of fiction, poetry and staged play readings.”

This year, the theme of the festival is “Tomorrowland Forever!” The theme promotes the idea of innovative literary art and its ties to the future of the literary arts. The festival features around 100 different panels, performances and installations over the course of its three day run.

The University of Notre Dame, Lake Forest College, Chapman University and the University of Buffalo, SUNY hosted the &Now Festival in past years.

Sandra Doller, assistant professor of Literature and Writing Studies at Cal State San Marcos, will participate as a panelist on multiple panels at this year’s &NOW Festival.

“There will be good representation from CSUSM,” Doller said, in regards to several CSUSM professors who will also act as panelists.

UCSD’s Archive for New Poetry and The San Diego Circle, which reflects on the community of writers of San Diego from the 1970s to 1990s, are among some panels Doller will participate in. She will also read excerpts from the anthology “Wreckage of Reason” and items printed on her personally owned press called “1913.”

“&NOW is a great force in contemporary literature and writing studies. It expands the notion of what literature is,” Doller said of the festival offerings.

Doller believes the festival is a great experience for writers and students, as well as anyone who is interested in literature, writing, visual and performing arts and film.

“Many [panelists] do crossgenre work. It’s very performance based,” Doller continued.

Attendees also get the opportunity to interact with the panelists.

“You get to see all the writers you wouldn’t normally get to see. You get to meet writers in person. It totally humanizes the whole art form,” Doller said.

While the &NOW Festival’s regular admission price is $100, organizers were able to convince the festival to remove admission for students currently enrolled at a San Diego County school or university. If a student meets these requirements, he or she can take advantage of the opportunity to experience this three day literary event.

To register for the &NOW Festival, go to www.andnowfestival. com/registration to download and fill out the registration form.