[1] The conference takes place over twelve days, during which participants attend writing workshops, readings, panel presentations, lectures on the craft of poetry, fiction, and playwriting, and numerous social gatherings.
Poets, non-fiction, and fiction writers with a record of publication in periodicals are eligible to apply for scholarships (also limited in number) to cover conference tuition.
Fairchild, Debora Greger, Barry Hannah, Robert Hass, Beth Henley, Vanessa Hua, Andrew Hudgins, Mark Jarman, Donald Justice, Randall Kenan, Katie Kitamura, Margot Livesey, William Logan, Maurice Manning, Charles Martin, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Claire Messud, Jill McCorkle, Alice McDermott, Erin McGraw, Dan O'Brien, Elena Passarello, Carl Phillips, Aisha Sabatini Sloan, Mary Jo Salter, Christine Schutt, Dave Smith, A.E.
Stallings, Mark Strand, Mona Van Duyn, Sidney Wade, Richard Wilbur, Steve Yarbrough, and many others.
[5][6][7] Current and former conference staff members include current director Leah Stewart, Caki Wilkinson, Megan Roberts, Adam Latham, Gwen E. Kirby, Amy Arthur, Erica Dawson, Samuel Fox, Juliana Gray, Ananda Lima, Daniel Groves, Jonathan Bohr Heinen, Hastings Hensel, Carrie Jerrell, Jake Ricafrente, Kate Jayroe, Norris Eppes, and Adam Vines.