The Loft Literary Center

[5] This 'poets' club' eventually became known as 'The Loft' and in 1975 filed for nonprofit status and received a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board to sponsor several writing workshops.

[9] The first year featured New York Times bestselling author Marge Piercy and Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Philip Levine and Galway Kinnell.

[7] Prominent Malawian poet Jack Mapanje was the first, followed by political prisoners Jaki Seroke, Zwelakhe Sisulu, Nguyễn Chí Thiện, Dai Qing, Lee San-ha, and Bligesu Erenus.

The events included a dialogue with Kathy Acker, Amiri Baraka, and Nat Hentoff; a reading and forum with Lorrie Moore and Mona Simpson; free speech read-ins; and performance art with J. Otis Powell and Patrick Scully at the Rogue Nightclub.

The Loft annually serves thousands of writers by offering hundreds of classes, numerous fellowships, readings from award-winning authors, and literary resources such as a small library, writing studios, and a book club room.

Their ranks include Margaret Atwood, Charles Baxter, Robert Bly, Billy Collins, Bernard Cooper, Toi Derricotte, Junot Díaz, Kate DiCamillo, Rita Dove, Louise Erdrich, Vince Flynn, Nikki Giovanni, Patricia Hampl, John Irving, Garrison Keillor, Stanley Kunitz, Mary Oliver, Michael Ondaatje, Tracy K. Smith, Patricia Smith, Quincy Troupe, and Li-Young Lee, among others.