William Stafford & His Archive: A Life Record of Creative Practice

William Stafford & His Archive: A Life Record of Creative Practice
Thursday, June 18, 2026, 12:45-2pm (with archive visit after)
Free and open to the public. Tickets required.

What does it mean to keep a daily record of a creative life?

William Stafford wrote a poem (or a scrap of one) every single day for decades, leaving behind a a truly remarkable literary archive, now housed at Lewis & Clark College. This free public panel discussion opens a window into that archive and the creative practice behind it.

Past Oregon Poet Laureate Kim Stafford opens the conversation with reflections on his father's archive and what it means to a poet to leave such a record. He is joined by panelists Crystal Willer, James Armstrong, Doug Erickson, and Tim Barnes for a rich conversation about the archive, how it came to be, daily creative practice, and the legacy of William Stafford. Following the discussion, attendees are invited to visit the William Stafford Archive, which is a free public resource at Watzek Library.

This is a free public event and the opening gathering of The Stafford Challenge Conference. To participate in the full four days of workshops, performances, and community, visit the registration page at: buytickets.at/wildpoetevents/2066200.

Learn more about The Stafford Challenge: staffordchallenge.com

This event is presented by The Stafford Challenge and Wild Poet Events in partnership with Special Collections at the Lewis & Clark College Watzek Library.