Ken Burns is the 2026
Writer in the World Prize Recipient
We are pleased to announce that documentary filmmaker Ken Burns will receive our Writer in the World Prize at the 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference (SVWC), for work that fuses narrative mastery with moral imagination, deepening our understanding of the world and our place in it. Burns will be receiving his award and giving a presentation at SVWC 2026, happening July 18-20. Stay tuned for more information.
2026 Presenters
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Barbara Wansbrough
Michael Pollan
Simon Rich
Theo Baker
Atul Gawande
Derek Thompson
Jill Lepore
Peter Godwin
Julia Lovell
Julian Brave NoiseCat
Amor Towles
Virginia Evans
Sebastian Mallaby
Kiran Desai
Abby Phillip
David Gelles
Richard Osman
Susan Choi
Rick Atkinson
Ken Burns
Beth Macy
Ilyon Woo
Robert Macfarlane
Susan Orlean
Liaquat Ahamed
Gary Shteyngart
Ada Limón
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Ken Burns 2026 Writer in the World Prize Recipient
Free Events & Community Programming
It is one of SVWC’s foremost goals to make the Conference and its content as accessible as possible, especially to students, teachers, and our local community. We have opened our doors each year, both virtually and in-person, with free Pavilion lawn talks, free livestreaming, free talks at The Community Library, as well as free online audio and video recordings (including our very own podcast) in our digital media library. This year, we are also offering Special Series Pavilion Passes and a Live Watch Party in downtown Ketchum. We invite you to join in and get inspired. For all the ways you can get involved for free, visit svwc.com/free.
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Have you heard?! Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns is our 2026 Writer in the World Prize recipient! He will receive his award and give a presentation at #SVWC2026, happening July 18-20. Stay tuned for more information at svwc.com/witw (link in bio).
#SunValleyWritersConference #SVWC #WriterInTheWorld #KenBurns #LiteraryEvents #DocumentaryFilmmaking #Storytelling #Nonfiction #AmericanHistory #WritersCommunity #IdeasThatMatter #CulturalConversation #SunValleyIdaho
Exploring the theme, "Currents of Change," with the voices who define them. This July, we welcome a legendary lineup to Sun Valley. From the sweeping histories of Ken Burns to the startling poetry of Ada Limón, our 2026 presenters are ready to dive deep. Who are you most excited to hear? See the full list of writers & presenters at the link in bio.
#SVWC2026 #SunValleyWritersConference #SVWC #CurrentsOfChange #LiteraryFestival #AuthorTalks #PoetryAndProse #WritersCommunity #BookLovers #SunValley #IdahoArts
The best way to guarantee your seat under the tent at #SVWC2026? Become a donor by January 31.
When you donate by Saturday, January 31, you’ll be eligible for our Donor Priority Pre-Sale—an exclusive opportunity to purchase passes ahead of the public pass sale in February, when they typically sell out in minutes. Learn more about all the advantages of our Donor Benefit Program at svwc.com/support.
📸 : Ray Gadd @rayjgadd
#SunValleyWritersConference #SVWC #SVWCDonors #SupportTheArts #LiteraryFestival #WritersCommunity #AuthorTalks #BookLovers #SunValley #IdahoArts
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“Sun Valley really rejuvenated us in so many ways, tangible and otherwise. And personally, as a writer, it felt miraculous and life-affirming.”
– Nayantara Roy, SVWC 2025 Presenter & New Voices Fellow