SVWC 2026

Saturday, July 18 – Monday, July 20

Sun Valley Resort

The 2026 Sun Valley Writers’ Conference will be held Saturday, July 18 through Monday, July 20 at the stunning Sun Valley Resort and Pavilion. For three days, some of the country’s—and the world’s—best writers and thinkers, including fiction and nonfiction writers, journalists, policymakers, and poets will descend upon the small town of Sun Valley, Idaho.

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SEE ALL 2026 WRITERS & PRESENTERS

THE THEME: “CURRENTS OF CHANGE”

Inspired by the rivers and streams that wind through our Valley, our 2026 theme, “Currents of Change,” explores the role literature plays in navigating our ever-shifting world and imaginations. As we mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, the theme will contextualize today’s converging political, social, and technological currents within our short but consequential history.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with its ideas, great writing serves as both witness to and driver of great change. We will ask: What currents shape our writers’ work? What forces have shaped—and are shaping—our country and world? And what role does literature play in helping us navigate them? Join us as we come together to explore how stories help us understand where we’ve been… and where we’re headed.

2026 PASSES

Due to unprecedented demand, we are introducing a pass lottery system for 2026, making the process fairer and more equitable for our community. Sign-ups close February 24 at 5pm MST and names will be drawn at random the next day. You must enter the lottery to be eligible to purchase passes, so be sure to sign up! Learn more and sign up at svwc.com/attend. If you have questions, reach out to us at [email protected] or 208-726-5454.

If you missed out on passes this year, not to worry—there are many other ways to join SVWC that don’t require a pass! We recommend signing up for our email newsletter to receive updates about these programs and events.

2026 WRITERS & PRESENTERS

If you aren’t yet familiar with our dazzling literary lineup, we encourage you to learn more about our 2026 writers & presenters, including iconic documentarian Ken Burns, Harvard historian Jill Lepore, British nature writer Robert Macfarlane, and Susan Orlean, Atul Gawande, Beth Macy, Amor Towles, and many more.

2026 SCHEDULE & PROGRAM

The program, when finalized, can be found on our Schedule & Program page. If you are a 2026 passholder, an email will be sent to you to sign up for your breakout sessions in May.

WHAT ARE BREAKOUT SESSIONS?

For those new to the Conference, breakouts are smaller speaker presentations held in open-air tents and more intimate venues around the resort. Several simultaneous talks take place during a single time slot, so you get to choose, in advance, which breakout you’d like to attend. Because they have limited seating, they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis with donors given priority.

2026 READING LIST

We’ve compiled a 2026 Reading List of all the latest books by our 2026 writers & presenters. We highly recommend supporting our local independent bookstores, Chapter One and Iconoclast, if you’re looking to purchase. You can also purchase books at the Conference itself, in our on-site bookstore tent operated by Boise State University (100% of the profits go toward the BSU Readers & Writers Scholarship Fund).

If you aren’t in Sun Valley, you can find the entire reading list at Bookshop.org (also supporting independent bookstores from all over the world). Or, if you prefer audiobooks, visit Libro.fm for the reading list in audio form.

2026 FREE EVENTS & COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING

There are many ways you can join in and get inspired this year, all for free! From free Pavilion lawn talks, free livestreaming, and a free Community Speaker Series, to free online audio and video recordings in our digital media library, we hope you will enjoy one (or all) of these free community offerings!

IMPORTANT DATES

2026 CONFERENCE: Saturday, July 18 — Monday, July 20, 2026

CONFERENCE PASSES ON SALE: important update COMING SOON!

GUEST NAMES DUE: TBD

PROGRAM ONLINE: May 2026

BREAKOUT SIGN-UPS OPEN: May 2026

PASS CANCELLATION CUT-OFF: May 15, 2026

SPECIAL SERIES PAVILION PASSES ON SALE: TBD

LIVE WATCH PARTY TICKETS ON SALE: TBD

BREAKOUT SIGN-UPS CLOSE: June 2026

FREE LIVESTREAMING AVAILABLE: July 18-20, 2026

REGISTRATION OPENS: Saturday, July 18 at 9:30 AM

2025 CONTENT AVAILABLE ONLINE: August / September 2026

DONOR PRIORITY PRE-SALE: October 1, 2026 — January 31, 2027

2026 WRITER IN THE WORLD PRIZE

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.

LATEST UPDATES

For all the latest news and updates, be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter, check out our Latest Updates blog, and follow us on social media!

SECURITY & SAFETY

SVWC is committed to the safety and well-being of those in attendance–writers, attendees, staff, volunteers, and the community. For more information, visit our Safety & Security Protocols page.

FAQ

IT’S MY FIRST TIME AT THE CONFERENCE. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION?

We recommend you check out our First-Timers’ Guide and join us for New Attendee Orientation. You can also check out these helpful links for more information:

And, as always, feel free to reach out with questions!

I HAVE PURCHASED GUEST PASSES. HOW DO I SEND IN MY GUEST NAMES?
If you still have a guest pass that is not assigned to anyone, please email that information (first name, last name, and email) to [email protected] by April 30 so they can receive important information and breakout sign-up links.

WHEN WILL THE PROGRAM BE FINALIZED?
The program will be finalized and posted to our Schedule & Program page in early May.

WHAT ARE BREAKOUTS AND WHEN / HOW DO WE SIGN UP?

Breakouts are smaller speaker presentations held in open-air tents and more intimate venues around the resort. Several simultaneous talks take place during a single time slot, so you get to choose, in advance, which breakout you’d like to attend. Because they have limited seating, they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis with donors given priority.

Sign-ups for breakout sessions will open in May. You will be email a personalized link to make your selections at that time.

WILL MORE PASSES BECOME AVAILABLE?
If passes sell out, additional passes may become available to those on our waitlist. Contact us for more information.

MY PLANS HAVE CHANGES. WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION POLICY?
If you contact us to cancel your pass purchase before May 15, we can issue a refund minus a $50 fee per pass. After that date, we are unable to issue refunds. However, you are welcome to transfer a pass to another person; just contact us with the new name and email.

WHAT TIME DO EVENTS BEGIN AND END EACH DAY?
TBD

What’s missing from this page that you’d like to know about? Email [email protected] with comments and suggestions.