For the last two years in a row, Sun Valley Writers’ Conference (SVWC) passes sold out in less than 10 minutes. This includes the Full Conference Pass ($1,100) and the half-price Next Generation Pass for those 35 and under ($550). SVWC passes are notoriously hard to get, having sold out almost every year since our event’s inception. The demand has reached record levels, with hundreds of booklovers in the community turned away each year.

In response, knowing how disappointing this can be, we have ramped up our free events and community programming over the last several years, to open our doors in every way possible. These programs were developed specifically for people in the local community, young attendees, and students and teachers in local schools.

They include tickets to select Pavilion Talks, free Pavilion Lawn Talks, a free Community Speaker Series in partnership with The Community Library, a Live Watch Party at the Argyros theater in downtown Ketchum, free livestreaming from anywhere in the world, free online content in the digital media library with talks from past conferences, a free Beyond the Page podcast, a free School Speaker Series in local schools, a half-price Next Generation Pass for those 35 and under, a Community Scholars Program for local students and teachers, education scholarships, a Writing Fellows Program for young talented writers from around the nation, and a reading program and Student/Author Luncheon for local high school students.

One of SVWC’s foremost initiatives is to bring more young people into the fold, which is why we have developed products like the half price Next Generation pass for those 35 and under and the Writing Fellows Program. We believe in inspiring the next generation of readers and burgeoning writers and weaving a love of literature into the fabric of our community and beyond. We hope to encourage people to become lifelong participants of SVWC but, more importantly, to become lifelong readers and supporters of the arts.

Passes for SVWC are sold online on a first-come, first-served basis to keep entry as equitable as possible—but pass sales only provide one third of our operating costs. As a nonprofit organization, relying on donations for the other two thirds of our budget, SVWC offers a Donor Priority Pre-Sale program each year to encourage support.

The maximum capacity of the Sun Valley Pavilion, our venue for the Writers’ Conference, is a little over 1,500 people. We wish we could sell a pass to every last person who wants one—unfortunately, Ketchum and Sun Valley don’t currently have an event venue that can accommodate an expanded gathering. We have tried to get creative in how we can incorporate more people, including opening up more talks for seating on the Pavilion lawn and growing the virtual options like the Live Watch Party the Argyros and free livestreaming.

Attendance is comprised of mostly full passholders (including donors), as well as a smaller percentage of participants from our scholarship and fellowship programs, invited guests, writers and their families, and local press. SVWC also sets aside a special section in the Pavilion for local students, teachers, librarians, and those in the community who have purchased individual tickets.

Learn about more ways to join SVWC that don’t require a full pass, our free events, and community programs.

Photo credit: Ray Gadd