Founded by Hamilton writer Kerry Schooley in 1995, Lit Live is a monthly literary reading series featuring a diverse and exciting range of writers from across Canada and from Hamilton. We meet on the first Sunday of each month from September to June, and our location is The Staircase. We also livestream our events (click here).

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We are unusual in that we have poets, novelists, short story writers, non-fiction writers, and sometimes YA writers on the same bill, each reading for about 15 minutes. Also, each event is themed ("Languishing," "Play," "Diversions," etc.) and we encourage our writers to engage with the theme as they see fit.

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The series has developed a reputation for its warm and engaging atmosphere with an enthusiastic, attentive audience of both regulars and those who attend to hear a specific favourite writer. Hosting duties for LitLive are shared between committee members Anuja Varghese and Brent van Staalduinen.

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The series has featured legendary writers, major names and the winners of major awards (the GGs, the Giller, the Griffin), established writers with one or more books to their credit, but also regularly has a spot for "emerging writers," those talented up-and-comers who haven't yet published a full length book. 

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LitLive readings are supported by the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council, the Writer's Union of Canada, the Hamilton Arts Council, and the League of Canadian Poets.