At the beginning of spring semester, Burton Scheer BA ’25 began an internship with Literary Arts, a Portland nonprofit that works to support writers and engage readers through a broad range of community-based platforms, events, and experiences. Launched in 1984 as Portland Arts and Lectures, the organization has grown into a pillar of the creative arts, showcasing celebrated writers through original talks to one of the largest literary lecture audiences in the United States.
Scheer, an English major and gender studies minor, first became aware of Literary Arts through their work as coeditor in chief of Lewis & Clark’s literary magazine, the Palatine Hill Review. A fellow student at the Review had interned at the Portland Book Festival, the organization’s annual gathering of prominent authors. When Amy Baskin, administrative coordinator for the Departments of English and History, sent students an email about Literary Arts’ spring internships, it caught Scheer’s eye.
“Literary Arts is a great institution and has enabled me to connect with other writers and artists in ways I hadn’t imagined were possible,” says Baskin, whose poetry has been supported by the organization’s fellowships in the past. “I couldn’t be happier to have connected Literary Arts with Burton—it’s a great match.”
Since Scheer began the internship, they have been able to meet writers “from all walks of life,” helping to run regular reading series like One Page Wednesday, Slamlandia, the BIPOC Reading Series, and Incite: Queer Writers Read. Scheer’s responsibilities also include helping to facilitate the Oregon Book Awards and Fellowships Reception, as well as the Oregon Book Award Ceremony, both of which have been valuable opportunities to hone professional skills, such as event planning and networking.
“This internship has reminded me of the importance of community and art in times of despair,” says Scheer. “Over the last few years, I’ve been able to read my creative work at various open mics and reading events throughout Portland. It’s proven to me how vital the process of sharing is. At Literary Arts, I’ve loved being able to facilitate free community-centered events for writers of any experience level.”
Scheer’s internship comes at a transformational time for Literary Arts. In 2024, the organization celebrated its 40th year and completed its first capital campaign, raising $22.5 million to move into new headquarters—a historic building in the Central Eastside—and convert the home of Ursula K. Le Guin into a writers’ residency.
“Our interns play a vital, all-hands-on-deck role to help our literary events run smoothly and feel welcoming to everyone, and many interns go on to pursue other opportunities within creative communities,” says Alexa Winik, coordinator of Literary Arts’ Programs for Writers. “It’s always a privilege for me to work with and learn from such brilliant hearts and minds over the course of these internships, and Burton is no exception. I’m grateful for the curiosity and diligence that Burton brings to every event—even to its more unglamorous tasks, like stacking chairs—and, above all, their evident commitment to Literary Arts’ mission.”
For Scheer, the internship has affirmed their interest in pursuing a career in publishing after graduation, newly armed with insights into how nonprofit arts organizations work and how their missions intersect with publishing houses. It has also been an opportunity to forge creative connections, sharing their love for writing and reading with the established and emerging authors who pass through the organization’s doors.
“Concentrating in creative writing at L&C has allowed me to connect with other writers at Literary Arts who have studied poetry and fiction in undergraduate and graduate programs,” says Scheer. “It’s been a joy to compare our various workshop and editorial experiences during these events.”
English Creative Writing
