By: Ashantey Allison

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – Internationally acclaimed author Margaret Atwood is set to visit Northwest Arkansas this month, bringing one of the most influential literary voices of the modern era to campus as part of the University of Arkansas Distinguished Lecture Series.

Atwood will speak on April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Fayetteville Town Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the event will include a moderated conversation followed by audience engagement opportunities.

The event is free and open to both students and the public. University students received early access to reservations, with remaining tickets released to the public shortly after.

Atwood is best known for her novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which has been adapted into an award-winning television series. Her sequel, The Testaments, earned the Booker Prize, adding to a career that spans more than 50 works across fiction, poetry and nonfiction.

According to organizers, Atwood’s lecture will explore themes of literature, power and the future, topics that have defined much of her writing and public discourse.

The Distinguished Lectures Committee says bringing speakers like Atwood to campus is part of a broader mission to expose students to global perspectives and transformative ideas.

Atwood’s visit is expected to draw a large audience from across Northwest Arkansas, including students, faculty and community members eager to hear directly from a writer whose work continues to shape conversations around politics, gender and society.

Beyond her best-known novels, Atwood has recently published Old Babes in the Wood, a collection of short stories, and her memoir Book of Lives, which provides insight into her creative process and personal experiences.

The Distinguished Lecture Series, organized through the University of Arkansas Division of Student Affairs, regularly hosts high-profile speakers from across disciplines, aiming to foster intellectual engagement and dialogue on campus.

For many attendees, Atwood’s appearance represents more than a literary event, but as an opportunity to engage with ideas that resonate far beyond the page.