The Music Hall, MacDowell, and New Hampshire Public Radio present Across the Table Conversations, a multidisciplinary talks series spotlighting emerging and established MacDowell Fellows in public conversation. The first event in the series will take place during the inaugural Seacoast LitFest, a four-day literary festival unfolding September 7-10, 2025.

The kickoff event will feature celebrated author Mary Gaitskill in conversation with writer and visual artist August Lamm at The Music Hall Lounge. This Across the Table Conversations is exclusively available to Seacoast LitFest passholders only.

The inaugural talk brings together two powerful literary voices:

Mary Gaitskill is one of America’s most celebrated authors, known for her searing, emotionally complex novels, essays, and short stories. Her acclaimed works include This is Pleasure, Veronica (a finalist for the National Book Award), and Bad Behavior, which included the short story “Secretary,” later adapted into the film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, Arts and Letters Award, and other major honors, Gaitskill’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, and Esquire.

August Lamm is a writer and visual artist whose essays have appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times. Known for her perspectives on low-tech living, she has been featured on NBC and NPR. Her debut novel is forthcoming from Vintage.

Together, Gaitskill and Lamm will explore the intersections of creativity, generational influence, and artistic process—carrying forward the spirit of MacDowell’s storied dinner-table dialogues.

About the “Across the Table Conversations” Series
A bold collaboration between The Music Hall, MacDowell, and NHPR, the Across the Table Conversations series showcases interdisciplinary artistry and fosters public engagement with the creative process. Each talk features an established and an emerging MacDowell Fellow in dialogue, followed by audience Q&A and an optional performance or presentation. The initial season runs from September 2025 to June 2026 with four events at The Music Hall Lounge. Additional panelists for the remaining MacDowell panel events will be announced soon.

Please Note: This event is included in the purchase of a Seacoast LitFest Pass. Individual tickets are not available.