Fishtrap is a literary arts and humanities nonprofit based in Wallowa County, Oregon.
Since the first Summer Fishtrap Gathering in 1988, Fishtrap has been a key player in cultivating and promoting Western writers, helping to establish the West as a rich source for literature, poetry, and storytelling. We believe the West—as both a place and an idea—holds a wealth of creative lifelong learning opportunities for anyone with a story to share or an idea to explore. Our home in beautiful Wallowa County, Oregon provides inspiration for both experienced and aspiring writers to connect with the community and contemplate the issues and complexities of the contemporary Western landscape: its history, its present, and its future.
Fishtrap invites local, regional, and national writers, thinkers, and literature lovers of all ages, backgrounds, and interests to join us for writing workshops, conversations, performances, and special events — in-person and online.
About our name
Why Fishtrap? It’s both an homage to the mountains that surround us and to the role that the arts play in a full life. The word Wallowa is an anglicized version of a Nez Perce or Cayuse word that has been defined as “winding waters” or “fish weir”, a tripod trap used to catch fish. The organization was named for the latter, with a nod of respect to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia.