Helsinki Lit and the Amos Anderson Art Foundation continue their series of literary masterclasses as Norwegian-American author Siri Hustvedt visits Helsinki in May. The application period for the course—held on May 14—begins Tuesday, March 31.
Siri Hustvedt is an author, art critic, and holds a PhD in literature. She made her breakthrough in 2003 with the novel What I Loved, set in New York’s art world. Since then, she has written several novels and essay collections that have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
Hustvedt’s latest book, Ghost Stories – A Memoir, is being released simultaneously in Swedish and Finnish this spring. The book is an intimate memoir and a loveletter to Hustvedt’s late husband, author Paul Auster, who passed away in 2024. It portrays the final shared moments of their marriage—one of the most well-known literary partnerships of our time. It also includes excerpts from the correspondence between Hustvedt and Auster, as well as passages from Auster’s final unfinished book, which he dedicated to his grandchild.
The masterclass is organized by Helsinki Lit and the Amos Anderson Art Foundation and will take place on Thursday, May 14 at 3:00 PM at the Amos Anderson House Museum in central Helsinki. The course is intended for writers, aspiring writers, translators, and literature students. During the session, Siri Hustvedt will be in conversation with Helsinki Lit’s program director, author Philip Teir, discussing her new and previous works, the craft of writing, a 43-year shared life between two writers, as well as grief and loss. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion with Hustvedt at the end of the event.
Participation in the course requires an application. The application period begins on Tuesday, March 31 and runs until Friday, April 24. A jury consisting of representatives from Helsinki Lit, the Amos Anderson Art Foundation, and Siri Hustvedt’s Finnish publisher Otava will select 30 participants based on the applications. The conversation will be held in English, and participation is free of charge. The event lasts approximately 2,5 hours, and the Amos Anderson Foundation will provide light refreshments.
Please send a freely formulated application in Finnish, Swedish, or English to masterclass@helsinki-lit.fi no later than April 24, 2026 (maximum 1,500 characters).
Those accepted will be notified personally.
