Jessica Anne Chiang

Jessica Anne Chiang is a Lecturer in the Liberal Arts department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and a Visiting Professor at Roosevelt University. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Roosevelt University and a B.A. in English from North Park University. Her work bridges creative writing, performance art, and memoir, with a focus on experimental prose and personal narrative.

Chiang is the author of A Manual For Nothing (Noemi Press, 2017), a finalist for the Mainline Prize and semifinalist for the Tarpaulin Sky Book Prize. She serves as Nonfiction Editor for MAKE Literary Magazine, Co-Artistic Director of the Lit & Luz Festival, and Ensemble Member of The Neo-Futurists Theatre Company since 2006. Her creative work includes plays like Mike Mother and performances in Chicago and Mexico City.

Her research interests span experimental memoir, performance art integration, and narrative nonfiction. She teaches courses on myth, memoir, and creative writing, emphasizing self-expression through trauma and collective storytelling.

Chiang has received critical acclaim from publications like The New Yorker and Chicago Tribune. Her professional engagements include board roles at Runaways Theatre and curation of interdisciplinary literary events through Lit & Luz Festival.