The 2022 Welty Gala has been canceled.
In an email to those who contributed to the gala, MUW Communications Director of University Relations Tyler Wheat said the keynote speaker for the event, Henry Winkler, canceled due to an extension of his filming contract for the HBO show “Barry.”
The gala was slated to take place on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m., and it serves as the Mississippi University for Women’s annual fundraiser for the MUW Scholarship Fund.
Wheat said that no comparable speakers are available.
Winkler has appeared in many television series and on the big screen. He has lent his voice to several shows and has appeared on Broadway. His work as an actor has received accolades, including an Emmy Award, two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and one Critics Choice Award.
He is also a New York Times best-selling author. He and his co-author, Lin Oliver, have written more than 36 children’s novels published around the world in nine languages with more than 5 million copies sold.
Andrea Nester Stevens, executive director of development and alumni, said there are various options for those who already contributed to the event.
“… We are extremely disappointed to cancel this year’s Welty Gala due to the extension of his filming contract,” Stevens said. “We are offering several options for guests. They may receive a refund, apply their contribution to next year’s event or direct their contribution to the MUW Scholarship Fund or another fund of their choice. We look forward to next year’s event in support of scholarships at The W.”
The gala has been one of the staples of the Welty Writers’ Symposium since the event began in 1989.
The symposium is held each year to honor Eudora Welty, author and MUW alumna. Southern writers and scholars present their work during the three-day event, and the winner of the Eudora Welty Prize for an unpublished book of scholarship is announced.
Though the gala is canceled, the Writers’ Symposium is still scheduled for Oct. 27-29.
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