CITY OF NEWARK LAUNCHES POET LAUREATE PROGRAM;

ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR INAUGURAL LAUREATE

Deadline to apply is Monday, February 3;

Applicants must be professional poets based in city

Newark, NJ – January 7, 2025 – Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced today that the City of Newark is accepting applications for its inaugural Poet Laureate, a historic official appointment whose role is to promote the literary arts for Newark residents. Through the newly launched Poet Laureate program, every two years a local poet will be selected to serve in the Laureate role to inspire and encourage residents in their writing and personal expression, bring attention to poetry in less traditional settings, and initiate a dialogue between local poets, cultural organizations, and community institutions.

“Poetry is something Newarkers celebrate when we come together, and it’s a valuable part of our culture as a community,” said Mayor Baraka. “Verse and spoken word is in our blood – and I am proud that Newark is adding this Poet Laureate program as a heartbeat at our center.”

Professional poets based in Newark may apply by Monday, February 3, to be considered for the 2025-26 Poet Laureate role. A selection committee made up of poetry professionals, City staff, and community stakeholders will evaluate all entries and choose top candidates based on the excellence of their poetic work, their experience with community engagement, and their capacity to encourage public appreciation and participation in poetry. Final candidates will be interviewed, and the selected poet will be announced in March to serve a two-year term as Poet Laureate for calendar years 2025-26. The Laureate will receive an honorarium of $5,000 per year, as well as a programmatic budget of up to $10,000 per year, administered by the City’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs.

“Newark is a city of poetry of all kinds, from spoken word to sonnets. We’ve seen that in the enthusiasm of audiences at Dodge Poetry performances at the Arts Center and in the joy of students at the many Dodge in the Community workshops in Newark neighborhoods. The spirit that takes over downtown when the whole poetry world gathers here for the biennial Dodge Poetry Festival is inspiring,” said NJPAC President & CEO John Schreiber. “It’s fitting that Newark should have an official Poet Laureate to represent the robust community of poets and poetry-lovers who have always called this city home. We at NJPAC look forward to working with the chosen Poet.”

Led by the Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs Director fayemi shakur, the City of Newark Poet Laureate Program aims to inspire future generations of poets to continue the city’s deep history of verse and spoken word. During their term, the Poet Laureate will write and present original works at civic events and develop and contribute to poetry workshops and programming across the city. The Laureate will have the opportunity to collaborate with Dodge Poetry, a joint initiative of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center that produces a biennial poetry festival as well as poetry programs in Newark throughout the year. The Laureate will also collaborate with Newark Public Schools and Newark Public Library on poetry workshops, engagement, and outreach.

“The Newark Public Library is thrilled to support a Poet Laureate for our city. Newark’s literary history is significant and you only have to walk into the library to see it,” said Newark Public Library Director Christian Zabriskie, “We hope that this program will bring a new generation of poetry alive in our city and will create new songs and stories for our shelves for years to come.”

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be at least 21 years of age, have resided in Newark for at least two years, be active as a professional poet, display a strong commitment to local community, and be capable and enthusiastic to fulfill Poet Laureate duties. Applicants must have produced work that demonstrates poetic flexibility, reflects the vibrancy and life of the city of Newark, and is significant to the citizens of Newark. Applicants are required to submit a professional biography and resume, statement of intent for the Laureate role, work samples, proof of Newark residency, and two recommendation letters.

“I applaud Mayor Baraka and his administration for creating the Poet Laureate program to give a new voice to the City of Newark through the art of poetry. Poetry can stir our souls, engage our minds, and draw our attention to what we may not notice. Most of all, poetry can inspire the dynamically diverse people of our great city,” said Newark Board of Education Superintendent Roger León. “As Superintendent of New Jersey’s largest school district, I welcome every opportunity to work with the Poet Laureate in cultivating future great poets and writers among our students who will follow in the legacy of great Newark writers, including Amiri Baraka and Philip Roth.”

Interested candidates may access the guidelines and application form on Submittable at https://cityofnewark-arts.submittable.com/submit. Any questions can be directed to fayemi shakur, City of Newark Arts & Cultural Affairs Director, at shakurf@ci.newark.nj.us.

About the City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs

The Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs serves as the catalyst for participation, education, collaboration, and development to encourage and support excellence in the arts within the City of Newark. This division oversees the city’s arts initiatives, supports community engagement in arts and cultural programming, provides organizational support to existing and evolving art institutions, oversees a world-class public art program, and encourages collaborative partnerships and investment in the city’s artists and arts and cultural organizations. It supports the creation of a more sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and creative economy in Newark that enlivens our neighborhoods and ignites the imaginations of our children.