Nominations Open For Dutchess Poet Laureate

POUGHKEEPSIE – Arts Mid-Hudson has announced applications are now being accepted from individuals interested in serving as Dutchess County’s 2023 Poet Laureate. Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro established the Dutchess County Poet Laureate post in 2016 to honor local outstanding poets, integrate poetry into the community, enrich the education of our young people, and enhance the County’s position as a cultural center in the Mid-Hudson region.

Nominations for this position may come from individuals or organizations within or outside Dutchess County and poets may self-nominate.

The Dutchess County Poet Laureate will shape the position in their own way, duties typically include public activities with schools, community groups, and the press during the year and contact with writers and readers by mail, email and/or through a website. They will also present their poetry at the State of the County Address, typically held in the first quarter of the year, as well as other appropriate public events, such as National Poetry Month in April. The Dutchess County Poet Laureate will be an advocate of poetry in the community, including, but not limited to, bringing poetry to school children, projects or programs that promote the appreciation of poetry, or poetry workshops with underserved populations in the community. This is an unpaid, honorary position.

The title of Poet Laureate is a time-honored tradition. In 1668, England officially established the post as a royal office. Beginning in the 19th century local Poet Laureates were recognized in their communities and in 1937 the United States created the position of a National Poet Laureate, which has been held by Rita Dove, Philip Levine, Natasha Trethewey and Charles Wright to name just a few. Since that time, individual states and then counties have begun to nominate Poet Laureates.

Nominations for 2023 Dutchess County’s Poet Laureate must be submitted by January 20, 2023. Criteria and review process can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/2023dcpoetlaureate

For history of past Dutchess County Poet Laureates: www.artsmidhudson.org/dc-poetlaureate

The Arts Mid-Hudson Folk Arts Program researches the arts and traditions of the region’s rich cultural, ethnic, religious, and occupational heritages. Through educational and public programs like Kakizome, the Folk Arts Program shares these traditions. The program is open to ideas and suggestions about how to assist in celebrating your community’s heritage.

Arts Mid-Hudson is the preeminent nonprofit arts service organization serving the Mid-Hudson region. Since 1964 our initiatives have engaged and promoted the arts benefiting our artists, arts organizations, and communities. Arts Mid-Hudson provides vision and leadership to support thriving and diverse arts in the Mid-Hudson region.

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