Salem Seeks Witch City's Next Poet Laureate

SALEM, MA — The Witch City is seeking its next Poet Laureate with residents encouraged to apply for the position designed to promote and celebrate Salem's diverse spoken word community..

Launched in 2023, the Poet Laureate program is now entering its next selection cycle as the term of Salem’s first Poet Laureate, J.D. Scrimgeour, nears its end.

The next Salem Poet Laureate will be announced in September and will serve a term beginning in January 2027 and continuing through the end of 2028.

Applicants must be 18 or older and must currently live in Salem. They must also have a demonstrated body of work, submit samples showing high-quality poetry, and show a history of community engagement.

The position includes a $1,500 stipend.

The application period will remain open until June 5.

The Mayor's Office staff will review applications for completeness and send eligible applications to the Poet Laureate Selection Committee. The committee will review and score applications to identify four finalists.

Finalist interviews will begin in August and will include poetry readings open to the public. Those events will give residents a chance to hear from finalists before the city names its next laureate in September.

The program is designed not only to recognize a local poet, but also to continue building a public role for poetry in Salem through a city-backed arts initiative.

The application can be found online here.