Neighbor News
Nominations open for Cleveland Heights Office of Poet Laureate
Applications from city residents accepted through October 30, 2014
Nonprofit arts organization Heights Arts is accepting open nominations for the 2015-17 Office of Poet Laureate. Initially established by Heights Arts with the approval of the City of Cleveland Heights in 2005, the purpose of the Cleveland Heights Poet Laureate is to celebrate and elevate the art form of creative writing for the benefit of the community’s residents. The next Cleveland Heights Poet Laureate will serve for a 24 month period, beginning in April, 2015, and concluding at the end of March, 2017. Poets must be residents of Cleveland Heights through the full two-year term of service if selected for the Office.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The Poet Laureate is selected from a pool of individuals nominated for consideration. Any resident of Cleveland Heights may nominate an individual for the Office. Poets may nominate themselves. Nomination forms, as well as detailed information about the Office of Poet Laureate and its role and responsibilities, are available at www.heightsarts.org/heights-writes/. Nominations may be submitted electronically to Heights Arts by October 30, 2014.
Nominated individuals will be notified, provided with the guidelines and duties of the Office by Early November. If willing to serve and comply with the duties, nominees will be asked to submit the following:
- sample of work – no more than 10 pages of poetry
- documentation of background and experience in the art form, including where work has been published
- one or more ideas for a community project the applicant would conduct to bring awareness and participation in the art form to the community
- cover letter, stating why the applicant wishes to serve
- optional video of nominated poet reading his or her work, via YouTube or other electronic link
SELECTION PROCESS
The Heights Arts Board reviews the applications and recommends three finalists, who are interviewed by a combined Board and Community Committee to complete the selection process. An invitation to serve is issued to the selected finalist by January 30, 2015. The seventh Cleveland Heights Poet Laureate is announced during April, 2015, National Poetry Month.