by Molly Walsh
Whether ballad, haiku or free verse, poetry has the power to speak to a community’s most demanding moments, and the practice of writing, reciting and sharing poetry can hold space for both reflection and appreciation. Since 2017, the City of Olympia Poet Laureate has used the written word as a frame to explore timely topics, facilitate community conversations and revisit local landmarks and landscapes. This spring, the City of Olympia is searching for the next Olympia Poet Laureate and is inviting members of the public to submit applications for the position through Monday, May 19. Application information is available on the city’s website.
The upcoming Poet Laureate term will last from 2025 to 2027 and during their tenure, the Poet Laureate is set to explore and facilitate community dialogue around the notion of resilience. To qualify as Poet Laureate, applicants are expected to be an active poet who continues to create new work. Potential applicants also need to reside or work inside Olympia City Limits or the Olympia Urban Growth Area, and need to be aged 18 or older.
Poet Laureate applicants are to submit a resume, portfolio containing five pieces of original poetry, and a video reciting a poem of choice from their portfolio. The applicants will also draft a written proposal that illustrates their vision of the Poet Laureate role, potential programming that may highlight the topic of resilience, poetry writing and reading workshops, special events or other means of welcoming poetry in the community.
Multiple factors will be considered, including the artistry and craft woven into each applicant’s poetry and whether the work is created on a steady schedule. There will also be a search for applicants with volunteer experience or an interest in community service, especially in roles related to writing and literature. The written proposal will also be a factor, weighing each applicant’s goals as Poet Laureate, how they plan to connect with the community through poetry.
Members of the Selection Committee are stakeholders across Olympia’s diverse literary arts scene, including Kathleen Byrd, Olympia’s current Poet Laureate, Carolyn Gilman, the Poetry Out Loud statewide teacher liaison, Grace Borden, the editor-in-chief of Ursa Literary Magazine based at Olympia High School, Jim Burlingame from the Olympia Arts Commission and Kellie Purce Braseth, the City of Olympia’s strategic communications director.
A handful of finalists will participate in an interview process and a recommendation for the new Poet Laureate will move through a multi-step process from the Selection Committee, to the Olympia Arts Commission and eventually, the Olympia City Council, who will make the official designation.
At the heart of the Olympia Poet Laureate role is a dedication to the poetic craft and inspiring a love of poetry in others. The City of Olympia’s description of the Poet Laureate role includes an emphasis on “service over status,” as the Poet Laureate will work to make reading, writing and reciting poetry more readily available to residents. Throughout their term, the Poet Laureate will have some established responsibilities, while also maintaining flexibility to bring their own unique skill set and experiences to the role.
The Poet Laureate will be recruited to share a piece of poetry at the first city council meeting of the year, take part in the Spring or Fall Arts Walk and potentially be available to recite a poem at city dedications or groundbreaking ceremonies as they arise. The Poet Laureate may also lead a number of community service initiatives, events or workshops related to poetry, or facilitate community poetry projects or anthologies, especially those that encompass the topic of resilience.
During more recent terms, the new Poet Laureate has been asked to explore a central theme while also creating programming that invites community participation and conversation. Ashly McBunch, who served as Poet Laureate from 2021 to 2023, was encouraged to examine how poetry can serve as a pathway toward healing, equity and inclusion. And Olympia’s current Poet Laureate, Kathleen Byrd, is working with the community to explore the natural world, the local effects of climate change and climate justice through the lens of poetry.
The next Poet Laureate will delve into the theme of resilience, which can take on meaning across many contexts. According to Stephanie Johnson, arts program manager for the City of Olympia, the theme of resilience can tie into conversations around belonging, inclusion and climate change, while also carving space for new interpretations.
Amy Solomon-Minarchi, Olympia’s first Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2018, took on numerous projects including collaborations with InterCity Transit to introduce poetry on regional buses and bus stops. Solomon-Minarchi also served as editor for a poetry anthology titled I Hear Olympia Singing, which contains odes to the quintessential Olympia experience, public art and geographical features.
Sady Sparks, who served as Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2020, created the interactive “Poetry Map” project, which contained directions that led community members to poetry exhibitions that were dispersed throughout city parks and local and other public spaces. Different editions were geared toward individuals, couples and families, containing guiding questions and prompts for participants to further reflect on each poetry exhibition.
Byrd is currently collaborating with community members to compile an anthology of poetry that connects to the local environment and the effects of climate change. The anthology is set to release this July.
What
Applications for the 2025-2027 Olympia Poet Laureate
Where:
City of Olympia
When:
Applications are due by 11:45 p.m. on Monday, May 19, 2025
Cost:
Free
Learn More:
https://www.olympiawa.gov/community/arts,_culture___heritage/call_for_poet_laureate.php