The City of Minneapolis’ Arts & Cultural Affairs Department and The Loft Literary Center are partnering on the first-ever City of Minneapolis Poet Laureate Program.

The inaugural City of Minneapolis Poet Laureate will be an official ambassador of the city’s literary culture, connecting our community through the art of poetry.

“We have a long history of supporting and cultivating the arts here in Minneapolis,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Through this innovative new partnership, the Poet Laureate will help educate and uplift our community in a new and inspiring way – through the power of words. I look forward to the creativity, passion, and inspiration this individual will bring to our city. Thank you to Director Ben Johnson, the entire Arts & Cultural Affairs Department, and The Loft Literary Center for collaborating on this first-ever program.”

City Council President Andrea Jenkins added: “I am thrilled about our investment in a Poet Laureate and our deepened commitment to expand and infuse arts and culture into this enterprise work, in connection with residents and our communities. It has been a long journey for the City of Minneapolis to catch up with so many other communities in the state. Poetry emphasizes our humanity, which must be at the core of our collective work.”

As an advocate for poetry in Minneapolis, the Poet Laureate will engage the community in meaningful, impactful, and innovative projects. The goal is to share the transformative art of poetry through community and educational opportunities. The Poet Laureate also takes part in civic ceremonies in conjunction with the City, creating a unique literary legacy.

“As we highlight the important role poets and poetry have in civic life, the Arts & Cultural Affairs Department is thrilled to be partnering with The Loft Literary Center for this important initiative,” said Ben Johnson, director of the Arts & Cultural Affairs Department. “Minneapolis has been at the forefront of the literary arts for generations, and this inaugural Minneapolis Poet Laureate Program is a welcome addition to the cultural fabric of our community.”

A key partner in this effort with the City will be The Loft Literary Center. “As the Loft embarks on its 50th anniversary year, we’re thrilled to join the city in this effort,” said Arleta Little, Loft executive and artistic director. “The Loft started as a poet’s collective above a Dinkytown bookstore, it’s literally in our DNA to celebrate and promote the importance of poetry and the literary arts for our city and communities.”

“Poems reflect the essence of our existence while offering guidance on how to thrive. Through a collaborative effort with the City, the Minneapolis Arts Commission proudly celebrates the new Poet Laureate program, designed to illuminate our community’s diverse experiences, voices, and talents,” said Lana Aylesworth, a Minneapolis Arts Commission member.

The inaugural Poet Laureate of the City of Minneapolis will serve for a one-year term: Jan. 1, 2024-Dec. 31, 2024. The Poet Laureate is designated by the City of Minneapolis and the Poet Laureate program is administered by The Loft Literary Center.

Specifics about the Poet Laureate

The Poet Laureate will have several responsibilities during their tenure, including:

• Celebrating the City of Minneapolis through public service engagements, including three addresses at official City events.
• Leading a public event that features the sharing of poetry and community conversation.
• Teaching three classes through The Loft Literary Center that promote poetry as an opportunity for connection.
• Advancing the artform of poetry in the City of Minneapolis as an avenue for deep engagement in our community.

The Poet Laureate will receive an honorarium of $8,000 to be delivered quarterly across their year-long tenure, beginning on Jan. 1, 2024. The Poet Laureate will receive a budget of $2,000 to plan and execute a civic duty project of their design that engages and serves the Minneapolis community through poetry.

In addition, the Poet Laureate will be eligible to apply for the prestigious Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships—$50,000 awards given to honor poets of literary merit appointed to serve in civic positions to enable them to undertake meaningful, impactful, and innovative projects that engage their fellow residents. 

Search and selection process

The Laureate will be selected by a panel of five judges through an open application process administered by the Loft. In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must:

• Have the ability to complete the mandated expectations and duties over the course of the one-year term.
• Be at least 21 years of age.
• Be an active professional poet whose work has been published, performed, reviewed, and/or honored.
• Be a resident of Hennepin County for a minimum of one year.
• Have a significant connection and commitment to the Minneapolis community.
• See poetry as an opportunity to engage, serve, and celebrate the Minneapolis community.
• Must not be a board member or a full- or part-time employee of The Loft Literary Center.

The Poet Laureate will be considered based on their eligibility and the content of their application. The selection panel is made up of members of the Minneapolis Arts Commission and other arts community representatives. The panel will be selected by the City of Minneapolis and The Loft Literary Center. The panel must come to a unanimous decision to select the Poet Laureate.

In addition to fulfilling the eligibility requirements, applicants will be reviewed based on these additional criteria:

• The literary excellence of the poet’s work amidst the contemporary poetry landscape.
• The community impact of the poet on other artmakers in the city of Minneapolis.
• The feasibility of any proposed public engagement projects.
• The wider reputation of the poet and their work.
• Their works’ engagement with the city of Minneapolis.

The deadline to apply will be Nov. 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Find guidelines and application links on The Loft’s website.

Administers of the award

The Minneapolis Arts Commission advises the City Council and Mayor on arts-related issues and was chartered in 1974 with the mission to strengthen the arts and enrich cultural life in Minneapolis. The Commission works closely with the staff of the Department of Community Planning & Economic Development-Planning Division and shares their goal of developing a strong and vital arts community throughout Minneapolis.

The Loft Literary Center advances the power of writers and readers to craft and share stories, to create and celebrate connections, and to build just, life-sustaining communities. We grow writers and build community by creating literary experiences that cultivate craft and connection.

We envision a world where the power of the word liberates minds, deepens relationships, and inspires movements for people and planet. As an antiracist organization, the Loft develops programs, services, and events for writers, readers, and storytellers because racism dehumanizes people, and stories reconnect us to our shared humanity. Recognizing the relationship between race, power, and resources, we prioritize the engagement of BIPOC/marginalized communities and work for the equitable distribution of our power and resources. Our core values are creativity, connection, justice, care, courage, and curiosity.