The City of Wolverhampton Council wants to appoint a Poet Laureate who will be a champion of poetry for the city. They will write poems to commission during their tenure, as well as working on poetry events during the festival and throughout their time in the role.
The post will be honorary, lasting two years, with the first Poet Laureate leading the way in raising the profile of poetry in Wolverhampton.
Councillor Harman Banger, the council’s Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “It is fantastic to see the Wolverhampton Literature Festival going from strength to strength and the Poet Laureate will be a welcome addition to next year’s event.”
Poets can apply to become Wolverhampton’s first Poet Laureate by sending in a short description (up to one side of A4) detailing how they meet the criteria for the post, along with a sample poem. Applications can also be submitted by video.
The criteria include having a close connection with Wolverhampton, having published poems or collections; experience of writing poems to commission; an enthusiasm and ability for promoting poetry to a wide audience; experience and capability in public engagement; and performance and workshop experience.
Applicants should be aged 18 and over and send their applications to Wolverhampton Art Gallery or to artsheritagelearning@wolverhampton.gov.uk by the end of August 2019. This is an unpaid, honorary position. Any prospective applicants are welcome to get in contact to discuss the post in more detail.
The council will also be inviting applications for the position of Young Poet Laureate – details will be announced shortly.
The fourth Wolverhampton Literature Festival will take place from Friday 31 January to Sunday 2 February, 2020.
