[Archived] City of Alexandria Searches for Poet Laureate

­­For Immediate Release: December 22, 2021

The City of Alexandria is accepting nominations for a new poet laureate for a three-year term to begin April 1, 2022. Online nominations are being accepted through January 10, 2022, at 5 p.m. 

The role of the City's poet laureate is to promote an appreciation of poetry as an art form; to encourage creative writing and reading of all forms of literature; and to promote literacy through poetry. The individual selected as Alexandria’s poet laureate will succeed KaNikki Jakarta, whose term will end on March 31, 2022.

Individuals can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. To qualify, nominees must distinguish themselves in the field of poetry through their body of work; be a resident of the City for a minimum of one year and maintain residency through the three-year term of service; and be 18 years of age or older. The entries will be juried by a task force, which will provide its recommendation to the City. The selected individual must also accept the poet laureate post as a ceremonial role, which includes presentations of work appropriate for all audiences. Complete details about the nomination and selection process are contained in the online nomination form.  

The Alexandria poet laureate program was reestablished by the City of Alexandria in 2007. Past incumbents have included Mary McElveen, Amy Young, Tori Lane Kovarik, Ryan Wojanowski, and Wendi Kaplan. 

Visit alexandriava.gov/Arts for more information about Alexandria’s Poet Laureate and Literary Programs.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Editorial Communications Manager, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.5565, Virginia Relay 711.