LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The search is on to find the 2016-2018 Lake County Poet Laureate.
Applications will be evaluated by the former and current Lake County Poets Laureate.
The application deadline is Friday, March 18.
Sponsored by the Lake County Arts Council, the event will be held at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport on Friday, April 8, at 6 p.m. The event is free to the public.
Interviews of finalists will take place that afternoon.
The April 8 reading will feature the finalists, and several of the previous poets laureate.
The 2016-2018 Poet Laureate of Lake County will be announced at the conclusion of the readings.
The role of a poet laureate is to promote poetry, writing and literacy in the community they represent.
Officiated by the Lake County Board of Supervisors, the tradition began in Lake County in 1998 with the installation of first Lake County Poet Laureate Jim Lyle.
Each successive poet laureate has found his or her own way to fulfill the role, with many currently active in Lake County’s vibrant literary community.
In Lake County, the poet laureate is a volunteer position. However, some laureates have applied for and received grants to support their community activities.
Any Lake County resident can apply for the position, or nominate a resident that they consider a viable candidate.
To apply:
– Collect up to eight of your original poems (10 pages maximum). Submit five sets of each poem, one set with your name on each page, and the other four sets without your name. This guarantees as much anonymity as possible when the poets laureate read the submissions.
– Ask a community member to write a letter of recommendation for you.
– Write a mission statement of how you would serve Lake County’s literary community, including any current or previous activities or involvement. Include your name, address, email, telephone number, and best time to call.
– If any of your poems have been published, list the titles, names of the publication and dates they were published.
– Be available on Friday, April 8, for an interview and public reading.
Send five copies of each of the above to Casey Carney, P.O. Box 84, Lower Lake, CA 95457. Email a copy of the same items to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
If you do not have Internet access, mail six copies of the listed items by March 18.
You may nominate someone for the position by sending an email or letter to Casey Carney at the above addresses.
Include the person’s contact information, phone number, and a short statement about why you are nominating them.
Search for ninth Lake County Poet Laureate begins
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