Good news for Newark poets: There’s a new role in town.
The City of Newark has launched its inaugural Poet Laureate program, Mayor Ras Baraka announced on Tuesday.
The role is open to professional poets 21 and older who have been based in Newark for two or more years. It is intended to serve as both a title for a standout local poet and a community service position of sorts. The laureate will be expected to “promote the literary arts for Newark residents,” encourage residents in their writing and other forms of personal expression, and “bring attention to poetry in less traditional settings,” according to a press release.
During a two-year term, the poet will be given the opportunity to collaborate with Newark poetry programs, Newark Public Schools and the Newark Public Library on programming and outreach. They will also write and present original works for various civic events and institutions, the release states. In exchange, the laureate will receive a $5,000-a-year honorarium and an up to $10,000 annual programmatic budget, which will be administered by the city’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs.
“Verse and spoken word is in our blood — and I am proud that Newark is adding this Poet Laureate program as a heartbeat at our center,” said Baraka, whose father Amiri Baraka, also known as LeRoi Jones, was a notable poet and playwright. The elder Baraka was one of only two people ever named poet laureate of New Jersey, but legislators abolished the position after he published a poem criticized as antisemitic.
Applications are being accepted through Feb. 3. They require a professional biography and resume, statement of intent for the role, work samples, proof of Newark residency, and two recommendation letters.
While the program has yet to receive any applications, it has sparked “numerous inquiries,” according to fayemi shakur, Newark's arts and cultural affairs director. “The excitement around the program is high," she said.
The winner will be announced in March.
