Arlington County is seeking its official Poet Laureate for the 2025-2027 term.

The poet selected as Arlington’s next poet laureate will serve as an advocate for poetry and the literary arts, and will advance Arlingtonians’ consciousness and appreciation of poetry in its written and spoken forms. They will represent Arlington County’s commitment to fostering a creative environment that encourages collaboration, innovation and community participation.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on June 2, 2025, with the selected poet laureate’s two-year term beginning after July 1, 2025, to coincide with the fiscal year.

The Poet Laureate will build on Arlington County’s well-received literary programs, including the Moving Words Poetry Competition, now in its 26th year, bringing poetry to a wider audience and strengthening Arlington’s place in the region’s rich literary community. The Poet Laureate program is managed by the Division of Cultural Affairs in Arlington Economic Development.

“Poetry is a dynamic form, taking the language of its time and pushing its expressive limits. And social media is changing the way we use language,” said Michelle Isabelle-Stark, director of the Cultural Affairs division of Arlington Economic Development. “It’s now easier than ever to write and share poems. Our new Poet Laureate will work with our community to awaken the poet in all of us.”

Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, must reside in Arlington during the time of application and for the duration of the appointment, and must demonstrate a track record of experience publishing and/or presenting original poetry within poetry journals, magazines, websites, and/or programs. Arlington County staff, Board Members, and Commission members are not eligible to apply. Former Arlington County Poets Laureate may reapply after one completed term out of office. Full eligibility requirements and terms are available online.

Applications will be reviewed for eligibility by staff from Arlington Cultural Affairs. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges, including staff, literary professionals, and well-regarded poets from the region. Candidates may be interviewed before the final selection is made.

Arlington Supports the Literary Arts

This program builds upon the successful term of the inaugural Poet Laureate, Katherine E. Young (2016-2018), and her successors Holly Karapetkova (2020-2023), and the current appointee Courtney LeBlanc.

Moving Words makes poetry a part of daily life for commuters riding Arlington Transit (ART) by replacing advertising placards inside public buses with poems by local poets. For National Poetry Month, “The Poet is IN” pop-up booths at County libraries, festivals and activities are manned by poets creating free, customized poems for customers right on the spot. Learn more about the position of the Poet Laureate and former Poets Laureate. 

Laureate to Receive Honorarium

The selected Poet Laureate will serve a two-year term and receive an honorarium of $1500 per year to fulfill the duties of the post. Additional funds of up to $500 per year will be available for materials and other approved costs associated with the community engagement programs the Poet Laureate facilitates. The Poet Laureate will sign a contract with Arlington County outlining their roles and responsibilities as an independent contractor.

Poems written for Arlington County will remain the property of the poet, but Arlington County will have the right to use the poems; any publication of the poems elsewhere will note that the poem is an original work written for Arlington County. The selected Poet Laureate will be named in a public ceremony and have their name added to the plaque of Poets Laureate at Courthouse Plaza.

Duties

The Poet Laureate will:

    •    Write at least two original poems per year around a theme of their choice that supports the priorities of the Arlington County Board, by mutual agreement with Cultural Affairs Staff. 

    •    These poems will be presented at public readings. Occasions for the Poet Laureate to choose from will be brought to the poet’s attention as they arise throughout the year. Examples include the County’s Martin Luther King Day Celebration, Juneteenth, 9/11 Memorial Service, Columbia Pike Blues Festival, among many others.

    •    Serve as a juror for the annual Moving Words Poetry competition and contribute one poem each year to be displayed on Arlington’s ART Buses along with the winning poems.

    •    Facilitate community engagement programs, working with Arlington Public Libraries and Arlington Cultural Affairs staff, to engage the public with poetry and the literary arts and to bring poetry to a wider audience. Programs could include workshops, readings, events with students, and more.


Timeline and Submissions Process

Applications are due June 2, 2025, by 5 p.m. Interviews will be conducted in mid-May. The selected poet’s contract will begin after July 1, 2025. Applications are ONLY accepted through arlington.slideroom.com. Please sign up for a free account with Slideroom to submit your qualifications.

Questions about this Call to Poets? Contact Dan Brady, Literary Specialist at dbrady@arlingtonva.us