Who will be the next Poet Laureate of San Luis Obispo County?
The SLO County Arts Council has announced that applications for the position are open. The selected person is regarded by the county as its most eminent or representative poet.
Criteria for the award include residence in SLO County and an established body of published work (preferably in book form) recognized for its excellence. The nominee also should have a history of service or a willingness to serve the local poetry community. Ideally, the poet selected would develop a program to promote poetry throughout his or her tenure.
Poets are selected by a committee of community leaders with significant expertise in education, poetry, civic and cultural leadership, and the literary arts.
It is a great honor to have been added to the line of poets who have been selected as Poets Laureate for San Luis Obispo County.” — Kevin Clark
Since the selection of jazz drummer, merchant marine sailor, and beat poet extraordinaire Ray Clark Dickson in 1999 as the first, sixteen other poet laureates have been named, including Glenna Luschie, Kevin Patrick Sullivan, Dian Sousa, Gloria L. Velasquez, Jeanie Greensfelder, and most recent laureate Kevin Clark.
Nominations may be submitted by any community member or by poets themselves.