City of Boulder Opens Nominations for Inaugural Poet Laureate Program

The City of Boulder is now accepting nominations and applications for its inaugural Poet Laureate Program, establishing an official ambassadorship that places a working poet at the center of civic and community life.

The Poet Laureate will serve as Boulder's representative for literary arts, helping connect community members with poetry through public readings, workshops, civic ceremonies and a signature community project that reflects the city's identity and values.

"Boulder's literary community has long enriched our lives through storytelling, creative expression, sparking connections and public dialogue. The Poet Laureate Program honors that tradition while advancing the Boulder Arts Blueprint's goals of expanding access to arts and culture, elevating community voices and celebrating Boulder's distinctive literary heritage," said Lauren Click, Office of Arts and Culture Manager.

The City of Boulder welcomes nominations and applications from poets who meet the following criteria:

• Current resident of Boulder, Colorado (resident in ZIP codes beginning with 803)
• Active creative practice as a poet, with a body of published or publicly performed work
• Experience leading or facilitating poetry programming, workshops or literary events for community audiences
• Ability to fulfill the civic, programming and reporting responsibilities of the role during the one-year term, with the potential for a second-year extension based on performance and mutual agreement

The Poet Laureate will receive a $10,000 annual honorarium from the City of Boulder to support their service, public engagement activities and community programming. In addition, through a partnership with the Boulder Library District, the Poet Laureate will have the opportunity to serve concurrently as the Library's Writer in Residence during their first six months in the role, for an additional $6,000 stipend.

The nomination period opens July 8, 2026. Community members and organizations are encouraged to nominate qualified poets, and self-nominations are welcome. Nominations close Aug. 13, 2026. The Boulder Poet Laureate will be selected through a three-step review process administered by the City Poet Laureate Selection Committee.

To learn more about the Poet Laureate Program or to fill out a nomination form, please visit the city website.