Nominations now being accepted for
state's poet laureate
St. Paul
, MN -
Sept. 30, 2007 -
The Minnesota
Humanities
Center
will begin accepting nominations and applications for
the state's poet laureate today. Nominations must be made
electronically on the Humanities Center
's web site,
www.minnesotahumanities.org.
A
Minnesota-based national center and clearing house for the best in the
humanities, the Humanities Center
was charged with creating a process for naming a poet laureate by the
2007 Minnesota State Legislature. "Minnesota
is recognized nationally - and with good reason - as the home of great
writers and avid, enthusiastic readers," said Stanley Romanstein,
president of the Humanities Center
.
"Designating a poet laureate will advance Minnesota
's well-deserved reputation as a thoughtful, literate
place to live," Romanstein said.
CRITERIA
To
be eligible, nominees must be a resident of Minnesota for at least one
year prior to being nominated; be age 21 or older; have demonstrated
excellence in promoting awareness and enjoyment of poetry in Minnesota;
have an admirable and proven history of having published individual
poems and/or books of poetry; and have an admirable and proven level of
ability in writing poetry.
NOMINATION AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Nominations
for the state's poet laureate can be made by anyone; self nominations
will be accepted. To nominate a poet, submit his/her name and contact
information at the Minnesota Humanities Center
's web site,
www.minnesotahumanities.org.
The Humanities Center
will notify all nominees that they have been nominated; to be
considered as a nominee, however, the poet must complete the application
online, which requires complete contact information, a current vita, a
writing sample of up to six pages, and an explanation of what he/she
would do in the role of poet laureate. Nominations and applications
will be accepted from Sept. 30 to Oct. 31, 2007
.
NOMINATION REVIEW AND TIMELINE
A
committee representing a diverse mix of regions and literary groups
will serve as a nominating committee, presenting three commended poets
to Governor Pawlenty, though the Minnesota Humanities Center.The
nominating committee will do its work in October and November 2007. The
Minnesota Humanities Center
will convey the nominating committee's
recommendations to the Governor in December 2007.
TERM OF SERVICE
The
poet laureate serves at the pleasure of the Governor of the State of Minnesota
and until such time as the Governor names a new poet
laureate.
SUPPORT
The
role of the poet laureate is honorary. The Minnesota
Humanities Center
will assist the poet laureate in his/her role of promoting awareness
and enjoyment of poetry in Minnesota
.
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