Program Purpose

The purpose of the Kentucky Poet Laureate Program is to honor outstanding Kentucky writers and promote participation in the literary arts of the state.

The goals of the Kentucky Poet Laureate Program are:

• To select, on a biennial basis, a Kentucky writer to serve as Poet Laureate over a two-year term
  
  
• To develop activities to honor the Poet Laureate
  
  
• To support the activities of the Poet Laureate in promoting the literary arts

Program Description

The Kentucky General Assembly established the Kentucky Poet Laureate position in 1991. The Governor appoints the Poet Laureate for a two-year term. The word poet in the position's title is interpreted in its broadest sense to include persons whose accomplishments are in any of the recognized literary forms, including poetry, fiction, biographical work, creative non-fiction, playwriting, etc.

The Kentucky Poet Laureate's minimum duties over the two years of office are:

• To make a presentation at the annual Kentucky Writers' Day on April 24
  
  
• To promote the literary arts in Kentucky through readings of his or her work at meetings, seminars, and conferences across the state

The Kentucky Poet Laureate holds the position from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, and will serve without salary. The Kentucky Poet Laureate receives a $5,000 honorarium to cover travel expenses during the two-year term.

Performance Expectations

• Publication of a written body of work which is informed by living in Kentucky
  
  
• Critical acclaim for the work's high degree of creativity and clarity of form and style as demonstrated by the receipt of special honors, awards, and other forms of recognition
  
  
• Capacity to promote the literary arts in Kentucky through readings and/or public presentations at meetings, seminars, conferences, and other programs across the state, including Kentucky Writers' Day

Who may be nominated

Eligible nominees must meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident of Kentucky, with a long association with the commonwealth
  
  
• Be a writer of any of the recognized literary forms, including poetry, fiction, biographical work, creative non-fiction, playwriting, etc.

Restrictions

Past Kentucky Poets Laureate are ineligible for nomination.

Past Poets Laureate

Joy Bale Boone, Lillie D. Chaffin, Soc Clay, Dale Faughn, James Baker Hall, Edward G. Hill, Edwin Carlisle Litsey, Jim Wayne Miller, Tom Mobley, Sena Jeter Naslund, J.T.C. Noe, Agnes O'Rear, James H. Patton, Jr., Lee Pennington, Louise Scott Phillips, Henry E. Pilkenton, Paul Salyers, James Still, Jesse Hilton Stuart, Joe Survant, Richard Taylor, Jane Gentry Vance, Lowell Allen Williams

Who May Nominate

Kentucky Poet Laureate nominations may come from an individual or organization within or outside of Kentucky.

Program Support

The Kentucky Arts Council will offer the following support to ensure that program standards and goals are met:

• Consultation regarding nomination eligibility, details of the nomination form and attachments, etc.
  
  
• Review of draft nominations submitted at least two weeks prior to the nomination deadline

How to Make a Nomination

See the Kentucky Poet Laureate Nomination Form for details.

Program Timeline

Instructions:

General Format Requirements

• All nominations must be prepared on a computer and/or typed.
  
  
• If you have Internet access and the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader®, you can open the Nomination Form on the Arts Council web site located at artscouncil.ky.gov, and fill-out and print the form using your computer. (Adobe Acrobat Reader® can be downloaded FREE by visiting their web site at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).
  
  
• Use standard-size (8 1/2" x 11") white paper for all pages; single-sided only.
  
  
• Use minimum 11-point type. Standard fonts such as Times, Helvetica, Arial or Courier are recommended; decorative fonts will not be accepted.
  
  
• Use minimum one-inch margins on top, bottom, right and left sides of narrative pages.
  
  
• Do Not staple nominations or enclose them in folders or binders of any kind; use paper clips only.

Section-by-Section Instructions

Nominee Info. This section is self-explanatory.

Nominee Race/Ethnicity. Please choose the one(s) that represent(s) the race/ethnicity of the nominee. Select ALL that apply.

Nominator Info. This section is self-explanatory.

Nomination Deadline

Nominations must be postmarked by September 30, 2008, or hand delivered to the Kentucky Arts Council office no later than 4:30 p.m. on that date. Nominations with deadlines falling on Saturdays, Sundays, or federal or state holidays will be accepted on the next business day if they are 1) officially postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, 2) when using a shipping service (e.g. UPS, Federal Express, etc.) a dated receipt is provided, or 3) they are hand delivered by 4:30 p.m. Packages dated with internal postage meters will not be accepted after the nomination deadline. Late nominations will not be accepted under any circumstances and will be returned. Faxed nominations will not be accepted and incomplete nominations are unlikely to be considered.

Note: Due to postal regulations, all packages over 16 ounces must be given directly to a postal clerk at a post office, and not dropped in a postal box.

Supporting Materials

Detailed support materials are a valuable component of nominations. In addition to letters of recommendation, news clippings and published materials are an extremely important part of the nomination process.

Supporting materials will not be returned; do not send originals.

For More Information

The Kentucky Arts Council welcomes all questions regarding this program and nomination form. For more information on this program, please contact:

Daniel J. Strauss
Senior Program Analyst
Kentucky Arts Council
Toll-free: 888-833-2787 (ext. 474)
Fax: 502-564-2839
E-mail: Dan.Strauss@ky.gov
See Arts Council mailing address below.