Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Arts Council are now accepting nominations for the next State Poet of Nebraska!
The Nebraska State Poet promotes and encourages appreciation of poetry and literary life in Nebraska while inspiring an emerging generation of new writers. The State Poet will:
- Serve as an advocate for poetry, literacy, and literature in Nebraska.
- Give public presentations and readings, lead workshops and discussions, and provide other outreach in schools, libraries, literary festivals, and various venues in rural and urban communities throughout the state.
The next Nebraska State Poet will serve a five-year term from 2025-2029. Download the complete guidelines to learn more.
Nominations are due by midnight on August 16, 2024.
How to make a nomination:
Nominations may be made by any organization or individual in the state of Nebraska. Self-nominations are allowed.
Step 1:
Send a query by email to the attention of Anne Alston, Program Specialist at the Nebraska Arts Council. Please enter ‘State Poet Nomination’ in the subject line. Your email should include the name of the poet you wish to nominate. If that poet has not yet been nominated, you will receive permission to proceed to the next step of the nomination process. If the poet has already been nominated, you will be asked for a letter of support.
Step 2:
If you receive permission to proceed, the second step is to complete an online nomination form. The nomination must include:
- One-page narrative, uploaded into the online system as a PDF file, describing the nominee’s qualifications for Nebraska State Poet, including experience as a Nebraska writer, efforts to advance poetry in Nebraska, and ability to interact with the public in promoting poetry and writing.
- Three (3) letters of support or recommendation uploaded into the online system.
- Nominator contact information