2022 Austin Youth Poet Laureate: July Application Workshops

710 West Cesar Chavez Street,Austin TX 78701

16 July, 2022

Description

ABOUT THESE WORKSHOPS During these workshops, Austin-based poet and teaching artist Bianca Alyssa Perez will walk you through the application process step by step — from drafting and generating poems to compiling a resume. Plus, you’ll get to learn from other poets while you craft your own work. These workshops are free and open to all! They will take place in a Group Learning Room at Austin Central Library. Saturday, July 16 @ 1:00pm / Workshop 1: The Poems Your YPL poetry portfolio should include 5 original poems in one document. In this workshop, you'll read, write, and share poems with your fellow poets. Saturday, July 23 @ 1:00pm / Workshop 2: The Brag Sheet This resume is an opportunity to share everything you have done, so put it all in there, feel free to *brag* about yourself and your accomplishments! Saturday, July 30 @ 1:00pm / Workshop 3: You & Austin, TX We know that poetry doesn't always happen on the page. Poetry is alive in our city from venue stages to spray-painted street art. If you have poems that exist in the world through a multimedia format, please upload a file showcasing how your poems live off the page. In this workshop, you'll also discuss the role of a Youth Poet Laureate and the specific role you would play as the youth voice of Austin, TX. Please note: When you register, a spot will be held for you for all three workshops. We encourage to you attend all three workshops. Each workshop will build upon the previous workshop's ideas and information. WHO CAN ATTEND Anyone age 13-18 years old living in Austin, TX. As long as your address says you live in Austin, you are eligible to apply. Right now this program is only open to students living within Austin city limits. We hope to expand to surrounding counties in the future. Space is limited, so we recommend signing up sooner rather than later to reserve your spot in the workshop. ABOUT AUSTIN YPL The Library Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Austin Youth Poet Laureate Program in collaboration with the Austin Public Library and the National Youth Poet Laureate Program. This year, Austin will join over 40 other cities with Youth Poet Laureate programs. The Austin Youth Poet Laureate Program aims to identify and uplift young writers and leaders who are committed to poetry and performance, as well as civic and community engagement, across Austin. The Austin Youth Poet Laureate will have numerous opportunities and platforms to share their voice, leadership, and love of Austin. The National Youth Poet Laureate Program (YPL) is hosted by Urban Word and collaborates with local youth literary arts organizations across the country. YPL honors teen poets with an equal passion for artistic excellence and social activism. Each participating city elects a citywide Youth Poet Laureate. One winner from each of the four regions in the country will then be selected, and these four regional winners will constitute the Youth Poet Laureate Finalists, from which the winner of the National Youth Poet Laureate title will be chosen. Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman served as the nation’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017. More information about the Austin Youth Poet Laureate Program can be found at www.austinlibrary.org/ypl