Calling creators of haikus, sonnets, free verse and more, Victoria is seeking nominations for its 2021 Youth Poet Laureate.
The person who takes on the one-year position, created in 2013 by the Victoria Youth Council, develops a community youth poetry event and facilitates peer-to-peer education, as well as vulnerable youth outreach.
Applicants must be between 14 and 24 and live in the Capital Regional District – including the Gulf Islands. The City of Victoria says candidates must have “clear and innovative ideas for the vision of their role” and have the ability to “skillfully present and perform written or spoken work to the public.”
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The 2020 Youth Poet Laureate was Neko Smart, a Victoria High School graduate and founder of the Vic High Slam Poetry Team. According to the city, Smart emphasized the importance of cultivating open dialogues about mental health to reduce stigma.
The new laureate will hold the title from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. Funded by the City of Victoria and the Greater Victoria Public Library, they receive $2,000 in project funding and a $1,750 honorarium.
Applications are open online until Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. The nomination package can be downloaded online at victoria.ca.
READ ALSO: Vic High Students are champions of words
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