Nominations for Mississippi’s Poet Laureate open April 1, 2024, and close June 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

Since the naming of Mississippi’s first poet laureate in 1963, the state’s poet laureate has served as the official state poet, creating and reading appropriate poetry upon state occasions and state agency activities and representing the rich cultural heritage of Mississippi. Starting in 2011, the Governor’s Office, in partnership with the Mississippi Arts Commission and Mississippi’s other cultural agencies, instituted a four-year term for the state’s poet laureate.

Nominee Requirements

The Mississippi Poet Laureate is an honorary position, and the selected individual must meet the following criteria to be eligible for consideration:

– Be either born or domiciled in Mississippi at the time of nomination;

– Possess a body of quality works;

– Have works widely published in books, anthologies, literary journals, or magazines by recognized, reputable publishers (please cite sources in bibliography);

– Reflect the essence and unique cultural heritage of Mississippi;

– Be available to travel and actively serve in the state;

– Be available for a personal interview with the Poet Laureate Selection Committee (if selected as a potential finalist).

Selection Process

Nominations are reviewed by the Mississippi Poet Laureate Selection Panel, an advisory council consisting of representatives from state’s cultural agencies and professionals in the literary community. After reviewing nominations, the Selection Panel convenes to interview the finalists and submits a list of persons qualified and eligible for the position to the Governor’s office. The Governor considers these recommendations in making the final selection.

Application Process

For a nomination to be considered in the review process, nominators must submit contact information about their nominee, a narrative of the nominee’s achievements, and attach supporting materials or links to supplement the nomination.

Using the online form, please nominate someone you believe is worthy of such an honor. We encourage you to gather your materials and write your narrative before filling out the form. Thank you for taking the time to nominate an artist of note.

Nominations due: June 30, 2024, by 11:59 PM.