Nebraska State Poet Nominations Due July 26

Nebraska Arts Council (NAC), Humanities Nebraska (HN), and the Nebraska Library Commission (NLC) are seeking nominations for the next Nebraska State Poet, a designation that recognizes and honors a Nebraska poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment.  Nominations must be submitted online no later than midnight, CST on July 26, 2013.

Nominations may be made by any organization or individual in the state of Nebraska. To be considered, nominees must indicate their consent to the nomination. All nominations will be reviewed by the State Poet Selection Committee, which is made up of five individuals who are established members of Nebraska’s literary, cultural, education, and academic communi­ties. After the committee selects finalists, the governor will make the final selection. State Poet nominations will be collected and reviewed online using the NAC SlideRoom online application site: https://nebraska.slideroom.com.  This site includes complete instructions for submitting application materials.

The Nebraska State Poet will be selected based on artistic excellence, exemplary profession­alism demonstrated by significant publications and special honors, an established history of community service in the advancement of poetry in Nebraska, and the ability to present poetry and interact effectively with a public audience. In addition, the State Poet must be a legal, full-time resident for at least three years prior to the application deadline and must maintain Nebraska residency during the full term of office.  Once selected, the Nebraska State Poet will serve a five-year renewable term as an advocate for poetry, literacy, and literature in Nebraska. The duties of the State Poet include giving public presentations and readings, leading workshops and discussions, and providing other outreach in schools, libraries, literary festivals, and various venues in rural and urban commu­nities throughout the state.  To accomplish this, the State Poet will join the NAC’s Nebraska Touring Program and the HN Speakers Bureau. The position of Nebraska Poet Laureate was established in 1921 when John G. Neihardt was appointed by the Legislature. In 1982, William Kloefkorn was appointed as Nebraska State Poet by Governor Charles Thone.  Kloefkorn served as the State Poet for over 25 years, until his death in May 2011. For more information, contact Erika Hamilton, Humanities Nebraska director of literary programs, at (402) 474-1213, extention 104, or at erika@humanitiesnebraska.org