As the term of current Carrboro Poet Laureate Fred Joiner enters its final months, the town government is seeking applicants to take up the role.

The Town of Carrboro shared a release on Monday asking for applications to the position of poet laureate for a two-year term beginning on January 1, 2023. Joiner, who is the 2019 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow and is a Chapel Hill-Carrboro resident, began serving in the role in early 2019.

Fred Joiner is a poet and curator based in Chapel Hill, NC. He is 2019 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow and the current Poet Laureate for the Town of Carrboro.

Carrboro established its poet laureate program in 2002 to “enhance the presence of poetry in the social and civic life” of the town and its residents. The position, which receives an annual honorarium of $2,500, works with the Carrboro Poets Council and participates in readings at various town events. The town poet laureate does outreach to the local school district and plans the yearly West End Poetry Festival with the Carrboro’s Recreation, Parks & Cultural Resources Department. Additionally, the poet often orchestrates and leads weekly poetry readings at the start of Carrboro Town Council meetings.

The Carrboro Arts Committee says residency in the town is preferable for candidates, but not required for the position. Applicants must, however, have a personal or professional connection to Carrboro.

Community members who are interested in applying for the Carrboro Poet Laureate role should be a poet with “little, some or substantial work published” and who have active projects in the last five years. Applications must include samples of original written works, limited to ten pieces or ten pages of poetry, plays, fiction, interviews and more.

Applications for the Carrboro Poet Laureate position can be found on the town government’s website, while anyone with questions regarding the application can email arts@carrboronc.gov or call 919-918-7377. The application period will close on Wednesday, August 31, with finalists for the role going through interviews in September and October.

 

Photo via the Town of Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

 

Related Stories
‹
Town of Carrboro Announces Dates and Lineups for Fall Arts Festivals
The schedule has been finalized for three popular arts festivals returning to Carrboro this fall. The Carrboro Music Festival will return for its opening night on Saturday, September 30 and a full day of outdoor concerts on Sunday, October 1. More than 100 acts will perform during the festival, and venues include Craftboro, Cat’s Cradle […]
Carrboro Selects New Poet Laureate
Bringing the presence of poetry to Carrboro is a responsibility that few people officially hold. The Arts Committee just selected local award-winning poet Gary Phillips as the new Poet Laureate of Carrboro, where his role is to do just that. “Carrboro is very fortunate to have had Gary selected to serve as our Poet Laureate […]
A Dactylic Affair: West End Poetry Festival
The West End Poetry Festival runs through Saturday.
Carrboro's Anderson Park Tennis Courts Closed Until Oct. 12 for Installation of Lights
The Henry Anderson III Park Tennis Courts in Carrboro will be closed until Monday, Oct. 12 for the installation of new light fixtures. The courts are located at 302 North Carolina Highway 54 West outside downtown Carrboro. According to a release from the town, the light installation is “part of a multi-year project to upgrade […]
Police: Carrboro Woman Sought in Overnight Stabbing Incident
The Carrboro Police Department is attempting to locate the suspect in an overnight stabbing incident at 101 North Carolina Highway 54, which is the address of the Berkshire 54 apartment complex. Police say the incident occurred just after midnight early Friday morning and that the victim suffered life threatening injuries. The suspect has been identified […]
Equipment Failure Causes Delays to Carrboro's Household Trash Collection
Carrboro said the breakdown led to Wednesday's collection taking longer than normal. As a result, Thursday and Friday collection has moved.
What's Open or Closed on Labor Day? Holiday to Impact Local Government Services
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, Sep. 7, […]
29th Annual Carrboro Music Festival Set for Sunday, September 27
The Carrboro Music Festival is returning for its 29th year this September. The free event will feature dozens of performers at multiple locations in downtown Carrboro. The festival begins with several kickoff events Saturday, Sep. 26, including an Open Mic event at Carrboro Town Commons from 2 to 4 p.m. Festival merchandise, including pieces signed […]
Celebration of Independence Day to Alter Local Government Services in Orange County
The celebration of Independence Day on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 will affect several local government services in and around Orange County. Here’s a look at what typical services will and won’t be happening during the weekend: Town of Chapel Hill All Chapel Hill administrative offices will be closed Friday, July 3, as […]
Juneteenth Holiday to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County
Across the country on Friday, Black Americans and communities will celebrate Juneteenth — the national recognition of when the final slaves were freed in the 19th century and of African-American culture. As a holiday, government services around the Orange County community will be affected on June 19 and the surrounding days. Here’s what residents can […]
›