Chapel Hill is currently seeking applicants for its next Poet Laureate.
The two-year position aims to inspire creativity and celebrate the community through poetry and public programs, working closely with town staff to create events and writing poems for special occasions. Applications are due on September 14 at 5 p.m.
“This role is really an ambassador for poetry in the Chapel Hill community, creating all kinds of poetry experiences for people who live in Chapel Hill,” Community Arts and Culture Marketing and Communications Coordinator Darien Cropper told 97.9 The Hill.
The Poet Laureate will also facilitate workshops and training opportunities, perform at key community moments like festivals, events, and council meetings, and create experiences for poetry to be shared in the community.
“And that can take a lot of different forms,” Cropper said. “We work with the Poet Laureate to see what that looks like, what they’re interested in and how they want to shape the role. So it changes depending on each Poet Laureate that we have.”
The selected artist will succeed the town’s third Poet Laureate Donovan Livingston, an award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker whose tenure concludes in December. He is also UNC’s Director of College Thriving and a teaching assistant professor on the history of hip-hop and composition.
97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey (middle), speaking with Darien Cropper (left) and Donovan Livingston (right) on August 26.
Livingston described the role as an “experience of a lifetime,” expressing how it helps encourage poetry in town by providing more structured opportunities to share and create.
“I see poetry as essential to furthering our work as artists here in this community,” Livingston said. “It’s been delightful to sort of see how poetry shows up in people’s daily lives. You know, the folks who come to our monthly poetry workshops at Epilogue, or the students that I’ve been able to interact with.”
Those who are over 18 years-old and have little, some, or substantial work published and active poetry projects in the last five years are eligible to apply. While applicants do not need to live in Chapel Hill, they must have a professional or personal connection to the town. The selected poet will receive a $6,000 stipend, and finalists will get a $200 stipend for their proposals.
Since starting in the position in January 2025, Livingston has worked closely with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County’s correctional system, and UNC’s music department as faculty member. The spoken word poet said art and lyricism have the opportunity to bring people together, and he gave his advice to prospective applicants.
“Dream big. Like really, really dream big,” Livingston said. “I didn’t realize how much permission I would have to just be able to explore what’s possible as Poet Laureate, and I’d be surprised every month when we’d meet, if I threw out an idea, people would be like, ‘Yeah, let’s try that. Let’s do that, or let’s put some weight behind that and really set it in motion.’”
One of those ideas is Talk of the Town, a collaborative mixtape and musical time capsule of the Chapel Hill community. Set to release in November, Donovan said it brought together writers, poets, emcees, and storytellers of all ages, and its lyrics were recently incorporated into a visual art piece on the exterior of a town transit bus. Created by local artist Alison Hawkins, the bus with the artistic (w)rap will also likely house musical programming and performances.
Livingston said both projects are representative of what the Poet Laureate role is all about: growing Chapel Hill’s creative ecosystem.
“I’ve always wanted to represent a place with my lyricism and art, and I’m grateful to have been able to do that in a place that means so much to me,” Livingston said. “It’s bittersweet that it’s coming to an end, but we want to go out with a bang. I’m looking forward to ushering in the new person, welcoming them with open arms, and drumming up a little bit more excitement before we walk out the door.”
Apply to be Chapel Hill’s 2027-2028 Poet Laureate by clicking here.
Featured image via Chapel Hill Community Arts and Culture.
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