Seeking Poet-in-Residence with Passion for Art, Activism and Social Change

The UD Library, Museums and Press is actively recruiting a poet and advocate for social change to serve as poet-in-residence on the Poetry as Activism Project. The poet-in-residence will draw inspiration from our collections to create new, original work and to develop and host a workshop on the theme of poetry as activism.

The Poetry as Activism Project draws on the Library’s archival collections of 20th-century American poets, with a focus on those from historically marginalized groups, including Ishmael Reed, Kay Boyle, Alan Kaufman and more. The project examines the role that activism has played in these poets’ lives and art over time, while also exploring the notion of poetry as activism more generally.

The short-term poet-in-residence is a key component to the project’s success. In addition to creating original works and leading a workshop, the poet-in-residence will have the opportunity to pursue publishing a digital exhibition and to support the collecting of writings from emerging and established contemporary poets.

The residency will last the duration of the spring 2024 semester, from February to May. Applications from poets working in any form are welcome, including those developing manuscripts or working in digital, hybrid and/or mixed-media forms. Poets with ties to the Delaware and mid-Atlantic region are strongly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the position and how to apply, please visit the University of Delaware Poet-in-Residence Application.

Complete applications are due by 5 p.m. E.D.T. on September 5, 2023. If you have questions, please reach out to the project team members, Jeannette Schollaert and Yalonda JD Green.

The Poetry as Activism Project is supported by a $250,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation. The grant is part of Mellon’s Public Knowledge Program, which supports the creation and preservation of the cultural and scholarly record.