The City of Tucson, in partnership with the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona and the University of Arizona Poetry Center, invites you to apply for the appointment of Tucson’s Poet Laureate. The individual selected for this three-year honorary term will be responsible for promoting literary education, expanding access to poetry in schools and communities, and fostering greater awareness of the poetic traditions rooted in Tucson. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW  

The Tucson Poet Laureate serves as the City’s official ambassador to the literary arts, advancing public appreciation of poetry while reflecting the unique spirit and identity of Tucson. This honorary position affirms poetry as a vital cultural practice that sparks imagination, dialogue, and belonging across our communities. 

The Poet Laureate is charged with promoting literary education in schools and neighborhoods, expanding access to the arts for those with limited exposure, and inspiring new generations of readers and writers. Grounded in the lived experiences of Tucson, the role supports the City’s cultural values and equity goals by ensuring that poetry remains relevant, inclusive, and accessible. 

Applications are reviewed by a community panel representing Tucson’s literary, educational, civic, and community sectors, with administration by the Arts Foundation. The Mayor of Tucson makes the final appointment, and the selected individual serves a three-year term. 

The Tucson Poet Laureate program is guided by shared values that center community voice, cultural equity, and institutional collaboration. Together, the City of Tucson, the Arts Foundation, and the Poetry Center are committed to celebrating literary excellence, honoring Tucson’s cultural richness and diversity, and ensuring transparency and accountability in the selection process. 

By design, the Tucson Poet Laureate program elevates local literary artists while strengthening connections between cultural institutions and the broader public. It is both a celebration of creative achievement and a call to expand access to poetry across the City’s neighborhoods. The role embodies Tucson’s dedication to honoring its history, amplifying community voices, and ensuring that the literary arts remain central to civic life. 

HONORARIUM
The Tucson Poet Laureate will serve a three-year term, appointed by the Mayor, with the possibility of serving no more than two consecutive terms. This honorary position recognizes the Poet Laureate’s contributions to the literary and cultural life of Tucson and supports the Poet’s efforts to engage the community through poetry and related programs. To acknowledge the time, expertise, and public service required of the position, an honorarium of $15,000 will be provided for the full term, distributed in equal installments of $5,000 per year. This honorarium is intended to help the Poet Laureate dedicate resources toward fulfilling the responsibilities of the role, including community outreach, educational programming, and public events.
 

DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS
The Tucson Poet Laureate is expected to serve as a dynamic ambassador for poetry, spoken word, and the literary arts across the city. The Poet Laureate will:
 

• Participate in a launch reading at the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books. 
• Envision and lead a community-centered poetry program that engages diverse communities and Elevates Tucson’s cultural richness. 

ELIGIBILITY  
To be considered for the role of Tucson Poet Laureate, the candidate must meet all the following eligibility criteria at the time of application:
 

1. Be at least eighteen (18) years of age. 
2. Be of recognized stature in the literary, cultural, educational, or academic communities. 
3. Demonstrate a record of high-quality published or documented work and service through the literary arts. 
4. Have resided in the City of Tucson for at least two (2) years prior to the date of submission.  
5. Live in the City of Tucson for a minimum of nine months each calendar year.
    

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualities:
Experience and Vision 

The applicant demonstrates substantial experience as a poet within literary, cultural, or academic communities and presents a clear and compelling vision for engaging Tucson communities through public programming, outreach, education, or other literary initiatives.

Artistic Strength 

The applicant’s work demonstrates skill, originality, artistic excellence, and professional achievement with meaningful recognition or impact within literary, cultural, or academic communities.
 

Leadership and Impact 

The applicant shows collaborative leadership, meaningful community engagement, and the ability to serve as   an ambassador for poetry, spoken word, and the literary arts citywide, including fostering participation and building partnerships. 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST  

No elected members or officers, commissioners, nor employees of the City of Tucson, the University of Arizona Poetry Center, Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, Arts Foundation board members, nor their immediate family members are allowed to apply to this opportunity. Any person in a position to receive financial gain from the selection of the artist will be ineligible to serve on a public art community panel. All panel members must declare any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if a conflict arises. 

• Travel throughout the region to meet responsibilities. 
• Provide documentation of public readings, programs, and other engagements to the Arts Foundation for inclusion in social media, newsletters, and other public communications.  
• Participate in citywide projects or events at the request of the Mayor’s Office or Arts Foundation, including activations of the Somos Uno Cultural Heritage Strategy, up to three times per year.  
• Compose a poem commemorating the city of Tucson. 
• Attend the annual State of the City address, reinforcing the Laureate’s role as a visible and active cultural leader. 

TIMELINE  
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Request for Qualifications Application Posted 

Thursday, January 8, 2026
Application Deadline at 11:59 p.m. Arizona Time

Thursday, January 22, 2026
Panel Meeting 1 (Panel only): The Panel will select three (3) finalists to interview. All applicants will be notified of their status.  Finalists will begin preparations for Panel Meeting 2.    

Thursday, January 29, 2026
Panel Meeting 2 (Panel and Finalists): The Panel will interview Finalists during a recorded meeting. Finalists will deliver a 15-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute question and answer session with the panel.

February 2026
Mayoral Review: The Mayor will review all three interview recordings, along with each finalist’s application materials. All finalists will be notified for their status.  
 

March 1, 2025
Official Announcement of Tucson Poet Laureate: The selected Tucson Poet Laureate will be announced publicly.
 

March 14, 2025 Formal Installation of Tucson Poet Laureate: The Mayor will formally appoint and present the Tucson Poet Laureate during the Annual Festival of Books. 

SELECTION PROCESS  

Artists are chosen through a fair and equitable process by a panel of five to seven members representing Tucson’s literary, educational, civic, and community sectors. Application materials will be assessed based on eligibility, completeness, and clarity, as outlined in the review criteria provided in this document. Arts Foundation staff do not directly select finalists or appointees. The role of staff is to facilitate the panel discussion and ensure the process runs smoothly. 

All applications undergo a technical review process. Submission materials will be reviewed for eligibility, completeness, and compliance. Eligible and complete applications are then forwarded to community panelists for assessment, scoring, ranking, and commenting on applications based on the published criteria. The panel will then convene for two deliberation meetings: 

1. Panel Meeting 1 – The panel will examine the online rankings, deliberate on the findings, and determine which applicants advance as finalists. The finalists will be invited to present at Panel Meeting 2. 
2. Panel Meeting 2 – Each finalist will present to the panel their qualifications and demonstrate their ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the Poet Laureate appointment. Presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer(Q/A) session with the panel to inform the final decision by the Mayor. 
3. Mayoral Selection – The Mayor will select the new Tucson Poet Laureate from among the panel’s nominated finalists, following a review of all submitted materials, recorded presentations, and Q/A session with the panel from the recorded meetings. 

REVIEW CRITERIA  

The following criteria will be considered by the panel during the review of applications, based solely on the materials submitted by the applicant.  

Experience and Vision
The applicant demonstrates substantial experience as a poet within literary, cultural, or academic communities and presents a clear and compelling vision for engaging Tucson communities through public programming, outreach, education, or other literary initiatives.

Artistic Strength 

The applicant’s work demonstrates skill, originality, artistic excellence, and professional achievement with meaningful recognition or impact within literary, cultural, or academic communities.  

Leadership and Impact 

The applicant shows collaborative leadership, meaningful community engagement, and the ability to serve as an ambassador for poetry, spoken word, and the literary arts citywide, including fostering participation and building partnerships. 

Panelists will score each application using a 5-point scale. 

(Strongly Agree = 5 points | Agree = 4 points | Neutral = 3points | Disagree = 2 points | Strongly Disagree = 1 point) 

Panelists will be asked to provide comments as additional feedback on the applicant’s strengths, areas for growth, and/or overall suitability for the role of Tucson Poet Laureate. Comments should substantiate the score, highlight notable qualities in the application, and capture any observations that may assist the panel in making a final recommendation. All comments will be reviewed and discussed during Panel Meeting 1.

HOW TO APPLY
Carefully review the duties, expectations, and eligibility of this opportunity prior to submitting your application. Applications are only accepted through the Submittable online portal. Materials emailed or mailed will not be considered.
Applicants should submit materials that demonstrate their experience in the literary arts, their record of community engagement, and their vision for serving as a dynamic ambassador for poetry and the literary arts across Tucson’s diverse communities.

PREPARE APPLICATION MATERIALS 

1. Prepare your Letter of Interest. A letter of interest should highlight why you are well-suited to serve as Tucson Poet Laureate, emphasizing your artistic vision, qualifications, and meaningful connection to the city and its communities. Limit: 500 words 
2. Prepare your resume. Two (2) page maximum. Acceptable file types: .pdf 
3. Prepare three (3) samples of your work. Upload three (3) unique writing samples that best represent your work. You may submit your sample in written form, as spoken word audio, or as a video recording. Writing samples must be no more than five (5) pages long. Audio and video submissions must be no longer than five (5) minutes long. Uploaded submissions must be in PDF, MP3, or MP4 format. 

SUBMIT APPLICATION 

1. Go to Submittable: artsfoundtucson.submittable.com/submit    
2. Select the Tucson Poet Laureate program from the list.    
3. Log in or sign up for an account. 
4. Complete all applicant Information.  
5. Write your Letter of Interest. 
6. Upload your resume.     
7. Upload three (3) samples of your work.   
8. Review your application 
9. Submit form.    

 
 A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you used to create your Submittable account. 
 You may be contacted regarding your application via Submittable, email, or by phone.