WPL – Washington State Poet Laureate: 2027-2029 Term

Washington State Poet Laureate: 2027 - 2029 Term

The Washington State Poet Laureate program, a collaboration between The Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) and Humanities WA, is accepting indications of interest for the 2025-27 Washington State Poet Laureate position.  

The Washington State Poet Laureate serves to build awareness and appreciation of poetry — including the state’s legacy of poetry — through public readings, workshops, lectures, and presentations in culturally and geographically diverse communities across the state.  

Washington State Poets Laureate represent some of the best and most generous of Washington poets. The duties of the Laureate require public interaction, travel, and a willingness to undertake a project of the Laureate’s choosing during their two-year term. Past Laureates report that they grow in unique and significant ways as artists, advance their careers, and immensely appreciate the opportunity to meet new people and learn about the entire state. 

Overview 

In April 2007 the Washington State Legislature passed a bill that recognized the value of poetry to the culture and heritage of the state by establishing the Washington State Poet Laureate. 

The Washington State Governor appoints the Laureate based on recommendations from a geographically and culturally diverse panel of representatives from Washington’s arts, humanities and literary communities. 

Once appointed, ArtsWA and Humanities Washington provide funding for the honorarium ($40,000 annually), travel and project expenses ($6,500), as well as administrative support for the Laureate. Humanities Washington also provides grantwriting support for funding opportunities that could increase the Laureate’s reach and impact, including application for the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowships.

The Laureate serves a two-year term, renewable in rare circumstances.  

The 2027-2029 Laureate’s term begins May 1, 2027. 

Click here to learn more about the Washington State Poet Laureate program. 

Deadline 

Deadline for interest forms is 11:59p.m. PST, Thursday, October 15th, 2026. We recommend submitting early so that you have time to reach out if you run into any technical issues.  

*NEW: Two-Stage Selection Process

The selection process will be divided into two stages for the 2027-2029 selection process: 

• Stage 1 – Indication of Interest: Applicant provides CV, work samples, and answers one narrative question. 
• Stage 2 – Invitation to Apply: 5-10 candidates will be invited to submit an application that includes eight narrative questions and references’ contact information. 

Important Dates 

• Stage 1 – Indication of Interest Opens: September 1, 2026 
• Info Sessions: September 15, 2026 at 12pm | Register here and 5:30pm | Register here
• Stage 1 – Indication of Interest Closes: 11:59p.m. PST, October 15, 2026 
• Notification of status on or by: November 3, 2026 
• Stage 2 – Invitation to Apply Opens (for invited applicants): November 3, 2026  
• Stage 2 – Invitation to Apply Closes: December 6, 2026 
• Finalists’ interviews with panel: January 19, 2027. Finalists may be asked to travel for an in-person interview.  
• The 2027-29 Poet Laureate’s term begins: May 1, 2027

Eligibility 

To be eligible for the Washington State Poet Laureate, a candidate must:

• Have significantly contributed to the poetic legacy of Washington State and show demonstrable commitment to serving as an ambassador for poetry to audiences throughout Washington State 
• Be a current Washington State resident and reside primarily in Washington State 
• Not be a previous Washington State Poet Laureate. 

Policies 

*NEW: Only the interested candidate may submit an interest form. We are no longer able to accept nominations from a third party. 

You may apply once per Laureate cycle. 

Interest forms and applications are only accepted electronically through Submittable (below). 

Re-applications: Individuals who have applied in previous years are encouraged to apply again if they did not receive the Laureate designation. A new interest form must be completed. 

Applicants will be notified of their status on or by Tuesday, November 3, 2026. 

We will make no exceptions regarding the deadlines. 

Indication of Interest

You will be asked to provide the following in the interest form: 

• Contact information, 
• Brief biography, 
• Details on your work, accomplishments and skills, 
• CV or resume, 
• Links to work samples such as publications, video recordings of readings, documentation of performance history, including location, type of event, audience size and type, etc., or other creative methods that showcase your work, and 
• Statement of intent answering why you want to serve as Washington State Poet Laureate (750-word limit.)

Indication of Interest period ends on October 15, 2026. Applicants will be notified of the status of their interest form by November 3, 2026. 

Invitation to Apply 

Five to ten (5-10) applicants will be invited to apply after the initial indication of interest period closes. Applicants will be asked to provide: 

• References: Provide up to three (3) references, and 
• Narrative Questions: answer eight (8) narrative questions. 

Invitation to Apply period ends on December 6, 2026. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application by January 13, 2027. 

Selection Process  

Poet Laureate applications are submitted using an online portal (Submittable).  

A geographically and culturally diverse panel of representatives from Washington’s arts, humanities and literary communities score each application. The panel identifies finalists to be interviewed by the panel. These interviews will happen via video conferencing/or in person depending on circumstances at that time. Finalists will be given more information about the interviews, scheduled for January 19, 2027, and a week to prepare.  

After the interviews, the panel makes a recommendation to the Governor, who appoints at their discretion.  

The 2027-2029 Poet Laureate’s term begins May 1, 2027. 

Selection Criteria 

Indication of Interest - Initial applicants are reviewed in the following areas: 

• Strength of statement of intent, 
• Experience as a poet, including proof of accomplishment in the field, and 
• Commitment to the poetry community and their community in general. 

Invitation to Apply - Invited applicants are reviewed in the following areas: 

• Experience as a poet, including proof of accomplishment in the field, 
• Compelling public speaker and demonstrated ability to engage a variety of audiences, 
• Committed ambassador for poetry, 
• Lived experience that highlights and/or connects the program to new audiences, 
• Demonstrated interest/experience in promoting equity and inclusion through the arts and humanities, and 
• Ability to independently plan and execute projects. 

Interviews - Selected finalists will be asked to participate in an interview with the selection panel during which they will have the opportunity to: 

• Introduce themselves and their work, 
• Discuss their responses in the application, and 
• Introduce and read up to three poems as if presenting to a general audience. 
• Describe how their lived experience and perspective might expand the reach of the poet laureate program.

Submittable Tips 

Saving: Save your Washington State Poet Laureate Application as you work on it by clicking the "Save Draft" button located at the end of this webpage. You can log out and log back in, take a break, or work on your application over several days without losing your data. Please note! The 'Save Draft' button will only work if you are connected to the internet. If you are working on the form in a place without internet, or where the connection is spotty, we advise drafting your responses in Word (or any word processing program) and then copying and pasting them into the form when you have reliable internet again. 

Collaboration: If multiple people will be contributing to a application of an individual, invite them to collaborate by clicking on the "Invite Collaborators" button located at the top right of this webpage. 

Required Questions: Questions marked with a red asterisk '*' must be completed before you submit your application. You will not be able to submit your application if any required questions have been left unanswered. 

Submitting: Once you have completed your application, click the "Submit" button at the end of this webpage. You will receive an automated email confirming that your application has been successfully submitted. 

Print or download a copy of your application by navigating to your "Personal Submissions" account list. Click on your application submission. This will open up the submission's details page, where you can click the Download button in the upper right of the viewing box. 

Questions? 

Linnea Ingalls, Tribal Cultural Affairs and WA State Poet Laureate program lead, at 360-252-9969 or linnea.ingalls@arts.wa.gov. 

Additional Information 

About ArtsWA 

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. The Washington State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts fund our programs. Grants are contingent on available state and federal funding. ArtsWA complies with all local, state and federal laws and regulations concerning civil and human rights. For more information regarding Washington State Arts Commission’s policies on Accessibility, Diversity, and Nondiscrimination, click here. 

About Humanities Washington 

Humanities Washington's mission is to open minds and bridge divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives. We create spaces for people to come together to explore and consider what it means to be human, and to reflect on our shared past, present, and future. We hold events and programs led by cultural experts, scholars, and storytellers, who discuss everything from Washington State history to philosophy to current social issues. We also support and partner with a wide network of communities, organizations, and individuals across the state. All Humanities Washington programs are open to the public, and nearly all are free of charge. 

Transparency 

Let us know if you have an affiliation with ArtsWA or Humanities Washington. This is for transparency only; the panel will review your application without bias. Read our full Conflict of Interest policy.