POETS LAUREATE

Poets Laureate Program 2021

The Meadows Museum’s Poets Laureates program is awarded to two or three SMU students whose artistic practice revolves around writing and language. In its second year, the program provides the recipients with the time and space to create without distraction and with inspiration taken from the works on view in the museum. The Meadows Museum Poets Laureates cohort will spend time writing in the museum’s galleries, attend two Zoom-based workshops with Dr. Anne Keefe, Editor at the Meadows Museum, and work with Anne Kindseth, Director of Education to record their original poems for inclusion in the museum’s Mobile Guide. Each member of the Meadows Museum Poets Laureate cohort will be presented with a $200 honorarium upon completion of the program.*

Eligibility

To be eligible for the 2021 Meadows Museum Poets Laureate Program, the applicant must be enrolled as an undergraduate student at SMU at the time of application and throughout the dates of the residency. Applications are welcome from students in any college or major. The poets must demonstrate a strong interest and record of writing poetry through submitted writing samples created within the last two years and provide a 500-word personal statement.

Program Dates

The ten-to-fifteen hour program will occur between March 2 and April 9, 2021, with specific workshop dates and times determined by the Poets Laureate and Meadows Museum staff.

Application Process

Entries are accepted through smu.edu/poets. Applicants must submit:

• a 5-page writing sample, with no more than one poem per page (an excerpt from a longer poem that does not exceed 5 pages is also acceptable). The sample should represent original work completed within the last two years. Each page should be clearly labeled with the poet’s name and the title of the work(s).
• a personal statement of no more than 500 words that discusses the poet’s interest in the Meadows Museum Poets Laureates program, highlights any relevant writing awards and writing activities, and discusses how they plan to use their time in the museum’s galleries.

Timeline

Monday, March 1: Applications due by 11:45 p.m.

Friday, March 12: Meadows Museum Poets Laureate announced

March 22–April 9, 2021: Program

Questions: Contact Anne Kindseth

*SMU requires that the honorarium be paid via the SMU payroll system. If a student is ineligible to be paid via SMU payroll (due to enrollment, scholarship status, or other reasons), they may apply and complete the residency, but will forfeit the honorarium.