Announcements
Institute Issues Recommendations for Improving Access to Poetry
02.09.10: The Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute convened a panel of poets, publishers, and experts from the fields of media, law, and technology to examine issues related to the access of poetry on the Internet and related new media. The full report on the project, including a series of recommendations for poets and publishers, is freely available at www.poetryfoundation.org/institute. READ MORE »
Annual Letter from John Barr, President
01.20.10: In his annual report to the poetry community, John Barr reviews the programs and activities of the Poetry Foundation over the last five years. READ MORE »
Spring 2010 Events Schedule Released
01.07.10: The Poetry Foundation announces a diverse and exciting series of events for Spring 2010. READ MORE »
In Memoriam: Ruth Lilly, 1915-2009
12.31.09: The staff and trustees of the Poetry Foundation are greatly saddened by Ms. Lilly's death and honor her extraordinary legacy. READ MORE »
Poetry Foundation Launches Poetry Tour of Washington, DC
11.19.09: The Poetry Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Washington, DC, Poetry Tour. The interactive tour, narrated by inaugural poet Elizabeth Alexander, reveals our nation’s capital through the eyes of its great poets. READ MORE »
Poetry Foundation and Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Award $10,000 Poetry Film Prize
11.09.09: The Poetry Foundation and Facets Multi-Media are proud to announce that Fear of Snakes, by filmmaker Andreas Mendritzki, is the winner of the second annual Poetry Film Prize. The prize awards $10,000 to a filmmaker whose use of verse in film opens new artistic vistas and inspires children to appreciate poetry. READ MORE »
Past Announcements
10.15.09: Poetry Foundation Launches Online Poetry Learning Lab
09.23.09: Children’s Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman Gives Chicago Reading
09.15.09: 2009 Prizes for Contributors to Poetry Announced
09.08.09: Poetry, Granta, and STOP SMILING present: A Celebration of Literary Chicago
09.03.09: Fernando Perez Talks Poetry
08.18.09: Poetry Foundation Announces Fall 2009 Literary Series
07.28.09: 2009 Ruth Lilly Fellowship Winners Announced
07.07.09: Fifth Annual Printers' Ball
06.17.09: Poet Kevin Coval Featured in Rush Hour Concert Series
06.04.09: Matthea Harvey to Collaborate with Miró Quartet for Poetry Radio Project
05.14.09: Three Poems from Poetry Selected for The Pushcart Prize
05.06.09: The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry on Tour
04.20.09: Chicago Poetry Tour Debuts
04.16.09: Children’s Poet Laureate Presents Video Series Launches
04.14.09: Fanny Howe and Ange Mlinko Receive Major Literary Awards from Poetry Foundation
04.07.09: American Life in Poetry Celebrates Fourth Anniversary
04.01.09: Poetry Foundation Celebrates National Poetry Month
03.25.09: Poetry Foundation and American Public Media Launch Poetry Radio Project
03.17.09: Second Season of Poetry Everywhere Debuts
03.05.09: Poetry Foundation Announces Inaugural Project of Poetry Institute
02.02.09: Tony Fitzpatrick Portfolio Featured in Poetry Magazine
01.14.09: Poetry Magazine and Museum of Modern Art to Cohost “Futurism and the New Manifesto”
01.12.09: “My Nose and Me: A TragedyLite or TragiDelight in 33 Scenes”
01.07.09: Recently Discovered Langston Hughes Poems Published in Poetry Magazine
01.06.09: Poetry Foundation Announces Winter/Spring 2009 Literary Series
12.18.08: Poetry Foundation Applauds Poetry’s Place in Inaugural Program
11.20.08: Poetry Presents a Theatrical Interpretation of Five Poems by Dana Levin
11.06.08: Poetry and contratiempo To Host Bilingual Literary Event
11.03.08: Poetry Foundation and Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Award $10,000 Poetry Film Prize
10.08.08: Albert Goldbarth and Mary Ann Hoberman Win Major Prizes for American Poets
09.22.08: 54th Annual Poetry Day with Louise Glück
09.17.08: Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show Wins Emmy® for Outstanding Children’s Program
09.16.08: 100 Essential American Poets Historic Audio Archive
09.04.08: Explore Poetry and Language with Free Online Resource
09.02.08: 2008 Ruth Lilly Fellowship Winners Announced
08.21.08: Poetry Foundation Announces Fall 2008 Literary Series
08.05.08: FOURTH ANNUAL PRINTERS’ BALL ANNOUNCED
07.18.08: Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show
Receives Primetime Emmy® Nomination
05.16.08: Poetry Magazine Presents: Two Readings
at Independent New York Bookstores
05.02.08: POETRY FOUNDATION PRESENTS FIRST-EVER JOINT READING BY U.S. AND U.K. CHILDREN’S POETS LAUREATE
04.30.08: High School Student Shawntay Henry Wins $20,000 First Prize in National Poetry Competition
04.29.08: GARY SNYDER WINS 2008 RUTH LILLY POETRY PRIZE
03.26.08: To celebrate the publication of CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN POETRY: AN ANTHOLOGY
03.20.08: POETRY EVERYWHERE
03.17.08: Poetry Foundation Collaborates with HBO on Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show
01.29.08: Poetry Foundation Launches Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute
01.14.08: Poetry Foundation Announces Spring 2008 Literary Series
11.07.07: Poetry Foundation Launches Free Poetry Syndicate for Newspapers
11.02.07: Poetry Presents A Theatrical Interpretation of Frank Bidart’s “The Third Hour of the Night”
11.01.07: Poetry Foundation Presents 53rd Annual Poetry Day with Eavan Boland
10.25.07: POETRY FOUNDATION AND THE PULITZER FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS PRESENT POETRY AT THE PULITZER: WATER
10.15.07: Two Young Poets Win Ruth Lilly Fellowships
10.11.07: John Ronan Architects Selected to Design Home for Poetry Foundation
10.10.07: Poetry Foundation and Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Launch “Reel Poetry” Initiative
10.04.07: Poet Anne Stevenson Wins $50,000 Neglected Masters Award
09.18.07: Poetry Foundation Announces Fall 2007 Literary Series
06.21.07: 3rd Annual Printers’ Ball Announced
05.30.07: Poetryfoundation.org Wins a Webby
05.07.07: Lucille Clifton Wins 2007 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
04.25.07: Poetry Center and Poetry Foundation Present Robert Bly
04.05.07: POETRY FOUNDATION PRESENTS FIRST-EVER JOINT READING BY U.S. AND BRITISH POETS LAUREATE
03.20.07: Poetry Off the Shelf with Tony Hoagland and Dean Young
03.13.07: Poetry Foundation Presents Jack Prelutsky
03.01.07: 2007 Pegasus Awards Call for Entries
02.21.07: Poetry Off the Shelf: Martín Espada
02.07.07: Poetry Foundation Announces 2007 Spring Chicago Literary Series
01.08.07: Poetry Off the Shelf with Kevin Young
10.31.06: Poetry Foundation Presents Poetry on Stage: Tartuffe: A play in verse by Molière
10.17.06: Poetry Foundation Announces Publication of Everything Preserved by Landis Everson
10.03.06: Poetry Foundation Presents Poetry Day with Robert Hass
09.27.06: Poetry Foundation Names Jack Prelutsky First Children’s Poet Laureate
09.18.06: Poetry Foundation to Name First Children’s Poet Laureate
09.11.06: Two Young Poets Win Ruth Lilly Fellowships
08.22.06: Poetry Foundation Announces Fall 2006 Literary Series
07.06.06: 2nd Annual Printers’ Ball Announced
06.14.06: POETRY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NATIONAL CHAMPION OF POETRY OUT LOUD: NATIONAL RECITATION CONTEST
04.18.06: Richard Wilbur Wins 2006 Lilly Prize
04.11.06: WHO CARES ABOUT POETRY? 90 PERCENT OF AMERICAN READERS, NEW STUDY SHOWS
03.29.06: POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG CELEBRATES NATIONAL POETRY MONTH WITH DAILY POETRY PODCASTS
03.28.06: POETRY OFF THE SHELF Adam Zagajewski and Clare Cavanagh
02.27.06: POETRY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEWSHOUR
02.14.06: Poetry Foundation Presents Archibald MacLeish's JB A Staged Reading Produced by Bernard Sahlins
01.26.06: THE POETRY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE POETRY ARCHIVE
12.12.05: "American Life in Poetry" Reaches 1.5 Million Readers
11.17.05: The Poetry Foundation Announces POETRY OUT LOUD: NATIONAL RECITATION CONTEST
10.07.05: Landis Everson, Tony Hoagland, and William Logan Win Major New Prizes for American Poets
09.26.05: The Poetry Foundation Presents 10 BRECHT POEMS
05.01.05: Chicago Teen Wins Regional National Poetry Recitation Contest
04.20.05: C.K. Williams Wins 2005 Lilly Prize
04.01.05: Poetry Magazine Redesign
03.28.05: University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center To Study People's Outlook on Poetry
03.23.05: Kevin Young, Prize-Winning Poet and Essayist, to Read and Discuss Poetry and Contemporary Culture
03.21.05: Poet, Essayist & Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts Dana Gioia to Speak in Chicago
03.14.05: The Poetry Foundation Conducts $1,000 National Poetry Recitation Contest
02.16.05: The Poetry Foundation Sponsors Chicago Series of Staged Verse Readings
10.06.04: Billy Collins and Samuel Menashe Win Major New Prizes for American Poets
Media Contacts
Anne Halsey: 312.799.8016
Kristin Esch: 312.799.8065
media -at- poetryfoundation.org
About the Poetry Foundation and
POETRY MAGAZINE
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. Founded in Chicago by Harriet Monroe in 1912, Poetry magazine is the oldest monthly devoted to verse in the English-speaking world. Harriet Monroe's "Open Door" policy, set forth in Volume I of the magazine, remains the most succinct statement of Poetry's mission: to print the best poetry written today, in whatever style, genre, or approach.
Open Letters from John Barr, President
2009 Letter from John Barr, President
In his annual report to the poetry community, John Barr reviews the programs
and activities of the Foundation over the last five years.
READ MORE »
2008 Letter
2007 Letter
2006 Letter
2005 Letter
2004 Letter
Recent Press
Perhaps the most successful, and forward-looking, [poetry advocacy] program of the past few years has been Poetry Out Loud, a recitation competition for high-school students that is often compared to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It was created by the NEA and the Poetry Foundation, and in 2006, its first year as a national contest, about 40,000 students participated. This year, nearly 300,000 students are taking part, reciting both contemporary and classical poetry.
—Newsweek, March 2009
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“As a construction worker who spends long hours in a dirty, harsh environment, I welcome a respite of classical music and literature. My mother had me recite poetry at the age of 4 to her lady friends, and a seed was planted. . . . Unfortunately, poetry does not inspire our politics, music or collective ethos today. The trouble is poetry requires a sense of history, irony, metaphor, style and the ability to sit and contemplate.”
—Time, July 2007
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“Poetry has done what long seemed impossible: It has reclaimed it place at the center of American poetry. More, it has become one of the most interesting literary periodicals of any kind published today.”
—NY Sun, December 2005
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“Last fall, Jack Prelutsky was fittingly named the first Children’s Poet Laureate, by the Poetry Foundation.”
—NY Times Book Review,
February 2007
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“They decided to use its behest as an instrument of advocacy, via the internet. So they created the world’s largest foundation for verse—and a rich web site.”
—CBC News, January 2007
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“A new national study of American readers has found a warm place in their souls for poetry, even though their brains go mostly blank on verse.”
—Chicago Tribune, April 2006
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“This week high school students from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Came to the capital to compete in the national finals of Poetry Out Loud. The winner, Jackson Hille, earned a $20,000 scholarship.”
—NPR Weekend Edition,
March 2006
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