Academy of American Poets Expands Poet Laureate Fellowships in Time of Need
Twenty-three poets around the country received $50,000 Poet Laureate Fellowships from the Academy of American Poets last week, after the program was expanded amidst the current crisis. Academy President and Executive Director Jen Benka told the New York Times that "the academy 'felt strongly about supporting as many poets as we possibly could.'" Additionally, the Academy will provide $75,500 to 13 non-profits that will support the fellows' proposed projects. More:
“These are workers,” [Elizabeth] Alexander said, adding that it’s important to view “culture work as being crucial in communities to bring people together, to have a sense of history, to learn from each other, to excavate history.”
The $50,000 grants, which together total more than $1 million, will fund creative projects that focus on community engagement across the country. Last year, fellows largely worked with people in physical spaces — the poet laureate for Washington State traveled the length of the Columbia River hosting workshops about its ecological and historical significance, for instance.
But such projects are impossible today, when the spread of the coronavirus has limited travel and social activities. This year’s recipients have the added challenge of adapting their projects to a changed world.
“It’s been wonderful to see how effectively poets have been able to move into the digital space so quickly,” Benka said.