SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Arts is accepting applications for the city’s first Youth Poet Laureate, creating a new civic leadership opportunity for young writers between ages 14 and 17 who live within city limits.
The two-year leadership role is designed to amplify youth voices and celebrate poetry as a tool for civic engagement. The selected poet will serve as a youth cultural ambassador for the City of Spokane and receive a $2,000 stipend.
“This program recognizes that young people are already shaping the cultural and civic identity of our city through their words,” said Spokane’s current Poet Laureate. “The Youth Poet Laureate will help carry those voices forward—into schools, libraries, public spaces, and civic moments where youth perspectives matter.”
Applications are due March 31, 2026, and must include a resume and two to three original poems not exceeding 10 pages total. Interested applicants can submit materials online at https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/106267.
The program operates through partnerships with Avista Foundation, Spark Central and Leadership Spokane.
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