The Madison Arts Commission and Madison Poet Laureate Steven Espada Dawson have announced that the fifth annual call for a Madison Youth Poet Laureate is now open.
The Madison Youth Poet Laureate program is a partnership between the City of Madison and the National Youth Poet Laureate program, which is an initiative of Urban Word. The Youth Poet Laureate program honors talented young poets and provides competitive opportunities for young people to showcase their literary art on the regional and national stage.
(Photo: City of Madison)
“Madison has always been a city shaped by its young artists, and I’m honored to invite the next generation of poets to step forward,” Dawson said in a press release. “This is a rare opportunity to represent your city, to deepen your craft, and to discover what your voice can make happen in the world.”
Dawson, a former Ruth Lilly Fellow and Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellow, is from East Los Angeles and the son of a Mexican immigrant. He became the Madison Poet Laureate in 2025.
Applications are open throughout National Poetry Month until April 30. Applicants must be between 13 and 19 years old and live within the city of Madison.
The selected poet will serve for one year, give three public readings alongside the current Madison Poet Laureate, and have the opportunity to apply for the National Youth Poet Laureate role in the fall. To apply, click here.
