Helpful Links for Planning Your NC Poet Laureate event

Portrait of Jaki Shelton Green

Thanks for your interest in bringing North Carolina poet laureate Jaki Shelton Green to your community. We’re pleased that Ms. Green is receiving so many invitations to promote the power of poetry and the spoken word across our state. Here is some information about the poet laureate program, and some suggestions for partnerships as you plan your event

The NC Poet Laureate Program

The North Carolina Arts Council administers the poet laureate program. We provide the poet laureate with an annual stipend which covers only a portion of her costs for materials and travel. The Arts Council traffics invitations, and when events are arranged, we publicize them on our website, www.NCArts.org.

While the position of N.C. Poet Laureate is highly regarded, it is not a full-time job; Ms. Green does not have an office at the Arts Council. She continues to teach at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies. She lives in Mebane, and that generally is her point of departure when traveling to events.

Finding Community Partners

The N.C. Arts Council is committed to facilitating the Poet Laureate’s outreach to all parts of our state, and to all members of our population. To meet this goal, we ask inviting organizations to defray some of her costs, and/or align with other organizations in their communities to secure additional support and maximize the effectiveness of Ms. Green’s visit. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

  • It’s always a good idea to talk with your local arts council about your plans to bring the N.C. Poet Laureate to town. See our North Carolina Local Arts Councils Directory for websites and contact information.
     
  • The NC Writers’ Network’s Regional Reps can help you spread the word to writers in your area. The network also keeps a calendar of local literary events organized by county. Here you might find partner organizations or venues for your event. 
     
  • The State Library of  North Carolina maintains a searchable database of libraries across the state here. Libraries can be great partners and are a natural fit with the work of the N.C. Poet Laureate.
     
  • The State Board of Education and NC Department of Public Instruction offer a downloadable Education Directory which includes a list of NC school districts and a host of other resources. Local schools may be happy to take advantage of a visit from the N.C. Poet Laureate while she is in town.

We appreciate that the size of your organization plays a big role in what support you will be able to offer. Small groups might provide gas money, or a meal; medium-sized groups might offer a stipend or overnight accommodations as needed; and large organizations such as universities may have access to greater resources which permit a larger honorarium. Partnering with other organizations in your area is the key to getting the most out of your N.C. Poet Laureate invitation.

If you would like to discuss further, please email or call N.C. Arts Council Literature and Theater Director David Potorti, david.potorti@ncdcr.gov, (919) 814-6512.

The North Carolina Arts Council is a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency.
Susi H. Hamilton, Secretary; Roy Cooper, Governor

Copyright © 2020 North Carolina Arts Council. All rights reserved.