Mayor Dominick Pangallo Invites Residents to Apply to be Salem’s First Poet Laureate

Mayor Dominick Pangallo announced that starting today, residents of Salem can begin to apply to be Salem’s first Poet Laureate. This initiative in collaboration will the Salem Public Library will help promote and celebrate the diverse community of the spoken word art form here in Salem.

Individuals interested in applying for this position must be 18 years of age or older and must currently reside in Salem. The individual must have a demonstrated body of work and provide samples that show high quality poetry. Individuals considered for this position but have a demonstrated history of community engagement. Additional submission guidelines as well as the application can be found online at www.salemma.gov/poetlaureate.

“I am thrilled to bring this new initiative to our city to celebrate the art of the written and spoken word,” said Mayor Pangallo. “We’ve assembled a selection committee of talented and thoughtful individuals who are ready to get to work to help us start this new program and select Salem’s first Poet Laureate. I encourage any interested Salem poet or writer to submit their application for consideration!”

The application period will remain open until May 31^st.  The Mayor’s Office staff will review applications for completeness and transmit eligible applications to the Poet Laureate Selection Committee (PLSC). The PLSC will then review and score the applications to identify up to four finalists. Finalist interviews will begin in August, with the official announcement of the Mayor’s appointment of the new Poet Laureate by September 30^th. The Poet Laureate’s term will begin  January 1, 2025 and conclude December 31, 2026.