Applications for next Youth Poet Laureate now open
The Madison Arts Commission and Madison Poet Laureate Steven Espada Dawson are pleased to announce 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.
City of Madison Poet Laureate Steven Espada Dawson, members of the Madison Arts Commission, and other community literary partners believe it is important to provide an official platform to elevate the unique voices of young poets in our city.
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. 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. I'm looking forward to working with the selected poet and supporting them as they grow into this role.
Madison Poet Laureate Steven Espada Dawson
Being a Youth Poet Laureate means being reliant on your community and city to direct your efforts and voices where it's most needed. Only this year had I discovered, by working with local Madison schools and the Madison Central Library, the interest that youth in the area had in participating in poetry and slam culture to amplify their voices. Madison has something to say and if you keep your ears open, you'll hear it: our youth's determination for change and justice for themselves and their community.
Current Madison Youth Poet Laureate Octavia Ikard
How to Apply
Applications for the 2026-2027 Madison Youth Poet Laureate are open throughout National Poetry Month, beginning on April 1, 2026, and closing on April 30, 2026.
To be eligible, applicants must be between the ages of 13 and 19 at the time of selection and must reside within the City of Madison.
People interested in applying to become the Madison Youth Poet Laureate can apply online.
Finalists will be notified on May 5, 2026, and are required to read one of their submitted poems at the virtual Madison Arts Commission meeting on May 13, 2026, at 5:30pm.
The selected poet will be announced in June. They will have the opportunity to shadow the current Youth Poet Laureate for a few months before officially beginning their term in September 2026.
About the Madison Poet Laureate
Steven Espada Dawson is currently serving as the Madison Poet Laureate. He is from East Los Angeles. The son of a Mexican immigrant, he is a former Ruth Lilly Fellow and Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellow.
He has served as a poetry editor for Copper Nickel and Sycamore Review and has taught creative writing at universities, libraries, and prisons across the country. His poems appear in many journals and have been anthologized in Best New Poets, Pushcart Prize, and Sarabande's Another Last Call.
About the National Youth Poet Laureate Program
The National Youth Poet Laureate Program works with local arts organizations across the United States to elevate youth voices that are committed to artistic excellence, civic engagement, and social impact.
The National Youth Poet Laureate Program is supported by the Academy of American Poets, the Poetry Society of America, the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Parks Service, and many more organizations. It is an initiative of Urban Word NYC, Inc., an award-winning youth literary arts and youth development organization.
About the Madison Arts Commission
The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) is an 11-member citizen commission appointed by the Mayor to advise the City about matters of arts and culture. MAC's mission is to foster arts appreciation by initiating partnerships, developing new audiences, and sponsoring diverse artistic activities by emerging and established artists and arts organizations while preserving Madison's rich artistic tradition. To support a full creative life for all, the Madison Arts Commission commits to championing policies and practices of cultural equity that empower a just, inclusive, and equitable city.
To receive the latest news from Madison Arts, you can sign up for e-mail updates on the City's e-mail lists page by entering your e-mail address and checking the box next to “Madison Arts Updates" under the Department of Planning & Community & Economic Development (DPCED) section or by filling out the form below.