San Francisco Public Library is partnering with Mayor Daniel Lurie, 826 Valencia and Youth Speaks to relaunch San Francisco’s Youth Poet Laureate (SFYPL) program! This annual program will support the development of a dynamic cohort of youth poets who will represent their city through their art and civic engagement.
The cohort will include 10–15 young writers (13–19 years old) who will participate in an advanced workshop series every two weeks in San Francisco from September 2025 through January 2026. After the fall workshops, two exemplary cohort members will be selected as San Francisco’s Youth Poet Laureate and Vice Laureate. Participants will receive a scholarship stipend of $700 through a K2C college savings account.
The Laureates will serve as culture ambassadors for our city, building on the City and County of San Francisco’s longstanding tradition of appointing a San Francisco Poet Laureate and Drag Laureate.
Additionally, the entire cohort will be invited to apply to the statewide and national Youth Poet Laureate competitions and will receive application advisory support as well as publication and performance opportunities in the Spring of 2026.
To be eligible, participants must:
- Reside in San Francisco
- Be 13–19 years old
A selection committee of current and previous Poet Laureates and Youth Poet Laureates will review applications. The application deadline is August 9 at 11:59 pm.
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