San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed, San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Poet Laureate Selection Committee are seeking nominations for the ninth San Francisco Poet Laureate, to succeed Tongo Eisen-Martin, whose term is expiring.

“The San Francisco Poet Laureate is emblematic of how much we value our poets, writers, and artists. Their contributions make our City a hub of creativity and innovation,” said Mayor Breed. “Since Mayor Willie Brown inaugurated our first Poet Laureate in 1998, honorees have helped uplift our community with the beauty and joy of poetry. San Francisco’s next Poet Laureate will carry this torch and be a beacon for hope and the City’s ongoing recovery.”

San Francisco Public Library administers the selection process for the poet laureate. As San Francisco’s first poet laureate, Lawrence Ferlinghetti said: “The center of literate culture in cities has always centered in the great libraries.”

Poet Laureate nominees must be San Francisco residents, have a substantial body of published work, including at least one full length book (minimum 48 pages, not self-published or vanity press) and a professional digital recording of performance with text (not self-produced) or 20 or more published poems in established publications, print or online, over the past five years.

Responsibilities of the Poet Laureate include:

• Deliver an inaugural public address at San Francisco Public Library;
• Develop and participate in community-based poetry programs that reflect and honor the diversity of San Francisco.
• Work on one or more poetry-centered events in collaboration with San Francisco Public Library, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, the San Francisco Arts Commission and community partners such as Youth Speaks, Litquake, and others.

San Francisco’s eighth Poet Laureate, Tongo Eisen-Martin, was appointed to the position in 2021 by Mayor Breed. Previous Poets Laureate include Kim Shuck, Diane di Prima, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Janice Mirikitani, devorah major, Jack Hirschman and Alejandro Murguía.

Nominations for the Poet Laureate can be submitted online at sfpl.org/poetlaureate. Nominations should include a two or three paragraph statement on why the nominee should be San Francisco’s Poet Laureate and include a bibliography of published works and/or performance history. Nominations close on Friday, February 16, 2024.

Nominations may also be sent to City Librarian Michael Lambert, San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, or submitted via email to citylibrarian@sfpl.org. For more information, please call (415) 557-4277.

MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Jeffers, San Francisco Public Library, (415) 608-1593, michelle.jeffers@sfpl.org