City of Edmonds Arts Commission

City of Edmonds Arts Commission project for public display of poetry

Eligibility: The call is open to writers residing in the Pacific Northwest (US) Puget Sound, ages 18 years and older. New and emerging writers are encouraged as well as established poets. Poetry in all languages is encouraged. Please include an English language translation with your submission.

(For the Youth Poet's Perspective application, open to ages 8-17 years who reside in the City of Edmonds WA or who attend an Edmonds School District school, send a request for instruction and submission form to eac@edmondswa.gov).

Goal: City of Edmonds Arts Commission seeks submissions for short poems to be displayed in temporary poetry installations on posters in a variety of City locations and online on the commission's website. The goal is to surprise the public with thoughtful short pieces of poetry that create a sense of place, connecting the reader with the Puget Sound region. Poetry topics might reference, but are not restricted to, connections to environment, habitat, nature, sustainability, history, or other cultural aspects of our Puget Sound community. Content must be deemed appropriate for diverse audiences and for public display.

Exhibit: Up to six original poems (not previously published) will be selected for installation. Poems will be displayed April 2024 through March 2025. The City will prepare and install the poems as posters.  Selected poems will also be displayed in an online gallery on the City of Edmonds Arts Commission website, and a special exhibit will be on display during the annual Write on the Sound writers' conference in October, 2025.

Size and Word Count requirement: Poetry and line breaks must fit on a 8.5x14” size poster set in a minimum type 20 point font size with 2" margins and limited to no more than 100 words.

Budget: Poems selected for display will be awarded a $100 honorarium. Each poet may only receive one award.

Submission requirements: 

• Poems must be no more than 100 words and meet the size requirements for layout described above. 
• Submit up to two (2) poems for consideration.
• All entries must be typed in a standard copy-style font (Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Calibri), 10-12 point size, single spaced lines. No handwritten submissions. No Artwork. No images.
• If written in a language other than English, please provide an English translation to accompany the poem.
• Save as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf document format. No image files such as .jpg or .png (.pdf OK). Apple/Mac users: Save as .pdf, only. Do not save as “Pages”.
• Include a cover letter why Poets Perspective appeals to you as a writer, a short writing resume or description of previous writing. 
• Complete the application form below and upload required documents where requested.

Entries are due Monday February 5, 2024

Write on the Sound Writers' Conference is currently accepting proposals for the 2023 conference, scheduled for Oct 4-5-6, 2024, in Edmonds, WA, with a special live online presentation of a select group of sessions (online day to be determined in the spring 2023).

Presented by the City of Edmonds Arts Commission (EAC), the conference endeavors to create an inclusive program that represents a broad range of genres and publishing options, presented by a wide range of industry professionals.  The EAC is committed to creating an inclusive environment for presenters, attendees and volunteers. Please feel free to share this opportunity with others in your network.

Proposals are accepted through March 11, 2024 via online form below. If you have questions, we are happy to help. Please call our office (425-771-0228), or email Laurie Rose, conference coordinator, at laurie.rose@edmondswa.gov.

About the WOTS Conference

• Established in 1985 by the City of Edmonds Arts Commission, Write on the Sound is a small, high quality, affordable three-day conference focused on the craft of writing. 
• The conference offers in-depth 3-hour workshops on the Friday of the conference weekend, and a variety of 75-minute sessions and panel discussions for all writing levels and interests. Online presentations are 60-min.
• In-person conference registration is limited to approximately 225 attendees.
• Session capacity ranges from 20 to 80 attendees for both in-person and online presentations.
• Other conference features include manuscript critique appointments, a writing contest for registrants, a pop-up bookshop hosted by Edmonds Bookshop (featuring presenters' publications, exclusively), a keynote address, Saturday book-signing event, community sponsored Open Mic event, and the opportunity to network with attendees and other presenters.
• WOTS does not feature a trade show hall, or an appointment/pitch opportunity with agents or publishers.

Honorarium

• The 75-min Saturday and Sunday sessions honoraria is $162. Three-hour Friday workshop honorarium start at $400. All inclusive.
• Travel stipend for in-person presentation is available for those coming from more than 50 miles from Edmonds (rate calculated on actual distance), and for those arriving by WA State Ferry. 
• Discounted hotel rooms provided by Best Western/Edmonds Harbor Inn (based on availability).

The Need-to-Know before submitting your proposal(s)

• The goal of the selection committee is to create a well-rounded conference program that offers a variety of sessions for all experience levels on the craft of writing fiction, nonfiction and poetry, as well as information on specialty topics, genres, publishing industry, the business of writing, writer's life, and current trends.
• The WOTS attendee is typically middle to older age adults. Attendees are enthusiastic students who want to expand their knowledge of the craft of writing, obtain tips to move their skills forward, and gain insight from writing/publishing industry professionals to help further develop their writing projects and publishing industry knowledge. 
• Eligible applicants must have proven practical knowledge and experience in their proposed topic(s).
• Primary consideration is given to those with proven in-person conference session instruction, classroom or workshop teaching experience, and online conference or distance learning instruction.
• 75-minute session proposals with a focus on in-session writing exercises will not be given primary consideration.

Contract Terms

• Honoria is all inclusive. Travel stipends are available (see below).
• If booked as an online presentation, presenters are required to have dedicated access to a computer, microphone, audio speaker, webcam, high-speed internet and the Zoom platform application. Additionally, presenters are expected to be reasonably familiar with the function of an online format, with proven ability to manage their own presentation. WOTS will provide a volunteer for each session to assist with management of attendees and other functions. Training is not provided. 
• In-person event: Travel stipend is available for those coming from over 50 miles from Edmonds WA. Washington State Ferry stipend is also available for residents of the Kitsap Peninsula and San Juan Islands. Discount hotel rooms at the Edmonds Harbor Inn are available on a first come/first served basis (presenters make their own reservations). Transportation to/from the conference location is not available. 
• All contracted presenters are invited as our guest to attend the Saturday or Sunday sessions (online and in-person), including the Keynote address. 
• Only presenters' and speakers' publications are sold at the pop-up bookshop.

Application instructions

• Please review all information above before submitting your proposal.
• Complete the form below
• No more than 3 proposals, please. You may provide a list of additional session topics.

Your session proposal(s) must include the following:

• A 50-word summary of your presentation that clearly states the skill level of the attendee (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced) and the value of the content of your session.
• Three key "take away" points specifically stating how attendees can apply session information to their writing projects.
• A detailed description of your proposed session(s). Maximum one page per description.
• Your resume, including previous teaching experience and/or conference presentations (Limit to 2-3 pages. Please, do not submit a complete CV).
• Up to a 100-word biography with a list of your publication credentials.
• If you are new to WOTS: Three professional teaching, conference and/or publication references. Contact information only. Do not submit letters of recommendation.

Questions? Happy to chat! Email wots@edmondswa.gov.

 Thank you, 

Laurie Rose, Conference Coordinator.