The Emily Dickinson Museum is now accepting proposals for our seventh annual Amherst Poetry Festival, September 19-22, 2019!
Produced by the Emily Dickinson Museum, with support from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the Beveridge Family Foundation, Amherst Business Improvement District, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Jones Library, the Amherst Poetry Festival celebrates the poetic legacy of Emily Dickinson and the contemporary creativity of the Pioneer Valley and beyond.
Proposals for audience-centered workshops, panel discussions, and participatory programs are welcome. The Steering Committee especially welcomes the following:
-
- Submissions from groups of 2 – 5 poets
- Submissions that engage young attendees and those new to poetry
- Submissions that involve hands-on components
A $200 honorarium will be provided per event. Event facilitators are asked to pay their own travel and lodging expenses.
Proposals should be designed for one of the following program slots: (Individuals may submit for more than one program slot)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019
- Poetry workshops for students of high school (grades 9-12). 45-minute classroom session, to be offered up to four times between 7:50am to 3pm. Partner schools will be shared with selected poets and will include schools in Hampshire and Hampden counties.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2019
- Daytime poetry workshops, panels, or participatory programs open to the public to occur at a variety of Festival venues, including on site at the Emily Dickinson Museum, at the Jones Library, Hope and Feathers Art Gallery, etc. (Examples of participatory programs might include mobile activities, resource booths, etc.). Event sessions are typically an hour and a half long.
Submission Guidelines:
- Only submissions made in the online form will be considered. There is no fee to submit proposals.
- Following your submission, please e-mail your resume/cv to edmprograms@emilydickinsonmuseum.org.
- Include “POETRY FESTIVAL SUBMISSION” in the title of the e-mail. We can accept .pdf, .doc, .docx files.
If applicable, you may also submit an image in .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, and .png format.
- Include “POETRY FESTIVAL SUBMISSION” in the title of the e-mail. We can accept .pdf, .doc, .docx files.
- Selected facilitators will be notified by August 9, and will be asked to sign a letter of agreement confirming their participation in the Festival.
- Submissions Due: Thursday, July 25, 2019, 11:59 pm EST.
Submissions will be judged on the following:
- Originality – Is your idea bold and intriguing? Will it offer something new to our Festival?
- Quality – Does the submission reflect thoughtful preparation? How are you uniquely qualified to facilitate this program?
- Audience – Have you clearly outlined participatory elements? How does your proposal contribute to community-building for the Amherst Poetry Festival?
- Special consideration will be given to Pioneer Valley and Massachusetts-based facilitators.
Questions? Email us at edmprograms@emilydickinsonmuseum.org