Help Wanted: Poet Laureate

The City of New Bedford is looking for its next poet laureate.

The City's Cultural Council, at the request of Mayor Jon Mitchell, is making an application available for the unpaid position, which carries a three-year appointment that will begin on May 1. Applications are due by April 10.

New Bedford has had two previous poet laureates. Everett Hoagland served from 1994-98, and John Landry was appointed in 2007.

A five member sub-committee of the council will oversee the application and selection process, and make a final recommendation to the mayor.

The poet laureate's duties will include raising public awareness of poetry throughout the community, engaging the city's schools to enhance the teaching of poetry in the classrooms, and creating poems for specific occasions as requested by the mayor.