Zoom Workshop Dates & Times 

 Saturdays in April 2024 from 1 pm to 2 pm

April 13: Information Session about SBCYPL program

April 20: Poetry Composition/Editing and Feedback

April 27: Recitation and Performance

May 4: Poetry as Activism: Using your craft to speak to important issues in the community

Applications Open from April 13 to May 20, 2024 @ 12 midnight

Please email us at yplsbc@gmail.com to be added to the workshops. 

Orientation sessions will be held via Zoom in April and early May 2024. These workshops will provide information about the Youth Poet Laureate position, the application process, and future workshops to support applicants. We will discuss upcoming publication and performance opportunities provided by the program.   

Information sessions are open to anyone interested in learning more about the Santa Barbara Youth Poet Laureate Program, including young people and interested participants, teachers, librarians, community leaders, and caregivers.

The presentation from the information sessions will be available to view here.

Santa Barbara Youth Poet Laureate Program Workshops

Following the information workshops, we will offer several workshops to support applicants. We will be learning from a dynamic curriculum developed by Urban Word NYC, which will be co-taught by local poets and teachers Michelle Pittenger and Cie Gumucio. In the workshops, we will cover the development of a body of original creative work meant to champion those causes our candidates and their communities have identified as important. Another crucial piece of the curriculum covers the development of a CV and the application process. Lastly, we will address the management of their commitments as Poet Laureate or Poet Ambassador.  The county Youth Poet Laureate is eligible to advance to regional and national ranking. The position is stipended and offers opportunities to publish locally and nationally.