The Youth Poetry Fellowship (YPF) program is made up of a group of teen writers and leaders committed to poetry, performance, civic and community engagement, education, and equity across the Puget Sound region.
The Seattle Youth Poet Laureate, along with the Youth Poetry Fellows, has numerous opportunities and platforms to share their powerful voices, their leadership, and love of Seattle at regional events throughout the course of the year.
The Youth Poet Laureate also publishes a poetry collection, released in May by Poetry NW Editions.
Over the course of the school year, Fellows meet for workshops, collaborate print projects, and perform at public readings.
The YPF is a year-long poetry fellowship for youth (ages 14-18) led by mentors Nanya Jhingran & Jourdan I. Keith. Fellows meet in Seattle every other month on weekday early evenings for mentor-led workshops that focus on generative writing and community building. Participation in the fellowship also includes seasonal reading opportunities, free access to all 2023-2024 Seattle Arts and Lectures events, and the chance to read on SAL stages as opening reader for visiting writers.
One fellow will be selected to serve as the Youth Poet Laureate (YPL). The YPL will be a leader within the fellowship and will work closely with mentors to publish a book of poems through Poetry NW Editions. The YPL will also receive additional public reading opportunities and will serve as a youth voice to the broader literary community. More details about the fellowship are available here.
