Release date: Oct. 17, 2006
Elizabeth Austen will lead second Poetry Roadshow,
and her road trip could be a warm-up act for Washington state's first
official Poet Laureate.
That's the hope for Seattle poet Elizabeth Austen, chosen Oct. 9 to lead
Poetry Roadshow 2007, a program developed by a partnership of arts
organizations that seek to bring the power of poetry to under-served
communities in Washington state.
"This wasnıt easy; it was the first year we invited people to apply for the
post and we had excellent candidates," said Ed Stover, who served on a
selection panel representing the
Washington State Arts Commission and two non-profits, the
Washington Poets Association
and Humanities Washington.
This is the second year for the Roadshow. The 2006 Poetry Roadshow was led
by poet Jim Bertolino, who presented workshops and readings in Wenatchee,
Walla Walla, Centralia and Port Angeles.
Karen Bonaudi, another panel member, indicated that each year has enhanced
the programıs system and positive reception statewide. "Jim did a wonderful
job introducing the Roadshow, which resulted in the wealth of applications
this year," she said.
Austen, who produces literary programming for public radio affiliate KUOW-FM
in Seattle, has been active in the stateıs poetry community for years.
Widely published and a sought-after performer, she has taught at colleges
and K-12 schools in addition to presenting many readings and guest lectures.
"What I hope to share with audiences is poetryıs capacity to provoke the
imagination, to awaken our sense of empathy and reveal something of the
mystery and beauty of our daily lives," said Austen.
"I believe everyone has the capacity to appreciate and enjoy poetry; it's
often just a matter of exposure. And because Iım as much a performer and
teacher as I am a writer, itıs important to me to share poetry in a way
that's vivid, immediate and relevant to daily life."
As this yearıs Poetry Roadshow poet, Austen will make four presentations,
offering lectures, workshops and readings at Big Bend Community College in
Moses Lake, at Grays Harbor Community College in Aberdeen, at Lower Columbia
College in Longview, and at the Tri-Cities campus of Washington State
University in Richland.
Specific dates will be announced.
But the hopes are high that the Roadshow and its mission of bringing poetic
energy beyond major cities will get the attention of the 2007 State
Legislature. That's because the Arts Commmission, with the support of the
WPA and Humanities Washington, supports legislation to create an official
state Poet Laureate.
"Washington is one of just 10 states that don't have Poet Laureate
positions, and there's been a U.S. Poet Laureate since 1937," said Stover,
adding that the current U.S. Poet Laureate is Donald Hall.
The mission of a state Poet Laureate would be to develop programs to make
poetry--what Arts Commission Executive Director Kris Tucker calls "the
people's art"--more accessible throughout the state, increasing poetic
interaction, language arts and literacy. The Poetry Roadshow is a pilot
project to field-test and fine-tune that process.
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For information, call:
Ed Stover 509-452-3559
Karen Bonaudi 509-765-8845
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