Blaise Allen, Ph.D., the Director of Community Outreach for the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, today announced that the non-profit organization has launched its annual Palm Beach County High School Poetry Contest, in partnership withOld School Square in Delray Beach
Between October 1 and December 2, any Palm Beach County public or private high school student can submit one original poem (30 lines maximum) for consideration. Original poems should be submitted by email before midnight on December 2 to: PBPF1@aol.com. For contest rules, please visit http://www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org/news/2016-hs-poetry-contest/.
The cash prizes for student poets have doubled this year. The winning poet will receive $200, and the four runner-up high school poets will each receive $100. In addition, all five winners will receive a pair of tickets to the Poetry Festival’s Sizzling Spoken Word event at Old School Square’s Fieldhouse on Saturday, January 21, at 9 pm. This performance event will feature The Mayhem Poets, Mason Granger and Scott Raven.
The five winning high school poets will read their poems at the Festival’s Award Ceremony onMonday, January 16, 2017 at 4 pm, where they will have the opportunity of meeting and having their pictures taken with 11 of America’s most distinguished and award-winning poets. In addition, the winning poems will be published online on the Festival’s official website at http://www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org/.
The judge for the annual High School Poetry Contest will once again be Dr. Jeff Morgan of Lynn University’s Department of English in Boca Raton.
About the Palm Beach Poetry Festival 2017:
The 13th annual Palm Beach Poetry Festival will be held January 16-21 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. The Festival features top poets at numerous ticketed public events, including readings, talks, interviews, panel discussions and more. Nine workshops will be offered for which applications are required.
For more information about the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, please visit http://www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org/.
The 2017 Palm Beach Poetry Festival is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; Morgan Stanley & The Legacy Group of Atlanta; the Cultural Council of Palm County, the Palm Beach County Tourism Development Council and theBoard of Commissioners of Palm Beach County; The Palm Beach Post; Visit Florida; WLRN; and Murder on the Beach, Delray Beach’s independent bookseller.
Special Guest Poet in 2017 will be Charles Simic, past United States Poet Laureate (2007-2008) and 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner. Nine distinguished poets will lead poetry writing workshops at the Festival: David Baker, Tina Chang, Lynn Emanuel, Daisy Fried, Terrance Hayes, Dorianne Laux, Thomas Lux, Carl Phillips and Martha Rhodes, and individual conferences will be offered by nationally acclaimed poets: Sally Bliumis-Dunn, Nickole Brown and Ginger Murchison. Performances at the Field House will offer sizzling spoken word by The Mayhem Poets: Mason Granger and Scott Raven.
