41-987. State poet laureate; appointment; term; duties; nomination committee

A. The office of state poet laureate is established under the Arizona commission on the arts.

B. The governor, based on a ranked list of three nominees provided by the state poet laureate nomination committee, shall appoint one person to serve as the state poet laureate. The governor shall have sixty days from receipt of the nominee list to make the selection. Each nominee shall have been a resident of this state for at least two years as of the date of nomination, reside in this state for at least six months of the year, be a poet of stature recognized in the literary, cultural, education or academic communities and have a significant prior record of high quality, published or documented work or service through the literary arts. Nominees must be willing and able to travel throughout this state.

C. The state poet laureate serves a two year term to begin and end on the third Monday in January of the corresponding year. The state poet laureate may not serve more than three terms.

D. The duties of the state poet laureate include:

1. The offering of at least four public readings each year during the appointment term, in both urban and rural communities, visiting the various regions of this state at least once during the appointment term.

2. The pursuit of a major literary project over the course of the appointment term, agreed on between the state poet laureate and the commission. These projects shall place an emphasis on outreach to residents who might not otherwise be exposed to quality poetry.

3. The pursuit of other projects related to poetry and the literary arts, including collaboration with the poet laureate of the United States, other state poets laureate or other artists, that the state poet laureate and the commission may find beneficial.

E. The state poet laureate nomination committee is established consisting of at least four and not more than seven members who are appointed by the commission. The members shall represent different geographic regions of this state and may include any of the following:

1. Professional poets.

2. Writers from other literary disciplines.

3. Creative writing and literature professors and teachers.

4. Board members and directors of literary organizations.

5. Literary critics.

6. Others deemed by the commission to have significant expertise in contemporary American literature.

7. Members of the public.

F. The commission shall establish a process to solicit applications and nominations from any of the following:

1. University and college literature, creative writing and English departments.

2. Literary organizations and societies.

3. Book publishers and editors.

4. Directors of poetry reading series.

5. Charter, private and public schools.

6. Booksellers specializing in poetry.

7. The commission's grantee database, mailing lists and social media efforts.

8. Members of the public.