A partnership between the North Olympic Library System and Clallam County has created the first Clallam County Poet Laureate.

Poets 18 years and older who live in Clallam County and have a passion for bringing poetry to their community are invited to apply for the inaugural position.

Applications open Monday, Oct. 17, at nols.org/poet and close on Friday, Dec. 2.

The Poet Laureate will bring poetry to residents of the county by participating in events, leading workshops and championing the community power of the written and spoken word, program organizers said. They will serve a two-year term from April 2023 through March 2025.

The Poet Laureate will be expected to participate in or host about two events per month during their term at locations throughout Clallam County.

This position comes with an annual stipend of $5,000 ($10,000 in total), funded by Clallam County, in recognition of the appointed poet’s time and energy in participating in or hosting events as well as to support the poet’s craft and practice.

“Thanks to the partnership with Clallam County, the library is excited to launch this program, and foster well-being and connectedness when people may be feeling particularly divided or isolated,” said librarian Clair Dunlap, lead coordinator for the program.

A major goal of the Clallam County Poet Laureate program, organizers said, is to use poetry to bring a variety of voices and perspectives to culturally diverse audiences throughout the county, and to bring communities together through poetry.

”Poetry helps us to see, understand and think about our community and our world through a different lens and challenges us to reconsider the common ties that bind us together,” program representatives said.

The Poet Laureate will be selected by a committee of community arts leaders, practitioners and enthusiasts from across the county.

Notification of the appointment will be made by March 2023.

Poets are invited to join an in-person information session at the Port Angeles Main Library at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, or meet virtually to learn more about the program at a Zoom information session at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

For more information, visit nols.org/poet, email to PoetLaureate@nols.org or call 360-417-8500.