Call for Poetry (Free to enter, $150 Stipend)
For California artists

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The City of Santa Clarita (City) is accepting Short Poem entries (Free Form, Haiku, Distich, Cinquain, etc.). Residents and individuals with connections or ties to Santa Clarita are invited to submit an original poem to the Sidewalk Poetry program.

The theme is Poetry of Place – let the Santa Clarita landscape and the built environment be your inspiration.  This year will focus on poems that reflect the public and natural shared spaces in our community.  Selected poems are likely to be stamped on sidewalks near parks, bus stops, trailheads, crosswalks, schools, and shopping centers.

All writers, young and old, professional and amateur, are welcome to submit poetry for consideration.  Poems must be original work. Poems must be in English and must be within a maximum of 5 lines, 32 characters per line (including spaces) and 160 characters overall (including spaces).  Selected poets will receive monetary compensation of a $150 stipend and have the opportunity to meet to discuss their work with a professor of poetry.  Selected poets will also be recognized on the City’s website and public art app directory. Selected winners are encouraged to attend the Sidewalk Poetry Program dedication scheduled for spring 2019.

HISTORY

This program was recommended by City of Santa Clarita staff members who write poems in their free time.  The staff and the Arts Commission wanted to create a public art program which celebrates poetry and creative writing throughout the community.  In the Arts Commission’s 2018 Work Plan and Public Art Proposal, approved by City Council on September 26, 2017, the Sidewalk Poetry program was identified as a new public art project.  The Arts and Events division will work with the Public Works department to identify appropriate locations to stamp the selected poems as part of the sidewalk rehabilitation program.

DATES

Deadline for entry: October 16, 2018

Winners announced: January 25, 2019

RULES

Limit:  One (1) entry per person during the contest.  Entries may only be submitted by an individual; no team entries are permitted.  Eligible individuals may enter only during the designated submission phases.  ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 16, 2018.

Eligibility: The Sidewalk Poetry program contest is open to all ages, no previous experience or publication necessary.  Poems must be no more than five (5) lines (including title if applicable) with a maximum of 32 characters per line (including spaces).  The poem must be the original work of the entrant.  It can be free or rhyming verse.  All submissions become the property of the City and may be published in print and/or on the City’s website.  All entries must be submitted electronically at www.santaclaritaarts/callforentry/sidewalkpoetry.  Entrants must complete the entry form in its entirety to qualify.

Selection: Poems will be judged based on: appropriateness of theme, use of language, emotional response, and creativity.  Poems containing profanity, vulgarity or offensive material, and/or poems that do not meet the requirements for line limitation and theme will be disqualified.

Winners: The winners will be selected from qualified entries and the winning poems will be stamped on concrete sidewalks throughout the City.

Decisions: All decisions made by the judges are final.

Copyright: The author retains all copyrights to the submitted poem.  By entering the contest, entrant consents to the publication of his/her poem in any medium employed by the City.

Notification: Winners will be notified by phone or email, and will be announced publicly. Names of the winner(s) and their respective poems may appear on the City’s website.

Privacy Policy: The City collects personal information for the purpose of notifying contest winners only.  All information submitted is confidential, used solely for notification purposes and will not be made public.  The City does not lease, sell, or share personal information.  Minor children must have parental permission to enter the contest.

Legal: No purchase necessary.  Void where prohibited.

Deadline: 10-16-2018
City of Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, CA

Contact: Katherine Nestved
email: Knestved@santa-clarita.com
Phone: 661.250.3777
Website: http://santaclaritaarts.com/sidewalk-poetry-program-2018/