Austin is about to embrace its poetic identity with the launch of its first Poet Laureate Program. The kickoff event, titled “Austin Is a Poem,” will take place on Sept. 7 at the Central Library special events center. This celebration will feature readings from prominent local poets, including award-winning artist Ebony Stewart, former Texas Poet Laureate Carrie Fountain, Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award recipient Roger Reeves, and William Carlos Williams Award winner Jennifer Chang.
In addition to the local talent, four Texas poets laureate will make special appearances. These include Aris Kian from Houston, Mag Gabbert from Dallas, Eddie Vega from San Antonio, and Amanda Johnston, the 2024 Texas Poet Laureate. Johnston is notably the first Black woman from Texas to hold this title and the eighth poet laureate from the Austin area.
For aspiring poets, the event also serves as an opportunity to learn about applying for Austin’s first official Poet Laureate position. The city’s adult poet laureate program, which was established in May 2024, follows the success of its youth counterpart, a joint initiative between the Library Foundation and the National Youth Poet Laureate Program.
Amanda Johnston credits the new program to the efforts of KB Brookins, a writer, visual artist, and activist, who championed the cause for the city to have its own poet laureate.
“Cities like Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio already had poets laureate,” Johnston said. “For a city like Austin, known for its arts and culture, it was noticeable that we didn’t have one.”
Brookins conducted research on adult literacy in Austin and used the findings to push for a program that could boost the city’s literary arts. They gathered support from the community and worked closely with City Councilor Vanessa Fuentes to make the program a reality.
“I started a petition and got over 200 signatures, including all the state poets laureate from the past few years,” Brookins explained. “With the help of Mike Henry from Austin Poetry Slam and Vanessa Fuentes, we were able to bring a resolution forward to start the Poet Laureate Program. Our hope is to have Austin’s first poet laureate by April 2025.”
Johnston believes the program is a natural fit for Austin’s artistic spirit. “Austin is a poem because it’s created by the people, word by word, line by line,” she said. “The energy, the sounds, and the people of this city make it vibrant, like a great poem we’re all writing together.”
Brookins added, “People don’t often think of Austin as a poetry city. I’m excited to show people they don’t have to go elsewhere to find a poetry community or great poetry programming. It’s all right here in Austin.”