Search for first South Tees Poet Laureate
BorderlandsA search is under way for the first South Tees Poet Laureate who would be tasked with capturing big moments in the area in verse.
The successful wordsmith would hold the post for two years and write approximately eight original poems per year, responding to "big moments" in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland.
Diana Stevenson, from Borderlands who are running the search, said the role was open to people connected to the area and would prove to be "quite a responsibility".
"We're interested in hearing from people who feel that they've got something to say about South Tees and are interested in capturing the spirit of this place through poetry," she said.
"When there's some big moment in the town, or big moment in South Tees, they would be invited to write a poem about it, basically capturing everything that's going on and really reflecting the community in their work."
They would also perform their work at public events and help deliver a community poetry project.
Stevenson said of Teesside: "When you get here, you find out how incredibly creative, thoughtful, imaginative and resilient the community really is."
Applicants would need to submit two poems including one that engaged with South Tees "history, heritage, geography, culture, contemporary life or social concerns".
The successful laureate will receive a fee of £12,000 across the two years.
The deadline to apply is 3 August and the successful applicant will be announced in October.
