press release
Press Contact: Christina DePaolo, (206) 263-1588
Poetry on Buses is back now as Poetry in Public
Summary
4Culture and King County Metro launch beloved poetry program with theme “Places of Landing” and Laura DA’ as Poet Planner.Full Release
Poetry in Public, formally known as Poetry on Buses, began in 1992 to replace advertising with poems on buses to create a meaningful art experience for riders. This program celebrates local voices in one of our most public spaces: transit.
Everyone living in King County is encouraged to write a 50-word poem on the theme. The submission form opens early August, along with information on a series of free poetry workshops where participants can explore the theme further and submit a poem. Poems are due by 11:59 PM October 30, 2023.
Poems will be accepted in all languages. For this iteration of the program, poetry workshops will focus on King County’s African American, Chinese, Filipino, Indigenous, Spanish and youth communities.
About the Theme
Places of Landing embraces the poetry of our daily lives and honors movements, places, and feelings that tell the stories of our days. Many of our transportation hubs, roads, docks, and recreational spaces exist directly over Indigenous places of landing. As our community grows and changes, new paths will arise. The concept of landings extends from the land itself to each person’s sense of being, as we all hold memories of the places that shape our days.
About the Poet Planner
A published poet and a public-school teacher, Laura Da’ studied creative writing at the University of Washington and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Da’ is the current Poet Laureate of Redmond and a recent writer in residence at Hugo House. As a member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, she is an active participant in the Shawnee language revitalization program. Da’ has also been a Made at Hugo House fellow, a Native Arts and Cultures fellow, and a Jack Straw fellow. She is a lifetime resident of the Pacific Northwest and lives in Newcastle, Washington, with her husband and son.
Poetry in Public is made possible through a partnership of 4Culture and King County Metro.
Related Links
Poetry in Public
King County Metro
Contact Information
For general inquiries, please contact the Poetry in Public team at poetry@4culture.org.
4Culture is King County’s cultural funding and services agency, supported by Lodging Taxes and the 1% for Art ordinance. With a focus on racial equity, we fund, support, and advocate for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County. To learn more about our programs–arts, heritage, preservation, and public art –please visit 4culture.org, email hello@4culture.org, or call 206-296-7580. We encourage you contact staff directly if you are interested in learning more about a specific program area.