City of Orlando Poet Laureate

If you are interested in contacting Orlando Poet Laureate, Shawn Welcome, please provide details here on the Poet Laureate Request Form. The form will be sent to Shawn for review, and he will be in touch soon to confirm if he can honor your request or if adjustments need to be made. Please note that Shawn may not be able to accept all requests. Thank you for your interest in the Orlando Poet Laureate Program.

Please follow the Orlando Poet Laureate on Facebook and Instagram to learn about future appearances and events. If you have questions, please contact Marcia Hope Goodwin, Chief Service Officer and Director Office of Community Affairs at communityaffairs@orlando.gov.

The process to select the Third Poet Laureate was developed through a partnership with United Arts of Central Florida. A Poet Laureate Search Committee consisting of distinguished local poets, scholars and literary experts will review applications based on artistic merit of literary work samples, experience and background. Applications will be collected from April 27 - June 30, 2025 on the United Arts Website.

Mayor Buddy Dyer appoints the Poet Laureate Search Committee, a group of diverse poets, scholars and literary experts, to assist in the selection process. The Mayor’s office partners with United Arts of Central Florida will convene and facilitate the selection process. This committee includes representatives from University of Central Florida, Valencia College, Rollins College, Seminole State College, Orange County Library System, Burrow Press, and accomplished local poets, with Orlando’s current Poet Laureate Shawn Welcome serving as an Ex-Officio member.

The search committee will review all eligible applications, which will be scored on a 30-point scale, with up to 20 points for artistic merit of the work samples, and up to 10 points for experience and background. The names of three finalists with committee rankings will be forwarded to Mayor Dyer for final selection. Finalists will be interviewed (in person or via Zoom) in August 2025. The Poet Laureate will be announced in October 2025, during National Arts and Humanities Month.

Learn more about the search committee