Program Summary

Colorado’s Poet Laureate advocates for poetry, literacy, and literature by participating in readings and other events at the state capitol, schools, libraries, and literary festivals. The Governor chooses the Poet Laureate. Selection criteria are artistic excellence and a history of community service that elevates poetry.

This program is a partnership between the Colorado Creative Industries and Colorado Humanities.

Overview

Type: Award

For: Creatives and artists

Lifecycle: Two to four years

OEDIT division: Colorado Creative Industries

Current Laureate

Andrea Gibson

Andrea Gibson is one of the most stirring and influential spoken word artists of our time. Best known for their live performances and two decades of international touring, Gibson has changed the landscape of what it means to attend a “poetry show” altogether. Gibson’s work centers around LGBTQ+ issues, spirituality, feminism, mental health, gun reform and the dismantling of oppressive social systems. Though they never shy away from sensitive topics, Gibson infuses a sense of hope, awe, and possibility into their work. Poetry, Gibson believes, can engender empathy, connect communities, and awaken audiences to new perspectives with the power and delight of elevated language. Gibson is the author of six-full-length collections of poetry. They are a two time winner of the Independent Publisher’s Award, a three-time Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist, and the winner of the first Women's World Poetry Slam. In 2017, Penguin Books published Take Me With You, an illustrated collection of Gibson’s most beloved quotes, and in 2019, Chronicle books published their first non-fiction endeavor, How Poetry Can Change Your Heart. Learn more about Andrea.