Poets Across Lines is a cross-regional program presented in Birmingham, Alabama and Tucson, Arizona offering poets in the two regions financial and material support to create original poems around the themes of housing, immigration, and/or LGBTQIA+ experience. The program is committed to providing an opportunity for poets local to each city who don’t have the support and resources of academic spaces. Poets Across Lines aims to serve poets who identify as Black, Indigenous, persons of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and poets with disabilities. Through mentor-led workshops, curated introductions to guest speakers, and financial support, this four-month program builds an intimately connected cohort of non-academic poets across regions to create work that tells the story of their communities—joys, challenges, and resilience.
The application period has been extended until August 28th, 2024.
Program Benefits and Components
Mentorship and Feedback on Poetry
- Three in-person poetry workshops with experienced instructors
- Q&A’s with guest speakers established in the poetry field
- Development of new creative work
- Feedback on poetry written in both English and Spanish (Tucson only)
Cross-Regional Community
- Poetry, craft, and publishing conversations with industry professionals
- One virtual event with all program participants
- A one-year membership to PEN America
Financial and Promotional Support
- $1,250 stipend
- Publication in an online zine on PEN America’s website