About

This initiative, originally created in 2019 by Spokane Poet Laureate Mark Anderson and Spokane Arts, gives local poets the opportunity to make their voices heard at Spokane City Council meetings. All poets in the Spokane region are welcome to apply to read. This opportunity will both offer Spokane poets a new audience within the Spokane community and remind council meeting attendees that poetry can play an important part in the civic realm. See more info about Poetry at the Podium Details and Guidelines below.

Spokane’s Poet Laureate, Mery Smith is curating the schedule of readers for the Podium. You can email her HERE to sign up!

If you would like to get on the Contact List, please email Program Manager, Jeremy Whittington at jeremy@spokanearts.org.  You will receive a confirmation email, and another confirmation email 2 days prior to the date you signed up for.

Note: As you are selecting a poem to share, please be mindful of the following guidelines.

Details and Guidelines

Spokane City Council meetings take place every Monday at 6 PM. Readings will occur during the time for “Words of Inspiration,” which immediately follows the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each meeting.

 Per City Council Meeting Rules for public decorum, submitters are asked to remember the following:

• The chosen poem may take no more than three (3) minutes to read, and poets are asked to state no more than their name and Spokane neighborhood before reading.

• No poet may read more than once per month.

• Poets shall not use profanity, engage in obscene speech, or make personal comment or verbal insults about any individual.

Eligibility: Anyone

City/Region: PNW

Point of Contact: Jeremy Whittington

Contact Email: jeremyl@spokanearts.org

Expires: December 31, 2025