Call to Poets: Expressions of Interest

District of Saanich Community Poets Program 2026-2028

Submission Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025

The District of Saanich is accepting Expressions of Interest from all published and performance poets for our Community Poets Program through our website.

 The Community Poet has an important role in highlighting the positive impact of poetry, spoken word and the literacy arts.  This role will foster community connections through initiatives that celebrate the people and places in Saanich and engage with community and inspire participation.

We welcome and encourage applications from poets of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. We are committed to fostering a program that reflects the diversity of our community, including but not limited to differences in age, culture, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, language, and socio-economic background. Your unique voice and perspective enrich the creative landscape of Saanich.

Objectives

The District of Saanich’s Community Poets Program, through the roles of Community Poet and Youth Community Poet, will highlight the positive impact of poetry, spoken word, and the literary arts and foster community connection through initiatives that:

  1. Celebrate the people and places in Saanich through initiatives involving literary works
  2. Engage with community and inspire participation
  3. Elevate the profile of poetry, spoken word and the literary arts in Saanich communities

Term and Renumeration

The selected Community Poet will serve for a two-year term, commencing January 2026.  The position receives an honorarium of $5000 per year, with additional project funds of up to $2000 per year to cover related project costs.

Submission Guidelines

Application Process

Applications to be submitted through our online application form below.

The application package includes:

  • Statement of Interest – share your motivation for applying, vision, goals, ideas for an innovative project you are interested in developing, and how you envision contributing to this role.
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Two Reference letters – one letter from a literacy peer / professional and one letter from a community leader/organization.
  • Work Samples – Submit up to three published pieces that showcase the range and versatility of your practice.  Spoken word submissions must include both audio/video recordings and written transcripts.

Community Poet Application

Please read through the Submission Guidelines (above) prior to submitting your application. This form cannot be saved and returned to later. Please ensure all information is complete before submitting. Early or late submissions will not be accepted.

Deadline to apply: October 31, 2025 at 4 p.m. PST. Poets will be notified by December 2025

Contact Information

Submission Materials

Applicants must include the following in the File Upload below: 

Statement of Interest – share your motivation for applying, vision, goals, ideas for an innovative project you are interested in developing, and how you envision contributing to this role.

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters - one letter from a literacy peer / professional and one letter from a community leader/organization.

Work Samples - Submit up to three published pieces that showcase the range and versatility of your practice.  Spoken word submissions must include both audio / video recordings and written transcripts.

Applicants must include all of the submission materials listed above. You may upload multiple files or a single one with all of the submission requirements., 100MB maxium per file. File types may include: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, jpg, jpeg, tif, tiff, png, zip. To ensure all files are uploaded, hold the CTRL key and select all of the images you wish to submit. Once selected, click ‘Open’ to ensure success.

Final Submission & Certification 

Intellectual Property: All writings, notes, and original materials created during the Community Poet’s tenure shall remain the intellectual property of the Poet, granting the District license to copy, publish and utilize project images and videos for District-related purposes.

Confidentiality: The collection of personal information for this competition is authorized under the Local Government Act, Community Charter and section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information will be used to communicate information to Staff and the Project Jury for the purpose of evaluation and selection. Materials submitted for consideration to public art competitions will be treated as confidential. Ideas presented are understood to be the intellectual property of the applicant and the information contained therein will not be reproduced or adapted for any purpose, except to the extent necessary as described above. The District will not release this information to the public except as required under the Province of BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Questions related to privacy protection can be directed to the District’s Privacy Officer at: 770 Vernon Ave, Victoria BC V8X 2W7, t.250-475-1775, e.foi@saanich.ca

The District of Saanich is not responsible for submission delays, including those caused by technological or network issues on either end. Failure to follow the submission guidelines may result in your application being declined. Mailed applications will not be returned. For more information about the Community Poet Program, or for assistance with your submission, please contact the Community Arts Programmer: shantael.sleight@saanich.ca. 

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