The Board of Selectman has created the volunteer post of Poet Laureate and has asked The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission (NCAC) to recruit, screen and recommend a final candidate.

The deadline for submitting an application, and samples of work, is August 1.

Among the expectations for the person who holds the honorary position will be that the Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador in the greater arts community; fosters public appreciation of and participation in poetry and literary arts; iIs present at no less than one public event per year as requested by the Newtown Board of Selectman or NCAC; and serves as an auxiliary member of NCAC.

Applicants must be full time residents of Newtown, must be available to give presentations, and must be in residence in Newtown for the entire term of their office (with the exception of students away at school).

Members of Newtown Cultural Arts Commission and their families are not eligible to apply.

Additional criteria and an application can be found at newtownartscommission.org.

Announcement of  the Poet Laureate will be September 19, 2015, during the Newtown Arts Festival. The first term will span October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.

NCAC will be advised by The Coalition of Poets, a group organized by Ginny Connors, the previous Poet Laureate of West Hartford.

There are currently poets laureate in eight Connecticut towns as well State Poet Laureate Dick Allen, whose term will end this year. Nationally, only Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, New Jersey and Massachusetts do not have that position.