Writing West Midlands is once again teaming up with Birmingham Libraries to recruit the next two Poets Laureate for 2026-28:
- The Birmingham Poet Laureate must be over 18 on 1 October 2026
- The Birmingham Young Poet Laureate must be over 12 and under 18 on 1 October 2026
The Birmingham Poet Laureate and Birmingham Young Poet Laureate are honorary posts appointed by Birmingham Libraries and Writing West Midlands.
The successful candidates should be residents of Birmingham, or work or study in the city, and will be able to show their commitment to writing and sharing their poetry. They should be comfortable with the idea of sharing with an audience and speaking about their work. They will be expected to be an ambassador for the city of Birmingham and its many communities and areas.
The Birmingham Poet Laureate and Birmingham Young Poet Laureate are asked to undertake a small number of honorary duties during their tenure, including writing poems to commemorate significant moments. They will be expected to share their work at events and to encourage an interest in poetry across the city. We are particularly keen that the Poets Laureate use their work to encourage people to engage with the city’s public libraries.
While the posts are honorary and the roles are voluntary, payments are sometimes made for work that is particularly time consuming. The adult Poet Laureate in particular will be supported by Writing West Midlands to develop their creative work.
The position of Birmingham Poet Laureate was the UK’s first ‘city laureate’, with the first appointment being made in 1998. In 2005, the position of Birmingham Young Poet Laureate was set up. The two posts are now appointed every two years.
Please read the FAQs and further information carefully, then apply below.
The deadline for applications is Friday 31st July 2026 at 11:59pm. In-person interviews for both posts will take place on Saturday 19th September 2026 (Adult post in the morning, Young post in the afternoon). Interviews will take place in central Birmingham. An appointment event will take place on Sunday 11th October 2026.
All applications must be made online. If you are unable to do so, please call the Writing West Midlands office on 0121 246 2770 and leave a message. A member of staff will get back to you with an alternative.