The Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild is seeking a new Saskatchewan Youth Poet Laureate for a one-year term (August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027).
Both the Saskatchewan Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate are ambassadors for the literary community in Saskatchewan and engage communities and organizations across the province in poetry readings or talks. The Youth Poet Laureate is a poet between the ages of 18 and 30 years of age during their term.
The Youth Poet Laureate shares their work publicly and speaks to diverse audiences at SWG and community events, including schools. Their work may occur both online and in-person; some travel within Saskatchewan may be required. They may be called on to do media interviews.
Information about the criteria and how to apply for the position is below. Application packages must be received by email by midnight Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The successful poet will be announced in July.
Saskatchewan Youth Poet Laureate
Objectives:
- celebrate the spirit of Saskatchewan youth through the literary arts
- raise the profile of young writers in Saskatchewan
- raise awareness of the power of poetry and spoken word
- act as an Ambassador for writing in general, poetry in particular, and for the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild
Criteria
The Youth Poet Laureate will meet the following criteria:
- have a demonstrated commitment to writing, specifically poetry and/or spoken word;
- have some record of public involvement in the writing culture of the province (e.g. readings, performances, volunteerism);
- have pursued some form of formal or informal professional development (workshops, classes, etc.);
- have the ability to work with the SWG, including administrative work (i.e. creating invoices and reports) and communicating on a regular basis by email, phone or Zoom;
- will be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old during their term;
- be a current resident of Saskatchewan, and has been a resident for at least 2 of the past 3 years;
- have means of reliable transportation and is willing to conduct duties both in-person and online.
Duties of the Saskatchewan Youth Poet Laureate
- Read, perform or speak at events as requested by schools, libraries or community organizations;
- Involvement in the Poetry Soiree organized by the Lieutenant Governor’s Office (April) and/or other SWG events;
- Write a 200-word greeting in the Guild’s high school literary magazine Windscript, published each May (due March 1);
- Submit invoices and reports to the SWG for their performed work and communicate on a regular basis.
It is not expected that the Youth Poet Laureate write new work for any event/invitation; the responsibility is on the YPL whether to accept such a request.
Length of Term and Remuneration
The Youth Poet Laureate term is one year (August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027).
The Youth Poet Laureate will be paid fees for each reading/event performed (a limited number during the term). Rates range from $150 to $400 per event. They will also be paid the current SWG publication rates for their Windscript address. Mileage reimbursement is available for in-person events.
Application Process:
To apply for the Youth Poet Laureate position, please submit the following to programs@skwriter.com as email attachments in either Word or PDF form:
- A letter of intent (max 1000 words) explaining the following:
- Why you want to be the Saskatchewan Youth Poet Laureate
- How you meet the criteria of the position you are applying for
- Your availability and ability to attend events between August 1, 2026, and July 31, 2027.
- Please include your full mailing address, email address and phone number.
- Résumé or Literary CV that includes:
- your literary engagement experience at school, volunteering and/or work
- a list of publications or performances, if applicable
- a 100-word biography (to be used for promotional materials if accepted)
- Three original poems in any format, including written, audio, or video. If submitting audio or video, please include a written transcript of the poems
- One to three reference letters that can speak to your communication and organization abilities, and your experience performing your work or public speaking.
Applications that do not follow the guidelines will not be considered. Please do not send Google Docs, links or documents longer than the limits stated above.
Application deadline is Tuesday, June 10, 2026, at midnight.
