POETRY COALITION FELLOWSHIP
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL JULY 6, 2021

Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center, a founding member of the Poetry Coalition, is accepting applications for a paid Poetry Coalition Fellowship position. This position is 20 hours per week from September 13, 2021 to June 30, 2022. The stipend is $18,720 plus $1,000 toward health care.

ABOUT THE POETRY COALITION:
The Poetry Coalition is a national alliance of more than 25 organizations dedicated to working together to promote the value poets bring to our culture and the important contribution poetry makes in the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. Members are nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is to promote poets and poetry, and/or multi-genre literary organizations that serve poets in the disability community and of specific racial, ethnic, or gender identities, backgrounds, or communities. All members present poets at live events.

Each March, members present programming across the country on a theme of social importance. The Poetry Coalition is coordinated by the Academy of American Poets and we are grateful to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for its support of this work.

The Poetry Coalition Fellowship Program is a three-year pilot program. The goals of this are to help:

• diversify the leadership of the nonprofit literary field by encouraging more inclusion of individuals from under-represented communities;
• develop future literary leaders regardless of educational background;
• introduce the individuals who are interested to nonprofit literary arts management, fundraising, programming, and editorial work, providing experiences that will be useful as they seek jobs and inspiring them to consider working in the literary field; and
• increase the capacity of our individual organizations by having additional assistance.

Paid fellowships will not “level the playing field.” Opportunity in our country is not equally distributed across ability, class, ethnic, gender, and racial lines. And we alone cannot erase and undo the biases, barriers, discrimination, and prejudice that exist in our country. But we hope poetry organizations can be out front in building equity and inclusivity in literary arts organizations and spaces.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Poetry Coalition Fellow in Programs & Communications position supports the planning, curating, publicizing, and producing of Beyond Baroque’s literary programs. We seek a candidate who can help think creatively, strategically, and collaboratively about Beyond Baroque’s programming, which includes readings, talks, multidisciplinary performances, and workshops. An ideal candidate will have experience in nonprofit management and a deep knowledge of contemporary poetry and literature in both Los Angeles and on the national level. An ideal candidate will also have knowledge of, and interest in, the intersection of poetry with other literary, artistic, social, political, and cultural concerns. The Poetry Coalition Fellow in Programs & Communications reports to the Executive Director.

FELLOWSHIP LOCALE:
Though Beyond Baroque remains closed to the public for the time being, candidates must be based in Los Angeles and must be willing, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, to work on-site and to attend weekend programs at Beyond Baroque’s center in Venice.

FELLOW RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Committing to 20 hours per week for the entire ten-month fellowship
• Adhering to rules and policies of the Beyond Baroque as appropriate
• Assisting with some or all of the following:
• Programming and curating weekly live events, such as poetry readings, discussions, and workshops
• Strategic planning for Beyond Baroque’s literary programming.
• Community outreach
• Marketing and promotion, including materials development and graphic design.
• Grant writing and/or fundraising
• Content production for websites or social media
• General administration
• Assisting with the host organization’s Poetry Coalition joint programming in March
• Attending and participating in meetings
• Attending and participating in monthly Zooms with other Poetry Coalition fellows and Academy staff to foster community, professional development, and create a peer learning group to learn about the following:
• Community outreach
• Marketing and promotion, including materials development
• Grant writing and/or fundraising
• Content production for websites or social media
• Programming and curating live events, such as poetry readings and workshops.
• General administration
• Participating in the Poetry Coalition’s fall convening and professional development trainings
• Completing evaluations at the end of the fellowship year

FELLOW QUALIFICATIONS:

• Passion for contemporary poetry, as well as a familiarity with and/or knowledge of contemporary poets and Los Angeles poetry communities
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work with diverse poets, writers, artists, and community members
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to juggle multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Familiarity with Google Workspace
• Ability to produce and coordinate literary events
• Strong copywriting and graphic design skills
• Interest in literary arts programming, administration, and management
• Demonstrated experience in the areas listed above
• Ability to work regular weekend afternoons/evenings when Beyond Baroque has programs

Note: We welcome all applicants, including those who are enrolled in or have recently graduated from MFA programs in creative writing.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applications will be accepted May 6, 2021 through July 6, 2021 via Submittable. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and 2-3 references.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:
It is the policy of Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or genetic information.