Calgary Poet Laureate Program

The Calgary Poet Laureate is an artistic ambassador, presenting at civic events, and producing literary works that reflect our city and its citizens.

Wakefield Brewster

An ambassador of the arts to the citizens of Calgary, the Calgary Poet Laureate produces literary work that is reflective of Calgary’s landscape, cityscape and civic identity and that may raise awareness of local issues.

Nominate an outstanding Calgary Poet.

Nominations for the 2024 to 2026 Calgary Poet Laureate closed on March 15, 2024. The selected candidate will be announced during National Poetry Month in April 2024. 

Learn more about the nomination process here.

About the Calgary Poet Laureate

On July 26, 2011, City Council approved a motion to establish a Calgary Poet Laureate position, funded by a group of Calgary Poet Laureate Ambassadors. Current Ambassadors are the Calgary Foundation and the Calgary Public Library.

Calgary Arts Development administers the program in conjunction with a volunteer selection committee, which appoints each Calgary Poet Laureate for a two-year term. The Calgary Poet Laureate is intended to be an artistic ambassador for Calgary, presenting at civic events, and producing literary work that reflects our city and its citizens. Kris Demeanor served as the first Calgary Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014 followed by derek beaulieu from 2014 to 2016, Micheline Maylor from 2016 to 2018, Sheri-D Wilson from 2018 to 2020, Natalie Meisner from 2020 to 2022, and Wakefield Brewster from 2022 to 2024.

For more information, contact Kaley Beisiegel at kaley.beisiegel@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.264.5330 ext. 214.

Calgary Poet Laureate Ambassadors