Poetry Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago-based American foundation created to promote poetry in the wider culture. It was formed from Poetry
magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthropist Ruth Lilly
.
According to the foundation's Web site, it is "committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience." In partial furtherance of this object, the Foundation runs a blog called Harriet http://poetryfoundation.org/harriet/ (see, Harriet Munroe). Poets who have blogged at Harriet on behalf of The Poetry Foundation include Ange Mlinko
, Christian Bök
, Stephen Burt
, and Rigoberto Gonzalez
.
The Poetry Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
In 2003, Poetry
magazine received a grant from the estate of Ruth Lilly
originally said to be worth over $100 million, but which grew to be about $200 million when it was given out. The grant added to her already substantial prior contributions.
The magazine learned in 2001 that it would be getting the grant. Before announcing the gift, the magazine waited a year and reconfigured its governing board, which had been concerned with fund-raising. The foundation was created, and Joseph Parisi, who had been editor of the magazine for two decades, volunteered to head the new organization. Christian Wiman
, a young critic and poet, succeeded to the editorship in 2003. Parisi resigned from the foundation after a few months.
The new board used a recruiting agency to find John Barr, a rich executive and published poet, to head the foundation.
recitation contest was created in 2006
by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts
to increase awareness of poetry through performance and competition. The contest gives out a $20,000 award to the first place winner, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place. Participating schools also receive cash prizes.
Poetry (magazine)
Poetry , published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Published by the Poetry Foundation and currently edited by Christian Wiman, the magazine has a circulation of 30,000 and prints 300 poems per year out of approximately...
magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthropist Ruth Lilly
Ruth Lilly
Ruth Lilly was an American philanthropist. She was the daughter of Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., and Ruth Lilly, and the sole living heiress to the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical fortune built by her great grandfather, Colonel Eli Lilly.Lilly made headlines in November 2002 when she pledged stock...
.
According to the foundation's Web site, it is "committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience." In partial furtherance of this object, the Foundation runs a blog called Harriet http://poetryfoundation.org/harriet/ (see, Harriet Munroe). Poets who have blogged at Harriet on behalf of The Poetry Foundation include Ange Mlinko
Ange Mlinko
-Life:She graduated from Conestoga High School, St. John's College and Brown University.She edited the poetry ’zine Compound Eye. Her work has appeared in Boston Review, Colorado Review and Poetry Magazine...
, Christian Bök
Christian Bök
Christian Bök is an experimental Canadian poet. He is the author of Eunoia, which won the Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize, and which has been said to be "Canada's best-selling poetry book ever."-Life:...
, Stephen Burt
Stephen Burt
Stephen Burt is a literary critic, poet, and a professor who teaches at Harvard University.-Elliptical Poetry:Burt received significant attention for coining the term "elliptical poetry" in a 1998 book review of Susan Wheeler's book, Smokes, in Boston Review magazine...
, and Rigoberto Gonzalez
Rigoberto González
Rigoberto González is an American writer and book critic. He is an editor and author of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and bilingual children's books, and self-identifies in his writing as a gay Chicano...
.
The Poetry Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
History
The foundation succeeded the Modern Poetry Association (previous publisher of the magazine), which was founded in 1941. The magazine was started in 1912 by Harriet Munroe. The Poetry Foundation is one of the largest literary foundations in the world.In 2003, Poetry
Poetry (magazine)
Poetry , published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Published by the Poetry Foundation and currently edited by Christian Wiman, the magazine has a circulation of 30,000 and prints 300 poems per year out of approximately...
magazine received a grant from the estate of Ruth Lilly
Ruth Lilly
Ruth Lilly was an American philanthropist. She was the daughter of Josiah K. Lilly, Jr., and Ruth Lilly, and the sole living heiress to the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical fortune built by her great grandfather, Colonel Eli Lilly.Lilly made headlines in November 2002 when she pledged stock...
originally said to be worth over $100 million, but which grew to be about $200 million when it was given out. The grant added to her already substantial prior contributions.
The magazine learned in 2001 that it would be getting the grant. Before announcing the gift, the magazine waited a year and reconfigured its governing board, which had been concerned with fund-raising. The foundation was created, and Joseph Parisi, who had been editor of the magazine for two decades, volunteered to head the new organization. Christian Wiman
Christian Wiman
Christian Wiman is an American poet and editor born in 1966 and raised in West Texas. He graduated from Washington and Lee University and has taught at Northwestern University, Stanford University, Lynchburg College in Virginia, and the Prague School of Economics...
, a young critic and poet, succeeded to the editorship in 2003. Parisi resigned from the foundation after a few months.
The new board used a recruiting agency to find John Barr, a rich executive and published poet, to head the foundation.
Poetry Out Loud contest
The Poetry Out LoudPoetry Out Loud
The Poetry Out Loud: Recitation Contest was created in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. The contest was created to increase awareness in the art of performing poetry, with substantial cash prizes being awarded to schools that participated as well as...
recitation contest was created in 2006
2006 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* French public notary Patrick Huet unveils Pieces of Hope to the Echo of the World in Lyon...
by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
to increase awareness of poetry through performance and competition. The contest gives out a $20,000 award to the first place winner, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place. Participating schools also receive cash prizes.