The Poetry Lab is a nurturing online space for innovative poet-scholars worldwide. In memory of our cofounder, we are excited to announce the Markus D. Manley Award. This award builds on our commitment to supporting BIPOC poets through a blend of financial aid, educational resources, and mentorship opportunities.

Recipients of the Markus D. Manley Award will receive a $1,000 stipend to support their personal and professional needs, allowing them to focus on their craft with less financial worry. In addition, the award includes six months of free access to our courses and direct mentorship from our team of accomplished poets and educators. This mentorship aims to enrich the recipient's poetic skills and understanding, offering personalized guidance and support.

💲1,000 stipend to support your personal and professional needs.

The award provides entry to the BrainTrust, our monthly workshop where poets can explore new ideas and techniques under the guidance of our teaching artist fellows. Participants will also have the opportunity to join the Feedback Circle, an 8-week workshop focused on giving and receiving craft-focused critique, inspired by The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop by Felicia Rose Chavez. Furthermore, awardees can choose from a variety of 4-week courses on topics like surrealism in poetry, designed to deepen their knowledge and expand their creative expression.

In addition to these educational benefits, the Markus D. Manley Award winner is invited to contribute to our Resource Center, which includes a wealth of poetry articles, weekly podcasts for inspiration, and our social media feeds for community engagement and fun.

✅ Feedback Workshop

✅ Generative Workshops

✅ Educational Courses

✅ Career Mentorship

✅ Developmental Editing

✅ Community Networking

For more than a decade, The Poetry Lab has been committed to leveling the playing field for poets, making a high-quality literary education accessible and reasonable for the rest of us. Our work has always been in furtherance of Markus’s vision to create supportive environments for creatives to write, read, and collaborate together.

Thanks to the support of the Hawthornden Foundation and The Arts Area, we can offer the Markus D. Manley Award. We welcome applications until March 15, 2024 at 11:59pm PT, and encourage BIPOC poets who are passionate about their craft and our community's values to apply.

Markus D. Manley Award

Application

Markus D. Manley Award

Toward a Sustainable Culture of Innovators

Learn more about Markus and his impact on our origin story and mission on The Poetry Lab Podcast Episode #2: Be The Poet You Want to See in the World.

Listen here:

Available everywhere you get your podcasts.