Columbia’s next Poet Laureate will serve from
January 2027 - December 2031
Jennifer Bartell Boykin - Current Columbia Poet Laureate
It was just a little over a decade ago when a small group of us began hoping that the City of Columbia might expand the power of poetry in our community by creating a brand new position, City Poet Laureate. Lee Snellgrove became our champion and took our request to the powers that be. Within months we had not only a new post but an esteemed poet to take on that role when Ed Madden became Columbia’s first City Poet Laureate. Madden served two terms well, setting a high bar for our next laureate, Jennifer Bartell Boykin, who also served with dedication and, like Madden, a genuine desire to make poetry an accessihble part of the lives of the people of Columbia.
Ed Madden - First Poet Laureate of the City of Columbia
Now, Boykin’s term is winding down and the City needs a new person to fill that role. Who will be that poet?
According to the City of Columbia, “Jennifer Bartell Boykin has served as the second Poet Laureate of the City of Columbia since 2023. Her four year term ends on December 31, 2026, and she will not seek a second term. “Poetry saved my life and has brought me so much joy and connection,” Boykin said. “I have enjoyed sharing poetry with the city these past four years.”
During her time as Poet Laureate, Boykin founded the Soda City Poetry Festival, which hosted poetry workshops, readings, and poetic conversations for the city. Additionally, she penned the poem “Finally Finlay” for the grand opening of Finlay Park in 2025 and has taught poetry workshops through the city and the state.
One Columbia for Arts and Culture serves as an administrative and artistic collaborator between the poet laureate and city officials. One Columbia, through powers established in Resolution R-2014-08, convenes a committee responsible for selecting the next poet laureate.
Applications are now open for the next City of Columbia Poet Laureate, which is an honorary position that recognizes a poet who champions poetry and increases poetic engagement across the city. The organization invites poets from across Columbia to apply; this includes any poet with a verified Columbia, South Carolina address. The application is available HERE and on the One Columbia website, under the What We Do Section, City Poet Laureate.
The application window will run through September. A selection committee will convene in October to review candidates and identify the individual best suited to serve as an ambassador for poetry and literature throughout the city. One Columbia will announce the new Poet Laureate in November during Boykin’s final official reading event, a fitting moment to honor the outgoing laureate while welcoming her successor.
In accordance with the City of Columbia’s Poet Laureate Resolution, the selection committee will include representatives of the Mayor’s Office and the Arts, History & Preservation Committee, members of the local literary arts community, and other individuals with relevant expertise. This diverse and thoughtful committee structure ensures the process remains firmly connected to the city and its civic mission.
“Columbia has a vibrant poetry community of page poets and stage poets. It’s time for the next poet to carry the laureateship forward,” Boykin said.
The Poet Laureate serves as a public advocate for poetry, literature, and creative expression, sharing work at community events and encouraging residents of all ages to engage with the arts. One Columbia looks forward to continuing this meaningful tradition and celebrating the power of poetry to connect and inspire the people of Columbia.”