The West Chester University Poetry Conference is an international poetryconference that has been held annually since 1995 at West Chester University, Pennsylvania, United States. It hosts various panel discussions and poetry craft workshops, which focus primarily on formal poetry, narrative poetry, New Formalism[1] and Expansive Poetry. It is the largest poetry-only conference in America[2] and possibly the world[3] as well as the only conference which focuses on traditional craft.[2]
Starting in 1999, the conference's program began including an art song concert.[4]
In 2003, Gioia stepped down as co-director of the conference in order to become chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The 2010 conference was the 16th and last year with Peich as director before he retired and passed the position to Kim Bridgford.[2][5] By this time, the conference attendance had increased to 300 poets and poetry scholars.[4] That year's concert of art song featured Natalie Merchant, who sung the poetry of various poets of the past.[4] On June 12, the last day of the conference, the Queen's Birthday Honours 2010 were announced, including British comic poet Wendy Cope's appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[6][7]
R. S. Gwynn was named Program Director in September, 2015. His innovations included the initiation of a "Great Debates" series, the first of which, "Poetry or Verse?" was conducted by the poets James Matthew Wilson and Robert Archambeau.
Every year, the WCU Poetry Conference gives out three Iris N. Spencer Poetry Awards, the most notable one being the nationally-competitive Donald Justice Poetry Prize. The other two were given to recognize local regional undergraduate work in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania until 2012, when they were expanded to become nationally-competitive prizes.
^. www.wcupa.edu. Archived from the original on 2010-04-29.
^Queen's Birthday Honours List 2010 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine. Saturday 12 June 2010
^Wendy Cope Interviewed at West Chester Poetry Conference
April 11, 2024
west, chester, university, poetry, conference, international, poetry, conference, that, been, held, annually, since, 1995, west, chester, university, pennsylvania, united, states, hosts, various, panel, discussions, poetry, craft, workshops, which, focus, prim. The West Chester University Poetry Conference is an international poetry conference that has been held annually since 1995 at West Chester University Pennsylvania United States It hosts various panel discussions and poetry craft workshops which focus primarily on formal poetry narrative poetry New Formalism 1 and Expansive Poetry It is the largest poetry only conference in America 2 and possibly the world 3 as well as the only conference which focuses on traditional craft 2 West Chester University Poetry ConferenceGenreFormalist poetic craft conferenceFrequencyAnnualLocation s West Chester University West Chester PA 19383 United StatesInauguratedJune 1995 West Chester PAMost recentTuesday June 4 8 2024Next eventTuesday June 3 7 2025Participants300 poets and poetry scholarsWebsiteWCU Poetry ConferenceFounders Michael Peich Dana Gioia Contents 1 History 2 Awards given 3 Keynote speakers 4 See also 5 External links 6 ReferencesHistory editThe conference was founded in 1995 by West Chester professor Michael Peich and poet Dana Gioia with 85 poets and scholars in attendance 4 The original core faculty members included Annie Finch R S Gwynn Mark Jarman Robert McDowell and Timothy Steele While some of these faculty still return regularly to teach the faculty has expanded in recent years to include Kim Addonizio Rhina Espaillat B H Fairchild Rachel Hadas Molly Peacock Mary Jo Salter A E Stallings and many other widely published New Formalists Starting in 1999 the conference s program began including an art song concert 4 In 2003 Gioia stepped down as co director of the conference in order to become chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts The 2010 conference was the 16th and last year with Peich as director before he retired and passed the position to Kim Bridgford 2 5 By this time the conference attendance had increased to 300 poets and poetry scholars 4 That year s concert of art song featured Natalie Merchant who sung the poetry of various poets of the past 4 On June 12 the last day of the conference the Queen s Birthday Honours 2010 were announced including British comic poet Wendy Cope s appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire 6 7 R S Gwynn was named Program Director in September 2015 His innovations included the initiation of a Great Debates series the first of which Poetry or Verse was conducted by the poets James Matthew Wilson and Robert Archambeau 2020 saw no conference Awards given editMain article Iris N Spencer Poetry Awards nbsp Books that have won the Donald Justice Poetry Prize display this logo on the coverEvery year the WCU Poetry Conference gives out three Iris N Spencer Poetry Awards the most notable one being the nationally competitive Donald Justice Poetry Prize The other two were given to recognize local regional undergraduate work in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania until 2012 when they were expanded to become nationally competitive prizes Keynote speakers edit1995 Richard Wilbur 1996 Donald Justice 1997 Anthony Hecht 1998 Wendy Cope 1999 X J Kennedy 2000 Louis Simpson 2001 Marilyn Nelson 2002 Nina Cassian 2003 William Jay Smith 2004 Dana Gioia 2005 Anne Stevenson 2006 James Fenton 2007 Kay Ryan 2008 Richard Wilbur 2009 Donald Hall 2010 Rhina Espaillat 2011 Robert Pinsky 2012 Christian Wiman 2013 Julia Alvarez 2014 Natasha Trethewey 2016 Sir Andrew Motion 2017 A E Stallings 2018 Timothy Steele 2019 David Yezzi 2020 NONESee also edit nbsp Poetry portalMezzo Cammin a journal of formalist poetry by women associated with the WCU Poetry Conference Poetry American poetry List of years in poetryExternal links editOfficial websiteReferences edit Thompson Nigel S Letter from West Chester The Times Literary Supplement September 1999 a b c Timpane John Conference draws poets not for reading but for crafting The Philadelphia Inquirer Sun Jun 6 2010 So You Want to Win a Nemerov 14 by 14 Issue 6 October 2008 a b c d Hitchner Earle Verse That Sings in Many Styles The Wall Street Journal June 17 2010 Bridgford Announcement www wcupa edu Archived from the original on 2010 04 29 Queen s Birthday Honours List 2010 Archived 2011 06 11 at the Wayback Machine Saturday 12 June 2010 Wendy Cope Interviewed at West Chester Poetry Conference Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title West Chester University Poetry Conference amp oldid 1189647111, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
