The City of Sydney Council is now in support of the City Poet project after initially snubbing the idea.
A confidential source confirmed the council did not wish to support the initiative when first approached by the University of Technology Sydney, even though the university did not ask for money.
The council refused to confirm this but said representatives of the City’s Cultural Development unit would meet with UTS this week to learn more about the project.
Professor John Dale, Head of Creative Practices at UTS and the man who initiated the City Poet project, said Arts NSW wanted the council to be involved.
He said council involvement was important because “if we want to use a tunnel or Circular Quay to put up a poem we need their permission.”
This comes after Minister for Arts George Souris announced the State Government would contribute $20,000 to fund Australia’s first City Poet earlier this month.
“The recipient will receive a stipend of $20,000 and be appointed for a one-year term,” Mr Souris said.
“During the 12-month term, the poet will compose poems for special events and deliver readings, workshops and seminars.”
Mr Souris said the City Poet would be “a spokesperson for the cultural values of this city and the people of NSW.”
The idea of a City Poet dates back centuries to the days of poet laureates in England, who were officially appointed by the government to write poems for state occasions.
Cities like Dublin, Toronto and Antwerp already have their own City Poets.
The position can lead to unique visual poems like Joke van Leeuwen’s ‘Eleven hundred and forty-four metre poem,’ a work that stretches over a kilometre through the Sint-Anna pedestrian tunnel in Antwerp.
Dozens of applications have since been received for the prestigious position in Sydney.
Professor Dale said the idea wasn’t for the City Poet to sit locked up in their office writing all day but to engage with the public.
“We want a younger emerging writer with a lot of energy to really take this and run,” he said.
“It’s about bringing writing and appreciation to the general public.”
NSW Director for Australian Poetry Ltd, Leah Greengarten, said: “[The City Poet is] the most fantastic and exciting thing for poetry and I think it’s going to open way more doors for Sydney and NSW poets.”
Founder of Sydney Poetry, Adrian Wiggins, agreed.
“I think it’s great,” said Mr Wiggins. “It draws attention to poetry and poetry has long had a public role in other times.”
Surry Hills based poet Jess Cook is among the many hopeful applicants.
If successful Ms Cook said she would be interested in unravelling the untold cultural history of Sydney.
“I’m not interested in academia. I’m interested in people and stories,” said Ms Cook.
“I’m really just a lover of language and I think Sydney is my favourite city in the world.”
Applications for the City Poet will close July 28.
