There are two vacancies in the PSWG committee for new committee members starting their 3-year term in March 2024. The current committee would like to invite you to apply for a chance to sit on the Committee for the 2024-2027 term and help the PSWG to grow even more.
Any full members* wishing to stand this year should send an email to Tilly Zeeman (PSWG Coordinator) including:
- their SoA membership number and preferred name
- an election statement (200 words)
- a short bio (100 words)
- a photograph (optional).
Your election statement and bio can include information about yourself, such as your experiences as a poet and/or spoken work artist, where you are based and why you would like to join the committee.
The deadline for nominations is Monday 23rd January 2024.
‘The Poetry and Spoken Word Group is looking for new members to join its committee, which currently comprises poets who are also educators, performers, publishers, editors, critics and activists. Our goals are to promote poetry widely, to consider best practice for writers and those who may employ, commission or publish them, and to focus on improving the lives and welfare of poets both creatively and professionally.
We are particularly keen to invite spoken word artists and poets who regularly attend and give readings, are published (even if they do not yet have a collection) and are familiar with their regional poetry scene. We would expect any new member to attend our meetings. We hold four meetings a year via Zoom (with any in-person meetings digitally accessible in hybrid form), plus an AGM. Meetings are held to contribute energy and ideas, and to liaise with other poets and professional organisations to further the goals of the group.
New members should be comfortable working as part of a lively team and will be intolerant of all forms of discrimination, exclusion or aggressive behaviour. We are keen to increase the diversity of the group so that we may truly represent poets from all backgrounds and abilities. We would welcome nominations from poets from all regions and nations of the UK, in particular poets from Wales and Northern Ireland (since at present we have no elected members in the Committee from these two nations). We are also keen to invite younger and/or early career poets and spoken word artists to nominate themselves for a position on the committee.
Most of all, we want to invite new members who are passionate about poetry and its continued health and promotion, especially in these difficult times.’
– the PSWG Committee
If we receive more than two eligible nominees for the committee, we will send full details to all PSWG members and members will have a chance to vote for their preferred candidates. Elections will be held online. Do not hesitate to email if you have any questions or queries.
*Associate members are not eligible to stand or vote for committee positions. If you are an associate member and would like to find out if you can upgrade your membership status or if you are not sure about your membership status, please contact the Membership Team. Please contact Tilly Zeeman for further information about the PSWG committee and elections.