Florida Keys Poets to be Immortalized in Concrete
The Key West Art in Public Places Board invites Florida Keys writers to submit short works for the Key West Sidewalk Poetry Project 2013. The competition will result in 10 selected poems, along with the author’s name, permanently stamped into sidewalks throughout the Southernmost City.
Submission Deadline Friday, August 23rd
Salvador Dali wrote, “We are all hungry and thirsty for concrete images.” Soon, thanks to a synergistic creative initiative launched by the Key West Art in Pubic Places Board, pedestrians strolling the sidewalks of Key West will discover concrete images of verse composed by writers from throughout the Florida Keys.
The Key West Art in Public Places Board invites all Florida Keys writers—amateur and professional alike—to submit original short works to the Key West Sidewalk Poetry Project 2013, the first in an annual competition that will result in 10 selected poems per year permanently impressed, along with the author’s name, into sidewalks throughout the island city.
All literary forms will be considered—poems, prose, lyrics and haiku—as long as they comply with the formatting guidelines. All Florida Keys residents who spend a minimum of one month per year in the Keys are eligible to participate, as are all past The Studios of Key West literary/poetry residents.
The writers’ submission agreement, submission guidelines and entry form are available at artinpublicplaceskw.com. Entry fee is $10 and each writer may submit up to two entries. Submission deadline is Friday, August 23.
A three-person jury composed of individuals selected from the Florida Keys literary community will review submissions in a blind judging process. Winning poets will receive a $100 prize per poem, then, as the City goes about its operations of pouring new or replacing broken, cracked, or fractured sidewalks, the winning poetry will be etched into select pavers creating moments of plein-air reading for residents and visitors.
“I can’t imagine coming upon a sidewalk poem and not stopping to read it and smile,” commented publicist and writer Carol Shaughnessy. “It’s a lighthearted new way to honor Key West’s longstanding literary tradition!”
The Key West Art in Public Places Board strives to foster an environment that honors, celebrates and demonstrates the value of artistic expression in the public view, in the visual, literary and performing arts. The Key West Sidewalk Poetry Project 2013 is produced in cooperation with the City of Key West’s Community Services Department and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).