The Washington State Poet Laureate builds awareness and appreciation of poetry through public readings, workshops, lectures, and presentations. Laureates perform this work in culturally and geographically diverse communities throughout the state. The Washington State Poet Laureate program is jointly sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) and Humanities Washington.
Meet Derek Sheffield
Celebrated poet and professor Derek Sheffield is Washington’s eighth State Poet Laureate. Sheffield lives in the Wenatchee Valley and serves as a professor of English at Wenatchee Valley College. He has published several poetry collections and edits poetry for Terrian.org, and has also received fellowships from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, Artist Trust, the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, and the Spring Creek Foundation for his poetry. He took over the role from previous Laureate Arianne True.
Interested in hosting Derek Sheffield for a reading, workshop, or other event?
📅 Upcoming Events
October 17: 2025 annual Stegner Lecture
Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield gives the 2025 annual Stegner Lecture, “In Whose Presence: On the Nature and Language of Place and Poetry.” Hosted by Lewis-Clark State College, this lecture is free and open to the public.
🌎Lewiston City Library, 411 D Street, Lewiston, ID
📆Friday, October 17, 2025
⏰ 7 – 9 p.m.
November 8: Salish Sea Poetry Festival
Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield will read at the Salish Sea Poetry Festival on November 8. The Salish Sea Poetry Festival is a three-day event, with poetry readings and workshops in various venues around downtown Bellingham. The goal is to put poetry into all kinds of different places, so people see poetry in their day-to-day life.
🌎Whatcom Museum, 121 Prospect St., Bellingham
📆Saturday, November 8, 2025
⏰ 6:10 – 7:00 p.m.
November 12: Yakima Coffeehouse Poets Open Mic Night
Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield will read at the Yakima Coffeehouse Poets Open Mic Night! The YCP Open Mic is a community-building event that allows Yakima poets of all ages to come together once a month and enjoy each others’ work and the work of invited guest readers.
🌎Larson Gallery, Yakima
📆Wednesday, November 12, 2025
⏰ 7-8:30 p.m.
November 14: An Evening with Derek Sheffield
Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield will read poetry with the community at Grays Harbor College.
🌎tulalW SSIB 3342 at Grays Harbor College, Aberdeen
📆Friday, November 14, 2025
⏰ 6-8:00 p.m.
November 20: Fox Island Chapel
Join Fox Island Chapel for a special night of poetry with Washington’s Poet Laureate, Derek Sheffield. Free and open to the public. Please RSVP at the link below.
🌎Fox Island Chapel on Echo Bay, 400 6th Avenue, Fox Island
📆November 20, 2025
⏰ 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
- The Washington State Legislature passed a bill in 2007 to establish the Washington State Poet Laureate program. The bill recognized the value of poetry to the state’s culture and heritage.
- The Governor appoints the Laureate based on recommendations from a geographically and culturally diverse panel of representatives from Washington’s arts, humanities, and literary communities.
- Once appointed, ArtsWA and Humanities Washington provide funding for the honorarium ($40,000 annually), travel and project expenses, and administrative support for the Laureate.
- The Laureate serves a two-year term. The 2023-2025 Laureate’s term begins May 1, 2023.
Poet Laureate nominations are submitted using an online portal (Submittable).
A geographically and culturally diverse panel of representatives from Washington’s arts, humanities and literary communities score each nomination. The panel identifies finalists (generally up to three) to be interviewed by the panel. These interviews will happen via video conferencing/or in person depending on circumstances at that time. After the interviews, the panel makes a recommendation to Governor Inslee, who appoints at his discretion.
ArtsWA and Humanities Washington staff do not score nominations or make recommendations on candidates during the selection process but do help facilitate the process and answer technical questions.
Rena Priest
Claudia Castro Luna
Tod Marshall
Elizabeth Austen
Kathleen Flenniken
Samuel Green