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Sedona council appoints first senior and youth poet laureates
Summary
The Sedona City Council unanimously approved appointments of Gary Every as the city's first senior poet laureate and Anya Blue Lior as youth poet laureate for two-year terms, including stipends and duties to promote literary arts in Sedona.
The Sedona City Council on May 13 unanimously approved the city's first senior poet laureate and youth poet laureate appointments, naming Gary Every as senior poet laureate and Anya Blue Lior as youth poet laureate for two-year terms.
Councilor Kathy moved to approve the appointments, and the motion was seconded and carried by unanimous vote. The council and staff described the program as a city effort to recognize and elevate literary arts, literacy and community outreach in collaboration with the Community Library of Sedona.
According to the presentation to council, the senior poet laureate will receive a $2,000 stipend for the two-year term; the youth poet laureate will receive $2,000 to be used as a college scholarship. Both laureates are expected to give up to four public readings per year, compose poems for community events, conduct workshops in area schools, pursue a major literary outreach project, and collaborate with other Arizona poet laureates.
The selection process began in January with a public call for applications, produced seven finalists, and included four public performance rounds in April. Presenters thanked donors who contributed to the stipends: a $5,000 gift from Rex Arasmith, $1,000 from David and Isabel Simmer of the Rotary Club, and $250 from Kenneth and Elizabeth Carroll.
Gary Every, introduced at the council meeting, spoke briefly about his intent to "share" the many voices that influence his writing and thanked the council for the platform. Anya Blue Lior, identified as a Verde Valley High School sophomore and lifetime Sedona resident, read a poem she wrote for her English class during the meeting.
The council presented laurel wreaths, certificates and Sedona city pins to the newly appointed laureates and indicated business cards and other logistics would follow.
The appointments are intended as a two-year, community-facing program administered in partnership with the Community Library of Sedona; no additional ordinance or long-term funding commitment was adopted at the meeting.
Votes at a glance: the motion to appoint both Gary Every and Anya Blue Lior passed unanimously.
