Public Arts Commission backs volunteer poet‑laureate pilot and appoints two‑member subcommittee

The Cathedral City Public Arts Commission voted on July 14 to support a pilot City Poet Laureate position proposed by local poet Claire Chu and to appoint a two‑member subcommittee to work with Chu on the program’s formation.

Ann, the commission’s staff liaison, told commissioners that Chu had presented the idea in May and offered to serve as an unpaid volunteer for a trial first year to help establish outreach in schools, readings and community events in the Perez Art District. "She is offering to do this at no cost in this first year just to kind of see how it goes," Ann said.

Commissioners discussed how to structure the position and who should be eligible. Commissioner Anderson raised concerns about access and literacy in parts of the city and urged an explicit teaching or accessibility component so the program reaches Spanish‑speaking and lower‑literacy residents. "We know that 25% of our folks don't even have basic reading comprehension skills…so there has to be some sort of teaching component," Anderson said.

Other commissioners recommended establishing a transparent nominations process and a subcommittee to define submission criteria. Commissioner Stouder moved to accept Chu’s proposal and to appoint a two‑person subcommittee (Stouder and Commissioner Anderson) to work with Chu on program formation; Chair Craig Liebelt seconded the motion. Staff reported the commission’s $10,000 events budget and a separate $20,000 grant fund as possible sources if the program later required modest support. The commission voted to carry the motion.

The commission’s action is advisory: Ann said staff will consult with human resources about volunteer logistics and will advise whether the matter should be placed on a City Council agenda for formal acknowledgment or approval. The subcommittee will report back to the commission with recommendation(s) and any proposed application or selection criteria.