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Salt Lake City names Joel Long as its first poet laureate

Salt Lake City names Joel Long as its first poet laureate

Rule Changes Salt Lake City, UT local

A new civic role brings poetry into public life across the capital's seven council districts.

September 23rd, 2026: Joel Long named Salt Lake City's first Poet Laureate

Overview

Updated Sep 24

Salt Lake City has its first poet laureate. Joel Long, an award-winning poet and creative writing teacher, will serve a three-year term through June 2029.

The role makes poetry part of civic life. Long will write annual poems for the city, read at events across all seven council districts, and build a signature project connecting poetry with community.

Why it matters

If the program sticks, poetry becomes a permanent fixture of civic life in a city of 200,000—not a one-off event.

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Key Indicators

$5,000/year
Annual honorarium
Long receives $5,000 per year from the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Mayor's Office for the three-year term.

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People Involved

JL
Joel Long
Inaugural Poet Laureate of Salt Lake City
Appointed for a three-year term starting September 2026
 Erin Mendenhall
Erin Mendenhall
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Announced the appointment alongside the Arts Council

Organizations Involved

Salt Lake City Arts Council
Salt Lake City Arts Council
City agency
Oversees the Poet Laureate Program

The Salt Lake City Arts Council promotes and supports arts and artists across the city.

Timeline

1997 September 2026

2 events Latest: September 23rd, 2026 · 2 months ago

  1. Joel Long named Salt Lake City's first Poet Laureate

    Latest Appointment

    The Salt Lake City Arts Council and Mayor Erin Mendenhall announce Long as the inaugural laureate, serving a three-year term through June 2029.

  2. Utah state Poet Laureate position established

    Establishment

    The state-level role is created, with the laureate appointed by the governor to advocate for literature and the arts.

Scenarios

1

Poet Laureate program thrives and expands

Likely Resolves by Q2 2029

Discussed by: City officials and arts advocates

Long's readings draw consistent audiences across council districts. His signature project connects with schools and community groups. The program becomes a model for other Utah cities, and the City Council funds it beyond the initial term.

2

Program becomes dormant after Long's term

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2029

Discussed by: Local arts observers

The role exists but gets little funding or attention. Few events are held in later years. After Long's term, the city does not renew or replace the position, citing budget constraints or shifting priorities.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1997-present

Utah State Poet Laureate role (1997)

Utah established its state poet laureate position in 1997. Notable laureates include Katharine Coles (2006-2012), Lance Larsen (2012-2017), Paisley Rekdal (2017-2022), and current laureate Lisa Bickmore, who has focused on ecological themes around the Great Salt Lake.

Then

The role has become a respected platform for literary advocacy, with laureates undertaking projects like Bite-Size Poetry and Mapping Literary Utah.

Now

It created a precedent for official poetry positions in Utah, which Salt Lake City's new municipal role builds upon.

Why this matters now

The city-level program follows the state model, adapting it to a municipal scale with a focus on local engagement across council districts.

2017-2022

Paisley Rekdal's 'Mapping Literary Utah' (2017-2022)

As Utah's state poet laureate, Paisley Rekdal created 'Mapping Literary Utah,' a web resource charting the state's literary landscape, with over 90 authors and poets archived.

Then

It connected readers to regional authors and poets, including links to Salt Lake City-specific projects.

Now

It demonstrated how a laureate could use digital tools to broaden public engagement with literature.

Why this matters now

Long's mandate includes public programming and a signature project, echoing Rekdal's emphasis on community connection, but at the city level.

Sources

(6)
Salt Lake City Mayor's Office KSL.com Utah Division of Arts & Museums Frontier Poetry Salt Lake City Arts Council Lost City Books