WORD UP!

What is a Poet Laureate?

Worcestershire's Young Poet Laureate is a prestigious title that will last for one year.

The winner of our Word Up competition will:

Act as a champion for poetry to encourage and inspire other young people to enjoy poetry in schools, youth centres and libraries
Write poems to celebrate special events or occasions in Worcestershire
Perform at events in libraries, schools, festivals, and other community events
Take part in key events for Worcestershire

The prestigious role will last for one year.

Who is Great Britain's current Poet Laureate?

Great Britain's poet laureate is officially appointed by the government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events. Carol Ann Duffy is our current poet laureate, having taken over from Andrew Motion in May 2009. During his ten-year tenure, Motion wrote poems for events including the Queen's 80th birthday in 2006, the 100th birthday and death of the Queen Mother, and even a rap for Prince William's 21st.