Poet Laureate

Jordan Trethewey is a published poet who writes and edits professionally. He began exploring his voice in creative writing classes at both St Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick and by participating as a playwright, director and actor with Theatre St. Thomas and the NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival. 

Trethewey moved to Fredericton in 2000 to attend university and has since built his life here. He holds an undergraduate degree from St. Thomas University and a Diploma in Journalism from Holland College in Prince Edward Island and currently works as a creative communications professional. Trethewey is the father of two, an enthusiastic school committee member, and coach of minor floor ball and basketball teams.

Jordan is the author of four books of poetry, including “Spirits for Sale”, and the forthcoming collection, “Unexpected Mergers”. He has dozens of other publishing credits to his name, both online and in print, and has also published a collection of short fiction available on Amazon and his personal website.

For many years, Trethewey curated a writer’s workshop called The Vagabond Trust as a way to maintain creative connectivity to the Fredericton writing community. He is now an editor at two international Arts publications: Open Art Forum, and Red Fez. Trethewey is actively involved in the arts community, has hosted local readings, and is a member of Urban Sketchers Fredericton, a local group of sketch enthusiasts.

• The Wolastoq River’s Counsel
• A Christmas Tree is Memory
• Speed Bumps in a Caring City
• Winter Anthropology
• No One Chooses This
• Post-Pandemic Echo
• The Promise of Home
• The Hardwood Comes to an Understanding
• Tag This!
• Ode to Your Postal Code
• Rebirth; Forgive Us Our Trespasses
• A December Dilemma
• Sonnet for a Total Solar Eclipse

The Ode to Your Postal Code contest was created by City of Fredericton Poet Laureate Jordan Trethewey, Fredericton Public Library, and the City of Fredericton to challenge Fredericton residents to write a unique, 6-line poem, paying tribute to our communities!

The idea dovetailed nicely with Fredericton 175+ celebrations in 2023. Over 100, quality submissions were received for the categories: Kids, Youth, and Adult.

Winners and Runners up were selected by Fredericton poets Heather Welsh, Jocelyn Anderson, and actor Rebekah Chassé.

Jordan’s example: E3A 2B8

E- used to begin the first line (any length)

3 - number of words in this line

A- used to begin this line (any length)

2 - number of words in this line

B - used to begin this line (any length)

8 - number of words in this line

Even if I didn’t live here

I would dream,

always, of walking out of a house like

this one

beside a neighbour like mine, on

a street in a town such as this.

Jenna Lyn Albert | Poet Laureate, 2019 - 2021

Jenna Lyn Albert is an active member on the city’s creative scene. She is a member of the Fiddlehead Magazine’s editorial board, a first reader of poetry submissions for Goose Lane Editions, and has a variety of work and volunteer experience in the literary community including, The UNB Reading Series, the New Brunswick Book Awards, and QWERTY Magazine.

Miss Albert is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick. She holds a Master’s Degree in English (Creative Writing) and an undergraduate degree in English. Her debut collection of poetry, ‘Bec & Call’, was published by Nightwood Editions in September 2018.

Albert has proposed numerous initiatives for public engagement over her two-year tenure, including a bi-weekly poetry podcast featuring local poets, booksellers and artists, a downtown poetry tour, poems of the week, and free poetry workshops.

Click below for poems by Jenna Lyn Albert for the City of Fredericton.

• Nival Flora 
• Gathering
• Gathering in Wolastoqiyik
• Langue way home
• Noël à cinq sens
• Challenge statement 
• côte est
• Self-assessment

Ian LeTourneau | Cultural Laureate, 2016-2018

Image

Click below for poems by Ian LeTourneau for the City of Fredericton.

• Murmuration: Starlings on the St. John River
• A Charm for Good Governance
• The Tree Contemplates the Lighting Ceremony
• New Year’s Day, Fredericton
• Watermark
• State of the City
• First  -in honour of the 60th anniversary of Willie O’Ree’s first NHL game
• The Public Library
• White-Throated Sparrow
• Thin Air -for Perley the Magician

In order to celebrate the richness and diversity of the culture of Fredericton, to represent the artistic voice of the city, and to promote and nurture the arts for all citizens, the City of Fredericton created the role of Cultural Laureate.

The city’s first-ever Cultural Laureate, local poet, editor, and instructor, Ian LeTourneau, was appointed to the position in February 2016, and will serve for two years.

As a representative of the city, Mr. LeTourneau works to highlight and celebrate the city’s history and relevant features of its present-day social, cultural, and economic makeup. As an advocate for the arts, he supports and raises the profile of Fredericton’s vibrant artistic community and heritage. Through public appearances and outreach activities in partnership with the Fredericton Public Library, he reaches out to a broad public.

LeTourneau is the author of Defining Range (Gaspereau Press, 2006) and Terminal Moraine (Thistledown Press, 2008) and has published poems and reviews in numerous magazines across the country.  He has served on the Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick’s board of directors and the Writer’s Union of Canada’s membership committee.  He is the poetry editor of The Fiddlehead, has taught numerous writing workshops with the Maritime Writer’s Workshop, and read his work at sponsored readings from Whitehorse to Cape Breton. He lives in Barkers Point with his wife and son, and he works at UNB.

Follow him:

@ianletourneau

www.ianletourneau.ca

Roles and Responsibilities 

The Poet Laureate engages with the community through activities, programs, and events, both traditional and innovative, to demonstrate the positive impact of literature, poetry, and spoken word. The Laureate will be expected to:

• Compose and present no less than 6 poems annually for selected official City of Fredericton events and Council meetings to be determined in coordination with Cultural Development staff.  These may include: National Poetry Month (April), The Tree Lighting Ceremony (December), City Council Swearing-In Ceremony (June every fourth year), and other occasions as they arise. 
• Read at additional City Council meetings on the invitation Council.  The Poet Laureate would receive additional compensation from Council for those readings.
• Participate in readings at a variety of other civic or community events at the Laureate’s discretion.
• Consult with the Cultural Development Officer on a regular basis regarding activities.
• Submit written activity reports to the Cultural Development Officer twice per year and at the conclusion of the term. The honorarium is processed following receipt of written activity reports.
• Regularly engage the community in the literary arts through activities such as but not limited to:
  • Outreach or educational activities
  • Collaboration with local artists
  • Maintaining an active social media profile
• Propose and deliver a legacy project during the two-year term which may include a publication, community art project, installation, or another initiative. Project collaboration and assistance may be provided and are subject to the approval of City staff and budget availability.

Term and Support

The Poet Laureate will serve a two-year term. The successful applicant will receive an honorarium of $5,000 per year ($10,000 total). Funds to support additional activities or legacy projects of the program will be available at the discretion of Cultural Development staff, subject to budget availability.  All works produced during the tenure of the Laureate remain the property of the individual, who shall retain all rights thereto.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current resident of Fredericton and remain so during the term of the position.
• Be connected with the literary arts in Fredericton.
• Be professionally published in a trade book, chapbook, or in recognized literary journals, anthologies, or periodicals (on-line or print).
• Be prepared to accept the roles and responsibilities of the position as outlined
• Be comfortable with community engagement and outreach.

Selection Process

Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee including a member of the community who has achieved excellence in the field of poetry and the literary arts. Short-listed candidates may be invited for an interview with the committee.

Selection will be based on the quality of the applicant’s body of work; their contribution to the literary arts; and their demonstrated experience and ability as it relates to the position. Bilingualism will be considered an asset.

How to Apply

• Letter of Interest (up to 1000 words) outlining relevant qualifications and experiences, proposed outreach and collaborative activities, and a legacy project.
• Resume / Curriculum Vitae
• Three - five examples of published or recorded work from the last 10 years. Submissions of audio video material may be included through a link or USB drive. 
• Biographical note of not more than 250 words to be used on the city’s website and for public circulation if the applicant is selected.

All applications must be submitted to culture@fredericton.ca by June 5, 2024.