The City Bridge Foundation, in collaboration with The Poetry Society, have launched a competition to find their first poet-in-residence.
The successful poet will regularly visit Tower, London, Southwark, Millennium and Blackfriars bridges to draw inspiration for their work.
They will also write poetry, in any style they choose, celebrating The City Bridge Foundation, a 900-year-old charity which is dedicated to managing and maintaining five of London’s key bridges.
Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation chairman, said: “For hundreds of years, our bridges have been central to the story of London during its happiest and its darkest moments, yet tributes to them in verse are surprisingly scarce.
“Our new poet will celebrate the bridges’ long history, their relationship with the city and the river and the vital role they play in the day-to-day life of modern Londoners.
“The job is, as far as we know, the only one of its kind anywhere and is a way of celebrating our bridges and our funding work, while supporting and promoting poetry as a modern, vibrant, culturally relevant art form.”
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Judith Palmer, Poetry Society Director, said: “We’re delighted to be working with City Bridge Foundation to create this fantastic opportunity for a poet-in-residence at London’s iconic bridges.
“Poets have a unique ability to distil the essence of what makes a place special and to guide us to pay attention to familiar places in new ways. For centuries, the bridges of London have captured the public imagination, inspiring some of our most beloved songs and works of literature.
This is a tremendous opportunity to bring their history and current character to life through poetry. The poet will work with communities around the bridges to capture in poetry what the landmarks mean to them, as they build up an exciting contemporary picture of the city’s bridges.”
More information about the role and details of how to apply can be found at City Bridge Foundation | Poet-in-residence
