The 24th annual Youth Poetry Celebration returns to being on exhibit in the Corrine Woodman Gallery at The Arts Center. All young poets living in Linn and Benton Counties, grades K-12, were invited to participate.

Poems are divided into four (4) categories:

• Kindergarten – Grade 2
• Grade 3 – Grade 5
• Grade 6 – Grade 8
• Grade 9 – Grade 12

Youth poets from each age group will be invited to a live poetry reading on April 15, 2023. Every participant receives a participation certificate and cash prize.

Criteria used:

• Poems could be handwritten or printed, in any language.
• Paper size could not exceed 8.5 x 11 inches, but smaller or free-form is fine.
• While we encouraged submission of poems illustrated with original art, it was not required, and had no influence on the poetry awards. *NO clip art
• The art and the poem needed to be on the same piece of paper, but space allowed multi-page submissions this year.
• Framed poems and artwork were discouraged.

Many thanks to supporters of Youth Poetry Events and The Literary Arts Fund of The Arts Center’s Endowment Fund who generously support this exhibit.