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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: December 1, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~ -Q <br />SUBJECT: Introduction of First Piedmont Laureate <br />DEPARTMENT: Orange County Arts PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Commission <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Martha Shannon, 245-2335 <br />PURPOSE: To 1) introduce the first Piedmont Laureate, Orange County Poet Jaki Shelton <br />Green, 2) thank the Board of County Commissioners for helping to make this program possible, <br />and 3) provide Ms. Green the opportunity to read a poem to welcome the new members of the <br />Board of County Commissioners. <br />BACKGROUND: The Piedmont Laureate Program is the first project co-sponsored by the four <br />arts councils/commissions in the Triangle area (Orange County Arts Commission, City of <br />Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, and United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County). <br />This program's primary goal is to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence <br />in the literary arts throughout the Piedmont region. The Piedmont Laureate is contracted for 20 <br />events (such as readings and/or workshops at public sites) and up to five media appearances <br />throughout Orange, Durham and Wake counties during the period of November 10, 2008 <br />through December 31, 2009. <br />The application process was open to all writers residing in Wake, Durham or-,Orange counties <br />who met the guideline criteria. For the 2008-2009 cycle, applications were accepted from poets. <br />Eighteen entries were received. The selection committee was comprised of noted poet and <br />editor Dr. Sally Buckner, Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad (Director of NC A&T's Creative Writing <br />Program), Richard Krawiec (novelist, poet, and director of Voices), and Banu Valladares (North <br />Carolina Arts Council). Upon review of all applications, two finalists were invited to interview. <br />Mebane poet Jaki Shelton Green was announced as the first Piedmont Laureate on November <br />15, 2008 at the NC Writers Network Conference in the Research Triangle Park. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding in the amount of $1,250 was included in the FY2008-09 County <br />budget to serve as Orange County's portion of the $5,000 honorarium for the Piedmont <br />Laureate. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board recognize Jaki Shelton Green <br />as the first Piedmont Laureate and hear Ms. Green's poem welcoming the new members of the <br />Board of County Commissioners. <br />