On behalf of the City of Minneapolis – Arts & Cultural Affairs, the Loft Literary Center and The Great Northern, you are invited to the inaugural Gathering of Poets Laureate. Experience Minnesota’s voices in an unforgettable evening as current and former Poets Laureate from across our state come together to share their work and celebrate the power of the written and spoken word.
This event is the culminating public program of Minneapolis Poet Laureate Junauda Petrus’s 2025–2026 laureate year. Conversation will be guided by Petrus’s central question—“What does community look like for you?”—Poets Laureate will share original poems and reflect on the civic and cultural work they carry into their communities. The evening will weave together art, storytelling, and public purpose, offering a rare glimpse into how poets help shape the places we call home. All are welcome to gather, listen, and take part in this memorable literary event.