The big picture
Miller will serve a two-year term through April 2027 on a $25,000 annual salary. The laureate program will also reserve $10,000 annually through the Austin Public Library for poetry and literacy programming.
The Austin Poet Laureate role was established last year following a recommendation from the Library Commission and a City Council resolution approved in May.
Council member Vanessa Fuentes, that measure's sponsor, said the cultural post could help galvanize the city's arts and cultural scene through poetry. Austin now joins other large Texas cities like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio that already have similar programs in place.
Zooming in
Miller was chosen from that pool by a selection committee of city employees, commission members, librarians and poets. That body also developed the program guidelines last year.
In his application for the position, Miller highlighted his varied experience with poetry, theater, sound design, choreography and other artistic pursuits. As the city's poet laureate, Miller said he'd aim to promote diversity and partnership between local artistic groups on future activities. He also said he'd like to launch new events like poetry contests, writing workshops, live performances and senior programming.
The Austin native highlighted his decades spent as a poet in town, and his experiences working with diverse communities and seeing the displacement of various residents through the years.
"I am Austin history. I have intimate knowledge of landmarks now gone, I have made it a goal to continue to bring poetry to diverse communities, I have taught writing workshops from title one schools, to youth detention centers ... to privileged boarding schools," he stated in his application. "In this political climate where history is trying to be rewritten, we need to be able to remember the past no matter how dark and ugly, but also be able to speak to the hope and promise that can be in a city such as Austin."
The APL credited Miller for his "significant" artistic contributions through work that explores "identity, culture, and the human experience" in a March 18 release about his appointment.
"Through his work, Zell Miller III continues to inspire others to explore their own creativity and question the world around them. His dedication to using art as a platform for dialogue and change has made him a distinctive and influential voice in the contemporary arts scene," the release stated.
The laureate opportunity drew dozens of applicants since the library started its search last fall. More information on the program is available from the APL online.
