‘The Surrey Poet Laureate program was established in 2015 to advocate for literacy and the literary arts and to help raise the status of poetry, language, and the arts in the everyday consciousness of Surrey residents.’

The program was put in place with the help of representatives from Surrey Muse (community), Surrey International Writers’ Conference (community), Semiahmoo Arts (community) with the City of Surrey, Surrey Libraries, Arts & Heritage in Surrey, Simon Fraser University, and the Arts Council of Surrey. The inaugural Poet Laureate was appointed, and they successfully completed their term in 2018. The interviews were held to select our second Poet Laureate in 2019 but no one was appointed.

We are grateful to the City of Surrey for approving funds for the Poet Laureate program, to Surrey Libraries for being the most suitable host, and we request the authorities to continue with this program for the benefit of Surrey poets, residents, and art lovers. All resources are available and in place, it’s time to follow through.

We, poets and writers, artists and arts organizations, request that Mayor Brenda Locke and the City of Surrey revive Surrey’s Poet Laureate program without further delay.