Short poems with messages of hope will soon be popping up around Prince Albert’s downtown and on the riverbank as part of a new arts project.

The City of Prince Albert has asked local emerging and established poets to submit their pieces based on the theme of ‘Hope’ for Poetry Pop Up.

Judy MacLeod Campbell, the arts and culture coordinator for the City of Prince Albert, said they’re aiming to boost a type of artistic expression that isn’t always properly appreciated.

“I think poetry and writing is something we maybe don’t showcase and profile enough in our city, or any city for that manner, so that’s why it was really important to do this project,” MacLeod Campbell said. “We had done one back in I believe it was 2018 with Poetry in Transit, and this was just another idea and opportunity to provide to our local artists.”

The City will partner with local poet Lynda Monahan for the event. Poets may submit up to three poems suitable for public viewing. Selected poems will be displayed downtown and along the riverbank.

“Lynda has been a real inspiration and mentor in our current artists in the community project,” MacLeod Campbell said. “I’ve been working with her for quite a few years. It was her idea to have another poetry project, and to be honest, it was on my big ideas list also, so the timing was really good to collaborate and work on this together.”

MacLeod Campbell said they were inspired to choose the theme ‘Hope’ after messages of hope began appearing around Prince Albert during the COVID lockdowns. The list of messages included rocks with the word ‘Hope’ painted on them, which appeared around the city.

“(It was) a difficult time during the pandemic and I think I difficult time with peoples’ mental health,” she explained. “It just felt like a great opportunity to use that theme of hope, and inspiration from hope, to have our local poets and writers share some of their work with that theme, and hopefully inspire hope and health in everyone who has a chance to read them.”

All poems submitted but be between 4 and 20 lines long. Selected poets will be contacted after the submission deadline of April 30. A small honorarium will be provided to those selected.

Submissions are open for Prince Albert residents only. Poems can be emailed to Lynda Monahan at lmonahan@sasktel.net.