Inspiration is all around: New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs hosts poetry contest

Art has the ability to inspire.

The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is hoping 10 pieces of art be the impetus for others to write poetry specifically about the artworks. Ekphrastic poetry is a style that takes inspiration from a work of art.

According to Daniel Zillmann, DCA director of communications, the statewide ekphrastic poetry contest will take place throughout the month of March.

"The artwork on display throughout the Department of Cultural Affairs reminds us that beauty and inspiration are all around us,” Zillmann says. “We’re pleased to launch a poetry contest that highlights and celebrates the best of our collections throughout New Mexico.”

Zillmann says in preparation for National Poetry Month in April, the department divisions across New Mexico have selected 10 works of art that showcase the best of their collections.

The images are on display at nmculture.org/poetry and are as varied as the institutions that house them: ranging from photographs of life in early New Mexico statehood on display in the New Mexico History Museum on the Santa Fe Plaza, to cosmic depictions of the universe’s vastness at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo.

“This project is an incredible opportunity to not only highlight the diverse collection of art of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, but also to showcase the creativity and talent flourishing throughout our state,” says Noël Bella Merriam, artistic director at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and one of the contest judges.

Throughout the month of March, New Mexicans will have the chance to write and submit ekphrastic poetry that responds to any of these 10 selected artworks. The poems may be any length and use any poetic style, but submissions must be complete poems and must respond to the works of art on display.

Poems may be submitted using the ‘Submit Your Poem’ link on nmculture.org/poetry. The contest includes two categories, Youth (6th to 12th graders only) and Adult.

Select the category when submitting a poem. Individuals may submit one poem for review during the contest. All poems must be submitted by Sunday, March 31.

Zillmann says each submission will be judged anonymously by New Mexico Poet Laureate Lauren Camp and a panel of experts.

Ten adult winners and 10 youth winners – one winner for each artwork on both tracks – will be selected by the panel and announced on April 15.

Winners will receive a pair of DCA Culture Passes, which allows access to each of state-run 15 museums and historic sites.