The Piedmont Laureate program is accepting applications from creative non-fiction writers of works, including biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, travel writing, and new journalism for 2024. Authors must be residents of Wake, Durham, or Orange counties. The deadline to apply is October 3, by 5 p.m. EST.

The primary goal of the Piedmont Laureate program is “to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout the Piedmont region.” The program is dedicated to building a literary bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing, enriching the lives of all our citizens.

The program focuses each year on a different literary form. The 2023 Piedmont Laureate is spoken word poet Dasan Ahanu; the 2022 Piedmont Laureate was fiction novelist Heather Bell Adams.

The 2024 Piedmont Laureate will be selected by a committee appointed by the sponsoring agencies. The Laureate will receive a stipend of $6,000 and serve for one year (January 1 to December 31, 2024). Laureate activities will include presenting readings and workshops, encouraging creative writing, and promoting literature at public events.

The Piedmont Laureate 2024 program sponsors are United Arts, City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, and Orange County Arts Commission.

View additional information on the Piedmont Laureate program, including guidelines and the application form, on the Piedmont Laureate website.

For more information on the 2023 Piedmont Laureate, Dasan Ahanu, visit our website.