The Poetry Foundation

POETRY PUBLIC PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, PRIZES AND AWARDS: THE FOUNDATION OFFERS AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS TO EXPAND THE AUDIENCE FOR POETRY. IN EARLY 2021 THE FOUNDATION'S BUILDING REMAINED CLOSED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC FOR IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES. THE STAFF FOCUSED ON CREATING VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING FOR AUDIENCES IN CHICAGO AND BEYOND. IN THIS TIME WE PRESENTED 26 VIRTUAL EVENTS FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS, 147 ONLINE WORKSHOPS, AND A MULTI-DAY VIRTUAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE. POETRY OUT LOUD, A NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL RECITATION COMPETITION, COMPLETED ITS 17TH YEAR. WE AWARDED ANNUAL PRIZES, INCLUDING THE LILLY POETRY PRIZE AND FIVE LILLY-ROSENBERG FELLOWSHIPS. ALL VIRTUAL PROGRAMS WERE FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

Expenses: $6M

POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG EXPANDS POETRY'S AUDIENCE BEYOND THE PAGE BY OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF CONTENT THAT ENGAGES WITH THE ART FORM, INCLUDING THE LARGEST, FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE OF POETRY. THE WEBSITE OFFERS ARTICLES, POETRY COLLECTIONS, PODCASTS, OVER 45,000 POEMS, AND A FULL DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF POETRY MAGAZINE FREE TO READ. NEW CONTENT IS ADDED TO THE WEBSITE WEEKLY, INCLUDING FEATURES ON NEW POETRY COLLECTIONS, BOOK REVIEWS, POETS BLOGGING ON A RANGE OF TOPICS, ARTICLES FOR EDUCATORS, AND POETRY FOR CHILDREN. IN 2021 OUR WEBSITE GREETED AN AVERAGE 4.5 MILLION MONTHLY WEB VISITORS. OUR NEWSLETTERS HAD OVER 120,000 SUBSCRIBERS.

Expenses: $1.6M

"POETRY" MAGAZINE (EXPENSE IS NET OF $968,017 PROGRAM REVENUE) ESTABLISHED IN 1912. POETRY MAGAZINE CONTINUES TO PRESENT THE BEST NEW POETRY WRITTEN BY DISTINGUISHED POETS, AND ALSO WORKS TO DISCOVER AND PRESENT EMERGING, NEW WRITERS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 70% OF EACH ISSUE PUBLISHING A POET FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE MAGAZINE. THE MAGAZINE ALSO FOCUSES ON CURRENT ISSUES RELATING TO POETRY IN THE CULTURE, AS WELL AS PRESENTING CRITICAL EXCHANGES, DEBATES, REVIEWS, AND SPECIAL FEATURES. IN 2021, WHEN THE MAGAZINE REVISED THE MANNER IN WHICH IT RECORDED SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED, THE MAGAZINE RECEIVED AND READ 16,528 POETRY SUBMISSIONS PACKETS (AVERAGE FOUR POEMS PER PACKET) AND 201 PROSE SUBMISSIONS, FROM WHICH IT PUBLISHED 474 POEMS AND 17 PROSE PIECES IN 11 ISSUES. CIRCULATION THIS YEAR EXCEEDED 30,000, WITH SUBSCRIBERS FROM 40 COUNTRIES. POETRY WAS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE 2021 PERPETUAL FOLLY LITERARY MAGAZINE RANKING FOR POETRY.

Expenses: $1.6M