Arizona State Poetry Society
The Arizona State Poetry Society (ASPS), established in 1966, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and literary organization dedicated to the art of poetry.
Join us, Saturday, January 11, 2025 for the ASPS Annual Conference!
Announcing the ASPS Annual Conference on Saturday, January 11, 2025 from 9:00a-4:00p as well as available on Zoom!
Join us for an exciting three days of poetry readings, craft talks, workshops, open mics, and more!
Who We Are
Mission
ASPS publicly promotes the reading, appreciation, writing, and speaking of poetry at the state and local levels. We do this through community outreach and open public meetings, readings, workshops, and programs. We also do this by supporting our ASPS members with special programs through interactive critique groups, contests, readings, education, and publication opportunities.
Vision
ASPS seeks to unite poets in fellowship, understanding, and mutual respect by embracing diversity in age, race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, beliefs, lifestyle, skin color, socioeconomics, diverse abilities, and neurodiversity. We embrace the beauty and power of diversity and welcome poets, readers, and friends of poetry to join us in our celebration and study of any form and style of poetry and in the promotion of our organizational mission, vision, and goals. We promote this same level of human understanding in our outreach to the community and envision a society of fellowship, understanding, and mutual respect.
Goals
To achieve our ASPS Mission and Vision, we have identified at least 5 goals:
- Recruit and attract poets, readers, and friends of poetry of all ages and all walks of life, in- and out-of-state, inviting them to join ASPS to connect with our programs and activities in pursuit of both our vision and mission, and in their own interaction and personal growth in the art of poetry.
- Interact with other poetry, arts, and literary groups, foundations, societies, festivals, and centers for the promotion of the reading, appreciation, writing, and spoken art of poetry.
- Provide in-house reading and critique groups, poetry circles, contests, and educational talks for the enrichment of our members’ personal lives and poetic careers.
- Provide opportunities for ASPS members to work together and to collaborate on the publication of poetic works, chap books, or full anthology collections.
- Participate in and present publicly open meetings, readings, workshops, and conferences, including our own annual conference, in support of the promotion of the art of poetry.
ASPS is a member of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS)
History
ASPS is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization chartered on September 11, 1966 to foster poetry in Arizona through education, publication, reading, and fraternity of poets. In 1966, Mabelle Lyon and Gladys Bagley Schaefer, two women from Sun City, Arizona, launched the Phoenix Poetry Society. The organization began with about a dozen members and grew each year, eventually forming multiple branches throughout the State of Arizona.
In 1968, the Phoenix Poetry Society voted to become the Arizona State Poetry Society in order to qualify for membership in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). The Phoenix Poetry Society was then the first Branch of ASPS, and the Tucson Poetry Society became the second Branch in 1969.
ASPS has deep roots in the poetry communities of Arizona. We have a long and successful history of encouraging all poets through our readings, meetings, contests, programs, workshops, publications, and other resources.
Membership
Membership is the simplest way to join our poetry society and enjoy the benefits offered. We accept memberships from all 50 states.
Enjoy all the benefits you will receive by signing up today.
Get In Touch
Send us an email with questions or comments.