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Sidewalk Poetry Open Submission Period
The City of Appleton launched the Sidewalk Poetry Program in 2014. Since then, Appleton residents and Appleton Area School District students have contributed 59 original poems, transforming our city’s sidewalks into an open book of poetry.
New poems are stamped each spring as a part of the Department of Public Work’s sidewalk replacement program. Visit the City of Appleton’s webpage for a complete map of all current poem locations.
Submit your poem
We organize a sidewalk poetry open submission period every year, inviting all Appleton residents and Appleton Area School District students to submit original works of poetry. A team of poetry experts and enthusiasts reviews each submission to help curate a collection featuring a variety of styles and subject matter. A final selection of up to five poems will be stamped throughout the city.
Selected poems will be featured on our website and stamped into the city’s sidewalks. Selected poets will have the opportunity to read their sidewalk poem at a city council meeting and will receive their poem’s stamp.
Submissions for the 2025 Sidewalk Poetry program will open January 14 and close February 14, 2025.
Submission Guidelines
- Residents of the City of Appleton of any age and Appleton Area School District students are eligible to submit their original poetry. Please submit your work by filling out the form below.
- Poems can be previously published or unpublished, as long as it’s original work by the entrant.
- Applicants may submit one poem per year.
- Subject matter must be appropriate for the general public.
- Poems must fit within a maximum of 10 lines (including title) with 35 characters per line including spaces and 225 characters overall including spaces.
- Poems must be submitted by Friday, February 14, 2025.
Questions? Please contact Peter through the adult programs and services contact form.