Utah: Connecting Constituents with Video Poems

In a state whose population is as far-flung as Utah’s, how can a small arts agency connect with its many constituents in a meaningful way? Enter Bite-Sized Poetry, an initiative of the Utah Division of Arts and Museums (UDAM) whereby Utah poets recited short poems (one minute or less) each month that were broadcast to the public through links in the Division’s e-newsletters and social media outlets, as well as on the state’s Now Playing Utah site. The program launched in 2009 as a brainstorm of Utah Poet Laureate Katharine Coles and the Division’s former literature coordinator, along with the cooperation of the local public television station. The highly popular program capitalized on the strengths of video and the Internet to bring the art of poetry to a broad constituency. After a hiatus due to a staffing gap, it has reemerged as Bite-Size 2.0, with hopes to involve more youth poets. For more information about the program, contact UDAM Literary Arts & Education Specialist David Pace.