"There is no place on this planet, no ground, no air, no sanctuary, no wharf, no hermitage, no refuge, no time, like the one week each summer when Black poets descend on an unsuspecting space and it becomes Cave Canem." Tuition, valued at $1,500, is provided free of charge. Participants are asked to pay a $500 room-and-board fee. Limited financial assistance for room and board is available on the basis of need. Participants are encouraged to seek alternative sources of support— for example, scholarships and grants. View highlights from the 2011 Cave Canem retreat. When: June 17-24 Where: University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pennsylvania Faculty: Toi Derricotte, Cornelius Eady, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Nikky Finney, Terrance Hayes & Angela Jackson Application Period: December 1, 2011 — January 15, 2012 Application Guidelines | Apply Online Returning Fellows: Registration due February 15, 2012
RETREAT
Cave Canem's week-long retreat is held annually at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Adult African American poets are eligible to apply. Once accepted, poets become "fellows," and most are invited to attend two additional retreats within a four-year period. Fellows who complete three years are considered "graduate fellows."
A retreat residency offers an unparalleled opportunity to study with a world-class faculty and join a community of peers. Some fellows hail from the spoken word tradition, others focus on the text. Some are formalists, others work at the cutting edge of experimentation. All are united by a common purpose to improve their craft and find safe space "where black poets, individually and collectively, can inspire and be inspired by others, relieved of any obligation to explain or defend their blackness." (Harryette Mullen)
Cave Canem's fiscal health and long-term sustainability depend on the philanthropy of its fellowship. Graduate fellows who give back to Cave Canem play a critical role in ensuring that the next generation of poets enjoys the same opportunities they did. A recent graduate wrote, "I choose to donate to this organization because not giving to Cave Canem is like not giving to myself." Fellows are strongly encouraged to make an annual gift to sustain the program that nurtured their own professional and creative growth.2012 RETREAT
Fellows eligible to return will be contact in December, 2012, with registration instructions.
2012 CAVE CANEM RETREAT APPLICATION
DEADLINE TO APPLY: January 15, 2012.
APPLICATION FEE: $10
Note: Returning fellows need not apply. Visit cavecanempoets.org/retreat for registration information.
ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION OF ADMISSION RESULTS BY May 10, 2012.
Accepted applicants: A deposit of $50-$150 will be due by May 25, 2012, in order to secure your place.
Please read these guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not meet the requirements below will not be considered.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES One application per candidate. You are urged not to wait until the last day to apply in case you need help submitting.
QUESTIONS? Call Camille Rankine, 718.858.0000 Monday-Thursday, 12 – 6 pm
• Use the online Cave Canem Submissions Manager.
• Upload your submission as a single .doc or .rft document, comprising a one-page cover letter (Page 1) and 6-8 pages of poems (Pages 2-9). Format as follows:
1. Cover letter, Page 1: Include your full name, address, email address and telephone number. Write a maximum of 500 words explaining why you wish to attend and
what you expect to accomplish.
2. Six-eight pages of poems, Pages 2-9: Your name and the title of your poem must appear on every page. Only one poem per page is permitted, though you may submit multiple-paged poems, with the title appearing on every page.
3. Insert hard page breaks between every page.
4. Paginate your document.
(Example: Page 2 of 8.) Your
cover letter is Page 1.
Inserting Page Breaks with Microsoft Word:
1. Select “Insert” on your menu bar.
2. On the Insert menu, select “Break.”
3. Select “Page Break” from the menu of Break Types.
5. Use legible, 11-to-12-point font
6. Enter payment information for $10 application fee. You will be redirected to Pay-Pal to complete your payment. Applications submitted without application fee will not be considered.
Cave Canem Foundation, Inc. | 20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A, Brooklyn, NY 11201 | www.cavecanempoets.org