The name of the Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry is changing to the Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry and the prize is adding Michigan to the list of eligible states of residence for entrants, Milkweed Editions has announced. The name change reflects the merger of the Lindquist & Vennum law firm with Ballard Spahr at the beginning of the year.
The Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry, which supports outstanding poets from the upper Midwest and brings their work to a national stage, awards $10,000 and publication by Milkweed to a poet at any stage in their career residing in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. Selected from a small number of finalists by an independent judge, the prizewinning poet will also receive a standard royalty contract, national distribution, and a comprehensive marketing and publicity campaign. The 2019 judge is poet, essayist and literary translator Khaled Mattawa.
"This meaningful prize recognizes artistic excellence and rewards poets publicly and lucratively, and we are grateful for the vision and commitment of the Ballard Spahr Foundation to carry this prize forward in partnership with Milkweed," said Daniel Slager, publisher and CEO of Milkweed Editions.
Pete Michaud, managing partner of Ballard Spahr's Minneapolis office, commented: "Recognizing the unifying power of language while also celebrating the unique voice of the Midwest is a fitting way to commemorate Lindquist's merger with Ballard Spahr."