Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT API
1. What is API? Austin Poets International, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that sponsors, among other things, the Austin International Poetry Festival (often referred to as simply the Festival or AIPF) in April of each year.
2. Who may join API? Anyone in the world. Poets are encouraged to join, especially those who attend the Festival, but members do not have to be poets. If you are interested in hearing poetry or supporting the written or spoken word of poets, you would make a good member.
ABOUT AIPF
1. Who runs AIPF? AIPF is run under the auspices of an Advisory Committee to the Board of API. The Committee names a Festival Director annually and fills the ranks of several committees to ensure that the Festival is a success.
2. Where is AIPF held? Each year the Committee selects various venues throughout Austin for scheduled readings, open mics and special events. The venues are scattered throughout the city. There are usually 6-8 venues each year.
3. How can I volunteer to be part of AIPF? A Volunteer tab appears on the menu bar at the top of this website. Alternately, you can simply approach any member of the Advisory Committee and ask about opportunities.
4. Where can I stay while I attend AIPF? The Committee maintains a list of suggested hotels/motels nearest the action. Occasionally, there is a specified host hotel which features special rates, and there are a few spots in the homes of local members.
5. Does AIPF offer souvenirs? Each year the Committee designs and prints items that can be purchased by registered poets or their guests. Orders may be placed at the time of registration through the online store or on an as-available status at the Festival. There is other SWAG as well, including decals, postcards, and the anthology.
6. What goes on at AIPF besides poetry reading? AIPF is a complete celebration of written and spoken poetry. There are anthologies, readings by invited and other registered poets at venues throughout the city, workshops presented by invited poets, special readings, all-nighters, slams, poetry with music performances, youth activities, informal gatherings of poets at houses and public facilities, and so much more.
7. Can I read my poetry at the Festival? Yes, each adult registered poet attending the Festival may select a time and venue to read his or her poetry. In addition, there are open mics and informal reading opportunities throughout the Festival. Each youth registered poet may read poetry during the Youth Program activities held during the Festival.
8. What does ‘non-juried’ mean? A festival that is non-juried is one at which poets do not have to be invited to read. AIPF has international, national, state and local poets who are specifically invited, but the fact that every registrant gets to read makes the overall festival non-juried.
9. Does a poet have to be registered to read or perform at the Festival’s open mics? Only registered festival attendees may read at the Festival’s scheduled readings, though anyone in the community may attend and anyone in the community may read at open mics.
10. If I register, how many poems can I read? Each festival attendee is guaranteed reading opportunities. Poets selected for the anthology, get an extra reading for that poem at the Anthology Launch.
11. I am not attending the Festival or submitting poems to the anthology but would like to purchase an anthology and/or t-shirt. How do I place an order? You can place an order through our online store.
12. Is there a printed program for the Festival? Yes.
ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY
1. Does AIPF really publish an anthology? Of course, it does; in fact, it publishes two anthologies annually – one for adults, one for youth. Both are named di-vêrsé-city (pronounced like diversity). Adult and youth versions of the anthology are released at the annual Festival.
2. How old must poets be to submit to the anthology? Poets must be 18 years or more of age and not in High School or a comparable program to submit to the adult anthology. Younger students may submit to the youth anthology with parental permission.
3. I would like to submit a poem to the anthology. Do I have to register? Everyone is required to register on the website for access to the Submittable platform (for this mandatory registration in these circumstances, there is no fee).
4. How do poets submit poems for the anthology? After poets have registered on line, they may submit poems to the anthology. There are two submission forms highlighted on the Home Page - one for adults, one for youth. Both are managed through SUBMITTABLE.
5. How are poems accepted for the anthology? Poems are not identified by author, making the reading and potential selection neutral. A single poem from among those submitted by each poet, meeting the minimal criteria is advanced to an annual poetry competition.
6. Are prizes awarded for the anthology competition? Yes. Poems accepted for publication and entered into competition are submitted to a judge, who selects the top winners and honorable mentions. The judge changes annually. Cash prizes are awarded to the top entries.
7. What is the Christina Sergeyevna contest? This is the contest in which entries from the annual adult anthology are entered. The contest honors the memory of Wendy Christina Podwalny, a previous director of AIPF, through use of her pen name. There are no extra fees to enter this contest (submission fee is sufficient).
8. What is the Akers Award for Youth Poetry? This award honors outstanding achievements by poets in elementary, middle and high school. Each year a prestigious Judge is chosen to name the winners of the competition. This award is in honor of founding editor of the di-vêrsé-city Youth Anthology, Deborah A. Akers.
9. How will I know if one of my poems is selected for the anthology? Poets are notified of selections a few weeks before the Festival. Scores are not shared with poets whether or not they have a selection.
10. If my poem is published in the anthology, do I receive a free copy? Poets selected for the adult anthology receive a free copy at the Festival; if a poet does not attend the Festival, a print copy will be mailed to the U S. address listed on the Submission Form within 60 days of the Festival’s closing. If the address on the Submission Form is not within the U.S., an electronic copy will be sent unless the poet pays for shipping and handling. Poets selected for the youth anthology receive an electronic copy within 60 days of the Festival's closing; printed copies are available at minimal cost.
1. What is API? Austin Poets International, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that sponsors, among other things, the Austin International Poetry Festival (often referred to as simply the Festival or AIPF) in April of each year.
2. Who may join API? Anyone in the world. Poets are encouraged to join, especially those who attend the Festival, but members do not have to be poets. If you are interested in hearing poetry or supporting the written or spoken word of poets, you would make a good member.
ABOUT AIPF
1. Who runs AIPF? AIPF is run under the auspices of an Advisory Committee to the Board of API. The Committee names a Festival Director annually and fills the ranks of several committees to ensure that the Festival is a success.
2. Where is AIPF held? Each year the Committee selects various venues throughout Austin for scheduled readings, open mics and special events. The venues are scattered throughout the city. There are usually 6-8 venues each year.
3. How can I volunteer to be part of AIPF? A Volunteer tab appears on the menu bar at the top of this website. Alternately, you can simply approach any member of the Advisory Committee and ask about opportunities.
4. Where can I stay while I attend AIPF? The Committee maintains a list of suggested hotels/motels nearest the action. Occasionally, there is a specified host hotel which features special rates, and there are a few spots in the homes of local members.
5. Does AIPF offer souvenirs? Each year the Committee designs and prints items that can be purchased by registered poets or their guests. Orders may be placed at the time of registration through the online store or on an as-available status at the Festival. There is other SWAG as well, including decals, postcards, and the anthology.
6. What goes on at AIPF besides poetry reading? AIPF is a complete celebration of written and spoken poetry. There are anthologies, readings by invited and other registered poets at venues throughout the city, workshops presented by invited poets, special readings, all-nighters, slams, poetry with music performances, youth activities, informal gatherings of poets at houses and public facilities, and so much more.
7. Can I read my poetry at the Festival? Yes, each adult registered poet attending the Festival may select a time and venue to read his or her poetry. In addition, there are open mics and informal reading opportunities throughout the Festival. Each youth registered poet may read poetry during the Youth Program activities held during the Festival.
8. What does ‘non-juried’ mean? A festival that is non-juried is one at which poets do not have to be invited to read. AIPF has international, national, state and local poets who are specifically invited, but the fact that every registrant gets to read makes the overall festival non-juried.
9. Does a poet have to be registered to read or perform at the Festival’s open mics? Only registered festival attendees may read at the Festival’s scheduled readings, though anyone in the community may attend and anyone in the community may read at open mics.
10. If I register, how many poems can I read? Each festival attendee is guaranteed reading opportunities. Poets selected for the anthology, get an extra reading for that poem at the Anthology Launch.
11. I am not attending the Festival or submitting poems to the anthology but would like to purchase an anthology and/or t-shirt. How do I place an order? You can place an order through our online store.
12. Is there a printed program for the Festival? Yes.
ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY
1. Does AIPF really publish an anthology? Of course, it does; in fact, it publishes two anthologies annually – one for adults, one for youth. Both are named di-vêrsé-city (pronounced like diversity). Adult and youth versions of the anthology are released at the annual Festival.
2. How old must poets be to submit to the anthology? Poets must be 18 years or more of age and not in High School or a comparable program to submit to the adult anthology. Younger students may submit to the youth anthology with parental permission.
3. I would like to submit a poem to the anthology. Do I have to register? Everyone is required to register on the website for access to the Submittable platform (for this mandatory registration in these circumstances, there is no fee).
4. How do poets submit poems for the anthology? After poets have registered on line, they may submit poems to the anthology. There are two submission forms highlighted on the Home Page - one for adults, one for youth. Both are managed through SUBMITTABLE.
5. How are poems accepted for the anthology? Poems are not identified by author, making the reading and potential selection neutral. A single poem from among those submitted by each poet, meeting the minimal criteria is advanced to an annual poetry competition.
6. Are prizes awarded for the anthology competition? Yes. Poems accepted for publication and entered into competition are submitted to a judge, who selects the top winners and honorable mentions. The judge changes annually. Cash prizes are awarded to the top entries.
7. What is the Christina Sergeyevna contest? This is the contest in which entries from the annual adult anthology are entered. The contest honors the memory of Wendy Christina Podwalny, a previous director of AIPF, through use of her pen name. There are no extra fees to enter this contest (submission fee is sufficient).
8. What is the Akers Award for Youth Poetry? This award honors outstanding achievements by poets in elementary, middle and high school. Each year a prestigious Judge is chosen to name the winners of the competition. This award is in honor of founding editor of the di-vêrsé-city Youth Anthology, Deborah A. Akers.
9. How will I know if one of my poems is selected for the anthology? Poets are notified of selections a few weeks before the Festival. Scores are not shared with poets whether or not they have a selection.
10. If my poem is published in the anthology, do I receive a free copy? Poets selected for the adult anthology receive a free copy at the Festival; if a poet does not attend the Festival, a print copy will be mailed to the U S. address listed on the Submission Form within 60 days of the Festival’s closing. If the address on the Submission Form is not within the U.S., an electronic copy will be sent unless the poet pays for shipping and handling. Poets selected for the youth anthology receive an electronic copy within 60 days of the Festival's closing; printed copies are available at minimal cost.