Our Mission
The Chicago Poetry Center connects people and poetry, equitably engages poets with communities, and advances creative literacy in the city and beyond.
Chicago Poetry Center was formed through defiant, organic, community-driven efforts following the threat of literary censorship in the 1950s. For over 50 years, CPC has remained rooted in our history of liberatory artistic practice, while responsively adjusting to the needs of each moment along the way. This includes supporting equity and access in arts education, paid teaching and performance opportunities for poets, and utilizing poetry as a tool for expansive dialogue regarding social justice issues of our time. CPC proudly engages our full team of teaching artists, staff, and board in critical decision making efforts, like adopting our mission, values, and policies below.
Vision
We envision and work to create a fair and verdant world rooted in artistic expression, human connection, and boundless imagination.
Core Belief
We believe that poetry illuminates our individual and shared humanity, fueling thriving lives and healthy communities.
Values
Creativity
We believe in the intrinsic value of artistic expression and are committed to fostering exploration, joy, and wonder in our work, ourselves, and others
Inclusivity
We prioritize the safety of those historically and systemically marginalized, acknowledge structural power imbalances, honor all people’s humanity, and endeavor to create spaces of full belonging.
Equity
We work to create meaningful and genuine access to opportunities and resources, actively working to combat racism, heterocentrism, ableism, sexism, and all other systems that perpetuate disparities.
Integrity
We strive for excellence, holding ourselves to high organizational standards of fairness, openness, respect, and honesty.
Humility
We are curious, collaborative, open to change, and act in full recognition that we don’t hold all the answers.
Explore Further
Land & Labor Acknowledgement
CPC’s public events and board meetings begin with our Land and Labor acknowledgement and are followed by a poem (or many). Read CPC’s land and labor acknowledgement here.
Policies
CPC Events are ICE-Free Zones. Read our policy.
CPC’s mission, vision, and values were made slowly and with room for all voices within the organization. They will not be changed by political pressure. Read our re-commitment to our values.
In keeping with our values, CPC affirms the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), and the rights of the Palestinian people. Read more here.
Read CPC’s anti-racism statement and commitment to inclusion here.