Thank you so much for your interest in getting involved with the New York City Poetry Festival! Applications for NYC PoFest 2026 are now officially open!
Host a Reading
become a vendor
volunteER
sponsor the event
Art Installations
Get Involved
Host A Reading
Host A Reading
As of Monday, February 23rd, 2026, all reading slots have been filled! Please feel free to apply to our Wait List, & we will notify you if a slot is available!
Thank you for your interest in hosting a reading through NYC PoFest! All accepted organizations will be given a 30-minute time slot on a stage with two mics, two mic stands, two music stands, and a full PA system with additional inputs. (If you’re interested in having more time on stage, consider becoming a sponsor of the event.) We will do our best to accommodate requests for particular days, times, and technical additions, but we cannot guarantee those requests. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis while time slots are available with only a few stipulations:
1) Applications must be 100% complete, and each line item should be filled out with sufficient detail. We will ask you for the following:
2) Each organization must feature at least two poets other than the host. Organizations may feature as many additional poets & performers as they’d like during their 30-minute time slot.
3) A single poet or host can be featured on stage by no more than two organizations. Your application may be rejected if it includes a poet who is already reading for two other organizations (or if you yourself are already reading for two other organizations), so please make sure to ask your prospective readers if they have already committed to reading for another organization at the festival before confirming them.
Become A Vendor
At NYC PoFest, our Open-Air Artisan Market & Vendor Village brings together an extraordinary range of vendors, each with their own unique voice and vision. Whether attendees come to find their next favorite poet, take home a one-of-a-kind creation, or simply soak in the festival’s electric atmosphere, the Vendor Village is where it all comes to life.
We’re thrilled that you’re interested in being part of this dynamic marketplace, and we can’t wait to celebrate poetry, creativity, and community with you!
To become a vendor, please fill out the vendor info form linked below AND purchase your package below.
Become A Volunteer
Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering for NYC PoFest! Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you closer to the festival!
Become A Sponsor
Your support makes our work possible!
Standard sponsorship are available below and start at $1000. If you have other ideas in mind, we can also work together to create a customized experience of your brand for our festival goers. It would be our pleasure to meaningfully integrate your brand into the festival environment and the natural beauty of Governors Island.
All Sponsorship Benefits Include:
Exposure via social media, email marketing, & advertising
VIP PoFest Experience for company employees
Logo on event signage
Resources for literary advocacy
Propose An Art Installation
NYC PoFest Installation Proposals Must…
Align with NYC PoFest's Sustainability Pledge (scroll down in the About section)
Follow PSNY's Code of Conduct
Fit within a 10 ft by 10 ft space (approximate)
Be able to be installed in the heat of July (set up on the Friday before NYC PoFest & taken down on the Monday after)
Be budget-friendly (we are an arts non-profit)
Be adaptable to weather conditions
Be mindful of the history of violence & colonization on Governors Island (see our Official Land Acknowledgement in the About section for more info)
What We’re Looking For:
We are seeking art installations that transform NYC PoFest into an interactive, poetic realm where visitors don’t just observe—they experience, engage, and co-create. Your installation can be:
Sculptural structures
Interactive installations
Performance art
Dance pieces
Bonus Points If Your Installation…
Engages with poetry
Engages with the landscape of New York
Engages with this year’s “modern odyssey” theme
Encourages audience participation (think: typewriter poetry stations, communal mural projects, collaborative storytelling)
Is ongoing and accessible throughout the festival (not just at specific times)
For Inspiration, Here Are Installations We've Loved in the Past:
Messages from the Universe from My Life in Yellow
Kaira Villaneuva's Sustainable Sculptures
Contact Us
Please read our FAQ first, but if you have a question we haven't already answered, feel free to shoot us a message!