As romantic an image as the starving poet may be, support for artists pursuing their craft is one of the vital pieces of supporting art in our country. 
Patrons for poets are few and far between – which is why Alliance of Artist”s Communities is our pick for Poet”s Resource of the Week.
Artists” communities have always existed – places where creative people can retreat from the world and live surrounded by others who are involved in the creation of art. As the sources of public funding to support the arts has dwindled, artists communities have come into new prominence. The Alliance of Artist”s Communities estimates that residency programs at artists” communities provide $36 million in direct support to artists of all kinds each year. Among those artists are poets and other writers – in fact, the Alliance figures indicate that 63% of all residency programs serve writers. It is mission of the Alliance to provide a network for artists” communities and those that they serve to connect with each other and support each other.
The Alliance web site provides information and networking for poets in search of residencies, or who wish to create their own artists” communities and residencies. Most valuable to poets is the residency search on the site. It allows poets and others to search for a residency opportunity by region, discipline, name or accessibility. Each residency is described in detail along with contact information. From month long residencies in Genoa to yearly fellowships that offer multiple opportunities for performance, publication and education, the list of residencies is a comprehensive, valuable source of information for poets who are seeking to establish themselves and concentrate time on their work.
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