The Stratford Poet Laureate Program aims to celebrate and elevate the literary arts through written and spoken word.
The program will collect, save, and share unique stories from Stratford and the surrounding area. These stories reflect our community’s character, both now and for years to come.
The poet laureate writes poetry about the area, composes poems for special events, participates in public performances, works with local poets and writers, and acts as a literary ambassador for the city and the region. The work of the poet laureate culminates with the creation of a legacy project which is a unique and lasting contribution to the community.
This initial Stratford Poet Laureate program is a three-year pilot project (January 2025 to December 2027) by Destination Stratford and Stratford Public Library, and is formally recognized by City of Stratford Council via the Community Services department.
Poet Laureate
David Stones, 2025-2028
Stratford’s Poet Laureate is a resident poet, storyteller or spoken word artist over the age of 25 who has achieved excellence amongst their peers and whose body of work demonstrates connection with and relevance to residents of the municipality. As an advocate for poetry, language and the arts, the Poet Laureate attends events across the municipality to promote and attract people to the literary world, and as an ambassador for Stratford and its residents.
Youth Poet Laureate
Arlo Dunnem, 2026-2027
The program partners are pleased to welcome Arlo Dunnem as the newly appointed Youth Poet Laureate for a one-year term. David Stones continues in his three-year term as Stratford’s Poet Laureate.
“A sincere thank you to the outgoing Youth Poet Laureate Quinn Mayer for their significant accomplishments during the inaugural year of this important community role,” said Zac Gribble, Executive Director, Destination Stratford. “And sincere congratulations to Arlo Dunnem for stepping into the role with such enthusiasm and positivity. I look forward to witnessing Arlo’s contribution to further developing the Youth Poet Laureate program, especially in creating additional opportunities for Stratford’s youth to engage with the literary arts.”
“Having lived in Stratford my whole life, I’ve learned a great deal about Shakespeare. One thing that has always stayed with me is that he created nearly 1,700 words in his lifetime,” shares Arlo Dunnem, Stratford Youth Poet Laureate. “It’s a shame that, out of all those words, he never invented one capable of capturing exactly how I feel about taking on this new role, because excited, grateful, happy, and eager simply do not do it justice.”
Quinn Mayer, 2025-2026
The Youth Poet Laureate is a resident poet, storyteller or spoken word artist between the ages of 14-24 who has an interest in bringing their work to a wider audience. The role of the Youth Poet Laureate is to serve as a literary ambassador for youth in Stratford and area. Through their tenure in this position, the Youth poet Laureate will seek to inspire and engage local youth to share their stories through written and spoken word.
A message about the position from the inaugural Stratford Youth Poet Laureate Quinn Mayer:
I am so honoured to have been Stratford’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate. I am so thankful to have been involved in such a wonderful program, and to help shape it for my successors going forward. As Youth Poet Laureate, I’ve had chances to share my love for the literary arts (and music!) through performances and workshops. And I could not be more thankful for the mentorship and support of David Stones, Stratford’s inaugural Poet Laureate. I have learned so much over the past year… about poetry, about myself, and about the Stratford community. It’s been a pleasure to serve as Youth Poet Laureate, and I’m so excited to see where this program goes in the future.