Academy of American Poets Announces Inaugural Leadership Awards

On the occasion of its 85th anniversary, the Academy of American Poets will launch a new slate of Leadership Awards, which will honor one publisher, partner, "patron," and poet each at its annual Poetry & the Creative Mind gala during National Poetry Month. This year's event will be held at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on April 24.

The inaugural leadership award for publishers will recognize Andrews McMeel Publishing, for "innovating poetry book publishing by identifying poetry’s popularity on social media and translating it into print, expanding the genre to include an emerging field of young adult poetry that is popular and profound."

The Civitella Ranieri Foundation, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, will receive the first leadership award for partners. The foundation provides a residency each year for the Academy’s Walt Whitman Award–winning poet in a 15th century castle in the Umbrian region of Italy.

Eunice “Nicie” Panetta, the former Chair of the Academy of American Poets board of directors, will receive the patron award, and Sonia Sanchez, the poet, playwright, and children’s book author, will receive its award for poets.