Think you have a bit of finesse when it comes to writing? The City of Tampa’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs is calling for a Wordsmith to work their magic as part of Mayor Jane Castor’s latest project, Art on the Block Program.

The commissioned position will last anywhere from 18-24 months, with a pay range of $5-$10K depending on schedule and other variables.

“Creative and diverse conversations are fundamental to our city’s strength,” said Mayor Jane Castor in a statement. “What better way to pull us all together than through a wordsmith who can challenge us to imagine, engage, and enjoy our city through a different lens.”

When it comes to Wordsmith duties, this position requires someone with a flexible schedule and strong writing skills, with a little bit of flair. Below are the qualifications and duties:

QUALIFICATIONS:

Wordsmith must live or work in the Tampa Bay region.
Wordsmith must have published works (excluding self-published and vanity presses) such as books, articles or poems in juried journals and have demonstrated literary excellence.
Wordsmith must have commitment to the promotion and awareness of their literary field.
Wordsmith must have an interest in community involvement and engagement with the public.
Wordsmith must be 21 years of age and older.
Wordsmith must be able to travel citywide.

DUTIES:

Celebrate Tampa’s cultural heritage.
Champion the literary arts and the spoken word in the City of Tampa, in person and on social media.
Create provocative, challenging, respectful, fun and entertaining exercises that engage the citizenry of Tampa.
Encourage appreciation of the art form and creative expression by engaging Tampa’s diverse citizenry.
Inspire the next generation of poets and writers.
Attend City of Tampa cultural events as appropriate in coordination with the City of Tampa’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs.
On occasion, write and read original work at ceremonial events (examples could include at a dedication of a new building or site that will benefit the community), at City Council or other public meetings such as the Mayor’s State of the City Address.
Work in coordination with the city’s Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs on a signature project to educate and engage the city’s residents about poetry and literature.

Think you have the chops? Slide over to tampagov.net and enter your general information, answer a few questions, then upload your resume and a work sample. The deadline for submissions is Friday, December 20, the chosen wordsmith will get the heads up in January 2020 and begin March 2020.

Follow @cl_tampabay on Twitter to get the most up-to-date news + views. Subscribe to our newsletter, too.

This article appears in Nov 14-21, 2019.