The University of Arizona Poetry Center is at the heart of Tucson’s vibrant literary culture
The Poetry Center is a leading literary institution and a living archive of poetry. Since 1960, we’ve grown one of the most significant and important libraries in the nation. We have also welcomed over 1,000 poets to Tucson to read.
Now featuring more than 80,000 items, our collection represents a spectrum of poetry that inspires us, improves us and continues to record the diverse tapestry of our lives and our moment. When you visit the Poetry Center, you are in a space unlike any other: more than 3 million poems surround you on the shelves. It’s an experience we love sharing with visitors and students.
Thanks to supporters like you, we have amassed one of the finest and largest print/digital collections of contemporary poetry in America. Philanthropic support also empowers our education programs that annually serve Arizona school children, college students, and adults with poetry experiences.
“Through our programs, collections and collaborations, the Poetry Center advances a diverse and robust literary culture that serves a local-to-global spectrum of writers, readers, and new audiences for poetry and the literary arts. Gifts of any shape and size make a difference in the future of the University of Arizona Poetry Center.”
– Director Tyler Meier
The center’s L.R. Benes Rare Book Room houses our most unique and valued items, including first editions, artist’s books and other rare items. Your investment in this area allows us to make strategic acquisitions and connect these items to our robust educational and community programs.
SOME OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES
General Support
Your gift will support a range of Poetry Center programs each year—from our historic Reading Series to essential K-12 outreach programs.
Program Development
Your support will ensure the long-term legacy of the Poetry Center and the continued success of its programs.
Poetry Center Special Acquisitions Endowment
Provide the resources the Poetry Center needs to support the acquisition, preservation, and presentation of the most exciting holdings in the collection.
Poetry Center Building Fund
Gifts to our building fund ensure that the Poetry Center will have the resources to care for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the Helen S. Schaefer building and grounds.