City of Bremerton Announces Sarah Steinke as New Poet Laureate
Bremerton, WA – The City of Bremerton is proud to announce the appointment of Sarah Steinke as the new Poet Laureate. Steinke, an accomplished poet, educator, and mental health counselor, will serve as an ambassador for the literary arts in the community, fostering a love for poetry through public readings, workshops, and collaborative projects.
“Sarah Steinke’s experience and passion for poetry and literary arts will help guide the role of the City’s Poet Laureate,” said Mayor Greg Wheeler, who launched the City’s first Poet Laureate program in 2019. “We are delighted Ms. Steinke will continue to support the art form and bring her creative vision to the program.”
Steinke holds a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from the University of Washington and has an extensive background in both creative writing and community engagement. Her work has been widely published, including her chapbook Words Could Not Make It More True (Finishing Line Press) and poems featured in Ars Poetica, Crab Creek Review, Southern California Review, and Hayden’s Ferry Review. In addition to her literary achievements, she brings a deep understanding of healing and connection through her work as a psychotherapist and yoga instructor.
Steinke draws inspiration from the words of Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
As part of her tenure, Steinke plans to host community writing workshops, public poetry readings, and collaborative projects with local artists and educators. Her work, which explores themes of connection, resilience, and transformation, will inspire and engage audiences across Bremerton.
Director of Parks and Recreation, Tim Barker stated, “We are so excited to be bringing Sarah on as the city’s Poet Laureate and look forward to the opportunities that she will be creating to interact with the community through poetry.”
The past Poet Laureate for the City of Bremerton was Tia Hudson, a retired teacher of creative writing at Olympic College and published poet, who served in the role from 2019-2024.
For more information on Sarah Steinke’s work and upcoming events, please visit www.bremertonwa.gov or contact the Parks and Recreation office at 360-473-5305.