We are hosting a Winter Poetry Challenge in partnership with the current poet laureate of Silver City and Grant County, Heather Frankland, and the Bayard Public Library, running from January 12 to February 28, 2026. The poet laureate program is administered by the Southwest Word Fiesta. Challenge bingo cards are available at both the Bayard and Silver City libraries, and participants can enter prize drawings. The Winter Poetry Challenge is open to teens and adults.
As part of the challenge, the poet laureate will post a Spoken Word poem or audio-clip each week on the Silver City and Grant County Poet Laureate Facebook page.
Today, Thursday, January 22, 3:00-5:00pm, the Silver City Public Library will host “Art to Art Poetry Workshop: Places of Meaning” Participants will paint miniature images of locations, then develop poems inspired by the visual artwork. The workshop will be guided by owner of Gila Bend LLC and visual artist AnneLiese Nachman, and poet laureate Heather Frankland.
Bayard Public Library will host the closing event on Saturday, February 21, 11:00am-1:00pm. This will be an interactive workshop on writing love and friendship poems, led by Heather Frankland.
AnneLiese Nachman is owner of Gila Bend LLC, a self-published children’s book author, acrylic artist, muralist, and mother of two girls. She enjoys spending time with her husband and family, art, traveling, and learning new things. Nature serves as a constant source of inspiration for her writing and art projects.
Heather Frankland teaches at Western New Mexico University, and is active in the community organizing poetry events. She has served in the Peace Corps and Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Peru and Panama. She has been published in several literary journals, and her first poetry chapbook is titled “Midwest Musings,” published by Finishing Line Press.
“We are glad to help host the annual Winter Poetry Challenge for the second time, and happy to have the Bayard Public Library join” said Lillian Galloway, Silver City Public Library assistant director. “Our thanks to Renee Provencio at the Bayard library for all her help, and to poet laureate Heather Frankland for developing the program.”
For more information contact the Silver City Public Library at (575) 538-3672 or programs@silvercitypubliclibrary.org. The Silver City Public Library is located at 515 W. College Avenue in Silver City. You can connect with the Silver library on Facebook or on Instagram @silvercitypubliclibrary. The Bayard Public Library can be reached at 575-537-6244 or cprovencio@cityofbayardnm.gov. The Bayard Public Library is located at 1112 Central Avenue in Bayard and online at bayardpubliclibrary.org. You can connect with the Bayard library on Facebook or on Instagram @bayardpubliclibrary.