By Emily Boragine
Division of Commuications and Marketing
MANHATTAN — When Traci Brimhall, university distinguished professor of English at Kansas State University, thinks of museums, she envisions them as spaces for dreaming, creating and being. Now, as the selected 2025 Poet-in-Residence at the Guggenheim New York, she can bring her visions for poetry and visual arts to life.
Brimhall's appointment as Poet-in-Residence at the Guggenheim, in partnership with the Academy of American Poets, acknowledges her contributions as a poet and educator, bridging poetry and the arts. "I'm ecstatic to join the Guggenheim this year and plan programming that unites the visual and literary arts!" says Brimhall. "There will be several parts of the residency, including poetry postcards for all museum patrons, activities in the Guggenheim’s Aye Simon Reading Room and staged evening events in the fall."
Brimhall, the current Kansas poet laureate, is a nationally recognized poet and nonfiction writer. Her creative and scholarly work includes authoring five poetry collections — including the recently published "Love Prodigal" from Copper Canyon Press — more than 100 individual published poems and essays, and more than 150 readings. Brimhall serves as the director of K-State's creative writing program, teaching both undergraduate and graduate-level writing courses. She is recognized as an innovative and influential educator, often integrating student learning with real-life experiences. In 2024, she was awarded the title of university distinguished professor, the highest faculty title given by the university.
In addition to her work in the Big Apple, Brimhall is collaborating with the Museum of Art + Light in Manhattan, Kansas. From 6-9 p.m. on April 24, Brimhall and her students will lead poetry activities for the public, offering an opportunity for local residents to engage with poetry and visual arts.