Tartu’s 2026 Bus Poetry project
Ends on
The City of Hobart invites you to represent Nipaluna/Hobart in Tartu’s 2026 Bus Poetry project
About the Project
Since 2015, Tartu, Estonia has run Bus Poetry, a project that exhibits poems on city buses, with the selection changing annually.
As the UNESCO City of Literature host for the 2026 Cities of Literature Network Meeting, Tartu is dedicating this year’s edition to poems from across the Cities of Literature network. Nipaluna/Hobart, recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2023, has been invited to participate.
The City of Hobart invites poets with a connection to Hobart to submit a poem to represent the city in this project.
The selected poem will be translated into Estonian and displayed as stickers on city buses from late April to December 2026. Tartu will cover all costs related to translation, design, and production.
Submissions should include:
- A poem in any form about Nipaluna/Hobart, up to 20 lines.
- A short bio/introduction (max 100 words)
- A headshot
Fee:
- The selected poet will receive $400 (plus GST if applicable) for a new work.
- Extant work will be considered for a $250 fee.
Please note only one poem will be chosen for this project.
Timelines and process:
- Submissions now open. Close 5pm AEDT on 2 March 2026
- Panel Assessment - 3 to 4 March 2026 by peer review
- Notification – 5 March 2026
Submissions are via Submittable only
Acceptable file types for poem: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf.
Once the selection is made, you will be contacted (either via Submittable or direct email) regarding the outcome. Individual feedback will not be provided for unselected submissions.
Island is pleased to host this project on Submittable on behalf of the City of Hobart. We provide the platform, but the City of Hobart is managing all aspects of the project, including submissions and notifications.
For any enquiries, please contact:
Sue Hayes Convenor for the UNESCO Hobart City of Literature P:03 6238 2823 E: susan.hayes@hobartcity.com.au W: hobartcity.com.au