This past May, Dr. Cindy King, a professor of English and creative writing, received The Artist Fellowship Award from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. This award is given to outstanding Utah artists from various categories. Dr. King was one of the Literary Arts winners, and was recognized for her outstanding work in this field.
“Cindy King creates potent atmospheric poems that move with incredible ease between riddles and declarations,” describes Lia Purpura, the juror for the literary arts category. “Her poems are moving,tender and full of surprising shifts that open and deepen the subject at every turn.”
Dr. King is currently working on her second book-length poetry manuscript and a chapter book. She plans on using the award to support her future work as well as ongoing promotion of her previous publications.
She hopes winning this award will help shine a light on Southern Utah, the talented artists here, and bring attention to the arts programs here at Utah Tech. She is grateful for the arts community, and the creative programs here at UT that encourage students and foster talent.
Reading has been a huge inspiration for her work. Dr. King has been amazed by different writing styles and literature, which often has her wondering, “How can I do this?” Other author’s work inspires her, and now her work is inspiring others.
Teaching students and reading their work also inspires her to keep writing her own. The classroom is a great place to be inspired and supported in creative endeavors.
Dr. King believes that teaching and writing work together. “I couldn’t teach students and tell them to write if I weren’t doing it myself,” she explains.
Just as her students have inspired her, she hopes to inspire her students to write. Her experience writing and submitting her own work has, and will continue, guiding Trailblazers in their own journeys. She urges her students to send work out and not get discouraged. In the arts there can be a lot of rejection, but one acceptance can be everything.
Let’s follow Dr. Cindy King’s lead and keep fostering creativity here at Utah Tech!
To learn more about the Artist Fellowship Award, visit https://artsandmuseums.utah.gov/2026-utah-artist-fellowship-recipients/.