Usually when an opportunity crosses our desk we simply post it in the Events section with all the other opportunities for sydneypoetry.com members to go at with hammers and tongs. This one though is too delightfully named, and scoped, to go without better mention. 

Applications are closing on July 1st for the role of 2011 Sydney City Poet, a residency offered by UTS Centre for New Writing and the NSW Government through Arts NSW. The residency is on a part-time basis and will receive a stipend of $20,000 for the year, provided by the NSW Government.

The role of the Sydney City Poet:

• to write and present poetry for public occasions, ceremonies or prominent events 
• represent and be an ambassador for the city of Sydney in regards to poetry and the arts locally, nationally and internationally
• contribute to the community and regional sector of New South Wales by participating in literary focused programs 
• collaborate with organisations and institutions to promote poetry

For this residency, with the whiff of a meanstreets novel about its title, you should probably also fight crime, drink your whiskey neat, and gamble with the odds. 

Read the full job description in the Call for Applications.

The image above, by nigelhowe on Flickr, is from the 2011 Vivid Festival currently on in Sydney. Keen applicants could do worse than drop a Vivid-inspired poem into their portfolio, to let UTS know they've got the chops when it comes to poetising the flagship events of NSW.

If this opportunity lacks appeal you could instead try your luck with the Melbourne Writers Festival Poetry Idol, also closing on July 1st.