Ventura County Poet Laureate
The Ventura County Poet Laureate advances awareness of and appreciation for poetry within Ventura County. The laureateship is an honorary position held by a distinguished poet who is a Ventura County resident with an established presence and history of involvement in the Ventura County literary community (i.e. readings, publications, public presentations, hosting, teaching, or artistic collaboration), and who has previously received recognition for their work.
Role in the Community
Each Poet Laureate serves a two-year term of service, during which they promote community-centered poetry experiences in ceremonial, educational and cultural activities throughout the county. They celebrate the diversity and history of Ventura County, and they are an ambassador of the county’s literary community. During their term, the Poet Laureate develops a poetic project tailored to their unique interests and strengths in order to inspire and involve the larger literary community. In addition, the Laureate creates or facilitates workshops and readings in a variety of settings. Through various activities, they encourage community members, including students, to develop their own creative interests.
The Path to the Laureateship
The Dream: Have you dreamed of sharing your gifts in poetry in a larger way? Perhaps you would like to become Ventura County’s next Poet Laureate. If so, think about it, take a close look at the information on this page, and then talk it over with a friend. That person may be the person who will nominate you.
The Poet Laureate works to enlarge the possibilities of poetry through a project. You don’t have to know exactly beforehand what your project might be, but please, begin to imagine what it might be. If you become Laureate, you will be making a gift of yourself to many others who write and read poetry.
Who Can Be Nominated?
Nominees must:
- Be a current resident of Ventura County with at least two years of residency.
- Be available to travel throughout Ventura County.
- Have a history of publication and an established presence and involvement in the poetry community in your area.
- Have garnered recognition, whether an award, a contest, or community honor.
Nomination & Review Process:
Laureates are nominated by individuals or organizations, and Ventura County Arts Council (VCAC) convenes a Poetry Committee, which is broadly representative of the Ventura County literary community, to review nominations and prepare a short list of poets for consideration.
The Poetry Committee reviews all nominations and holds interviews with nominees. The Poetry Committee will then make a recommendation, and the final decision will be made by the Ventura County Arts Council board.
Naming of the Laureate
The newly appointed Poet Laureate is inaugurated at a ceremony that is a gathering of poets, family, friends, dignitaries, and community members. The Poetry Committee remains a support group for the Poet Laureate to help facilitate readings, activities, and projects they may want to pursue.
The position of Poet Laureate is largely voluntary and no tax dollars are spent in the execution of its duties. All funding is generated through private contributions and cultural grants. The Poet Laureate receives an honorarium of $500 per year in recognition of and gratitude for their civic contributions.
Projects by Past Poet Laureates
Mary Kay Rummel, our first Poet Laureate, worked for many years as a teacher and professor and understands how powerful self-expression can be for young people. She was able to use her position in the Education Department at the Cal State Channel Islands to help a cohort of student teachers design and implement poetry-writing lessons in multiple elementary classrooms in Camarillo. A bouquet of poems blossomed in store windows in Old Town, Camarillo.
Phil Taggart, our second Poet Laureate, grew up in a family impacted by alcoholism and mental illness. He wrote a book about his brother, Rick, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Phil worked throughout his tenure as Laureate to share poetry about those who suffer, but perhaps his peak moment was reading his poems at the NAMI Conference (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and feeling the waves of emotion in the room because every person there had a family member who struggled with mental illness. They heard their own lives reflected back to them.
Luzmaria Espinosa, our third Poet Laureate, experiences words as power and taste – they must taste good like her chile verde, and spread the power of understanding and healing, especially for those who have suffered from racism. Words matter and words can nurture. Her poetry includes snatches of song and chant and dance, all reflecting her Mexicana, Latina, and Indigenous heritage. It also speaks to social and earth justice and peace. She has shared her poems widely throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.