Kansas

Current Laureate:
Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg

Start of Term:
July 1, 2009

Position History:
Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the Kansas Arts Commission established a Kansas Poet Laureate program in 2004. According to a July 1, 2004 news release from the Office of the Governor, "the original impetus for the creation of a poet laureate post in Kansas began in response to numerous requests received at the Kansas Arts Commission and the Office of the Governor suggesting that such a position be established. Responding to those requests, the Kansas Arts Commission voted to proceed (with the approval of the Governor) in the development of guidelines for a poet laureate position. Guidelines were developed with input from Kansas poets and KAC staff research of other states’ poet laureate programs."

Previous Laureates:
Jonathan Holden (July 1, 2005-June 30, 2007)
Denise Low (July 1, 2007-July 1, 2009)

Further Resources:
•Publications by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg in the Library's online catalog.
•Kansas Arts Commission page on Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg

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