POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced he has re-appointed Hopewell Junction resident Raphael Kosek as the County’s Poet Laureate for 2020. Ms. Kosek will serve a second one-year term, sharing her poetry with the community through a series of readings and events, beginning with the County Executive’s 2020 State of the County Address on Thursday, February 20 at 5:30 p.m. at The Culinary Institute of America’s Marriott Pavilion in Hyde Park.
County Executive Molinaro said, “Having a vibrant arts community is an important part of why so many people love to call Dutchess County home. Raphael’s contributions as Poet Laureate in 2019 are testament to how exposure to and involvement in the arts helps engage our youth and spreading awareness helps bring us all together, as neighbors, to celebrate our differences. We are grateful to Arts Mid-Hudson for their continued support of the Dutchess County Poet Laureate program and look forward to Raphael sharing her talent and achievements in 2020.”
During her first year as Poet Laureate, Ms. Kosek received numerous awards for her poetry, including the Bacopa Literary Review’s poetry prize, and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Additionally, her book, American Mythology, was published in September, from which two poems were chosen to be read on The Writer’s Almanac podcast by host, Garrison Keillor.
Ms. Kosek said, “In my first year as Dutchess County Poet Laureate, I have done many readings all over the Hudson Valley, engaged with new poetry forms, and worked with community groups such as Unshattered Boutique and senior residents at the Fountains in Millbrook. It has been an incredible year and I look forward to another.”
Arts Mid-Hudson manages the Poet Laureate selection process, which includes inviting a panel of literary professionals and community members to review nominations and make their recommendation. Public nominations for the unpaid role of 2021 Dutchess County Poet Laureate will be accepted this summer.
“We appreciate County Executive Molinaro’s continued dedication to Dutchess County’s arts culture and support of the Poet Laureate. We congratulate Raphael Kosek on her achievements in 2019 and are proud to celebrate her continued success as our 2020 Poet Laureate,” said Linda Marston-Reid, Executive Director for Arts Mid-Hudson.
County Executive Molinaro will present his 2020 State of the County Address at the Culinary Institute of America’s Marriott Pavilion, Ecolab Auditorium, on Thursday, February 20th at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. To learn more about the event and to RSVP visit dutchessny.gov/rsvp.
