Watsonville Poet Laureate

Our 2025-2027 Poet Laurate is Dr. Victoria Bañales

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Victoria Bañales as the new 2025-2027 Watsonville Poet Laureate! With a remarkable body of work that reflects the depth and diversity of contemporary poetry, Dr. Bañales over the next two years will participate in and host public poetry reading events to advance the literary arts in the City of Watsonville.

Join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter in our literary journey! Dr. Bañales will be officially recognized at the Tuesday, November 12th City Council Meeting where her predecessor Robert “Bob” Gomez will officially pass the title. We look forward to the creative initiatives Dr. Victoria Bañales will bring to our community.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and opportunities to experience Dr. Banales’s work firsthand!

Establishment of the Watsonville Poet Laureate Position

The Board of Library Trustees of the Watsonville Public Library approved the establishment of the position of the Watsonville Poet Laureate, commencing in January 2022, to elevate the art of poetry in the City of Watsonville and to help celebrate the literary arts.

In 2021 the Library Board approved the creation of a Youth Poet Laureate position to recognize a youth under the age of twenty for their literary achievements with a commitment to and a passion for promoting awareness of poetry and whose work (literary or otherwise) demonstrates a commitment to social justice, equity, and diversity.

☙ Eligibility Criteria, Qualifications, & Duties are listed in the Poet Laureate Guidelines available in English or Spanish.