The Benicia Poet Laureate Program is on hiatus until July 2026. Recruitment for the new Laureate will begin in the spring with the new two-year term beginning July 1.

The Benicia Poet Laureate Program has been active for 20 years, with a new Poet Laureate appointed every two years by the Board of Library Trustees. The ad hoc selection committee—one Trustee and four vetted volunteers—will convene in March followed by the opening of the application period. Applicants must reside in Benicia or have a strong, demonstrated connection to the community’s poetry programs, and must also possess the administrative skills required to plan and execute events, organize activities, and publish an anthology.

Kathy Monroe, who served as Poet Laureate from January 2024 through December 2025 will continue the Library’s ongoing poetry programs, including the First Tuesday Poets Group, with the support of volunteers from Benicia Literary Arts in the interim.