City of Rockford Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Program
The Rockford Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Rockford Public Library and the City of Rockford, established the City of Rockford Poet Laureate and Youth Poet in October, 2020. A City Poet Laureate is an honorary position; Poets Laureate promote literacy and literature among residents of all ages. The Arts Council and the Rockford Public Library develop programming, and complementary resources, to provide the recipient with opportunities to promote their personal work, host workshops for residents, and appear at important City events. The official honor of City of Rockford Poet Laureate, is awarded for a period of two years and is a grant-funded position. The City of Rockford Youth Poet is awarded for a period of one year.
what to know
Current City of Rockford Poet Laureate, 2025 and 2026: Lydia Kozlowski
Lydia Kozlowski
A talented poet and marketer, Lydia brings a unique perspective to her work, deeply influenced by her heritage as the daughter of Polish immigrants. She views the world through this lens, allowing her poetry to explore themes of identity, language, and cultural connection. As Poet Laureate, Lydia has an exciting vision for amplifying diverse voices in the community. One of her key initiatives will be to curate and showcase poems by local women, incorporating multilingual works, translations, and code-switching to celebrate the richness of language and expression.
Current City of Rockford Youth Poet, 2025: Autumn Smith
Autumn Smith
Autumn, a junior at Boylan Catholic High School, has been a passionate writer and creator since childhood. Her love for poetry began at a young age, and by fourth grade, she had already achieved her first publication in Futures, a book by Appelley Publishing. Since then, she has continued to refine her craft, earning recognition and accolades for her work.
city of rockford
poet laureate:
Who Can be nominated?
All City of Rockford Poet Laureate nominees must:
- Be at least 21 years of age at the time of nomination
- Have been a resident of the City of Rockford for or at least 1 year prior to the application deadline and remain a resident throughout the two-year term
- Be committed to bringing poetry to a wide range of places and people
- Be able and available to reach City of Rockford audiences through travel or other means
- Provide evidence of achievement in the art of poetry, including having a body of publicly accessible work (books, literary magazines, and/or digital media)
- Be prepared to undertake the public role required of the Laureate
How?
The City of Rockford Poet Laureate is selected through a competitive application and review process. Applicants submit a biography, a work sample of up to three poems, and a brief narrative outlining their goals and vision for the role. A review panel evaluates candidates across six areas—leadership, scope of work, community involvement, content, craft, and voice—scoring each from 1 to 5 for a maximum total of 30 points. The committee seeks a poet who can lead, inspire, and mentor Rockford’s diverse community.
As Poet Laureate, the selected individual serves as a literary ambassador for the city, celebrating local voices, promoting poetry, engaging with schools and community events, and creating original works that reflect and highlight the Rockford region.
When?
Nominations for the next City of Rockford Poet Laureate are now open! The nomination deadline is Friday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m.
After nominations close, nominees will be invited to submit an official application between November 14 and December 5.
Interviews with applicants will take place during the week of December 8. A review panel of local literary creatives will then evaluate and score each application by the end of the month.
All applicants will be notified of their status in early January, and the 2026-2027 City of Rockford Poet Laureate will be announced at a City Council meeting in late January.
city of rockford
youth poet:
Who Can be nominated?
All City of Rockford Poet Laureate nominees must:
- Must be between 13-18 years of age at the time of nomination
- Must be a resident of Rockford for at least 1 year prior to the nomination deadline and remain a resident throughout the one-year term
- Must be committed to bringing poetry to a wide range of places and people
How?
The City of Rockford Youth Poet is selected through an application process. Applicants submit a brief biography, a sample of up to three poems, and a short narrative describing why they wish to serve and what they hope to accomplish during their year. A review panel evaluates the submissions and chooses the youth poet who best demonstrates creativity, vision, and the ability to contribute to Rockford’s literary community.
When?
Nominations for the next City of Rockford Youth Poet are now open! The nomination deadline is Friday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m.
After nominations close, youth nominees will be invited to submit an official application between November 14 and December 5.
Interviews with applicants will take place during the week of December 8. A review panel of local literary creatives will then evaluate and score each application by the end of the month.
All applicants will be notified of their status in early January, and the new City of Rockford Youth Poet will be announced at a City Council meeting in late January.
