State poet to leave post for California; search for successor begins

Posted 8/20/15

Gov. Gina M. Raimondo has accepted the resignation of State Poet Rick Benjamin, effective Jan. 15, 2016. Benjamin is moving to California and has accepted a teaching and administrative position at …

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State poet to leave post for California; search for successor begins

Posted

Gov. Gina M. Raimondo has accepted the resignation of State Poet Rick Benjamin, effective Jan. 15, 2016. Benjamin is moving to California and has accepted a teaching and administrative position at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The State Arts Council will begin to organize the search for a new State Poet.

“The poem that Rick wrote and recited for my Inauguration helped set the tone for the new administration,” Raimondo said. “He has brought poetry into schools and community centers throughout the state, and showed that art is essential to Rhode Island. As State Poet, Rick Benjamin has helped to advance the art form in Rhode Island. We are grateful for his work, and thank him for his service.”

Benjamin was appointed to a five-year term as State Poet by Gov. Lincoln Chafee in January 2013. At the time, Benjamin said, his “deepest wish during my tenure will be to saturate this small state with poetry – in schools, community and assisted living centers, in places where poetry already has a presence and in some other ones where it is desperately needed.”

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  • JohnStark

    One can only hope that the position of "State Poet" is not a paid position. Can anyone name the Assistant State Poet, Spokesperson for the Auxiliary State Poet, Special Assistant to the Spokesperson for the Auxiliary State Poet?

    Thursday, August 20, 2015 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    The State Poet does have a staff and a budget of about $1,000,000 a year.

    Plus a pension.

    Friday, August 21, 2015 Report this

  • Norm88

    The State Arts Council will begin the search process to name the next state poet, a position that was established in 1989 and originally filled by Michael Harper. The position pays a $1,000-a-year stipend

    Friday, August 21, 2015 Report this

  • JohnStark

    A thousand a year. A million a year. This is RI. Who the hell really knows or pays attention...? A microcosm of what's wrong with the state.

    Monday, August 24, 2015 Report this