Juan Pablo Mobili
2026 Rockland County Poet Laureate

The Rockland County Poet Laureate Program is a collaboration between
the Arts Council of Rockland and County Executive, Ed Day.

Calling All Rockland County Poets!

County Executive Ed Day and the Arts Council of Rockland (ACOR) are pleased to announce that applications for the 2027 Rockland County Poet Laureate will open on August 15, 2026.

The Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for the literary arts, inspiring residents through poetry, public engagement, educational programs, and community collaborations throughout Rockland.

If you're passionate about using poetry to connect, inspire, and celebrate our community, we encourage you to apply!

The 2027 Poet Laureate application will be launched and available on this website effective August 15, 2026.

Help shape the literary voice of Rockland County!

Poet Laureate Information Sheet

Upcoming Poet Laureate Events and Programs

Saturday, August 8, 2026 from 2-3:30 PM
Poets of Two Shores: A Poetic Bridge Across the Hudson River
Juan Pablo Mobili (Rockland County Poet Laureate) & Melissa Joplin Higley (Village of Mamaroneck Poet Laureate) invite you to a poetry reading, as part of a series featuring poets from both shores of our river. Please come and listen to the voices honoring the power of language and the importance of bringing communities together.
Nyack Library, Community Meeting Room, 59 S. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960
In-Person Only - Register HERE

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 from 7-8:30 PM
Poets who Teach, Teachers who Write
Curated by Juan Pablo Mobili, Rockland County Poet Laureate
If poetry is language at its most essential, teaching is an essential form of poetry: passing words on for a culture to remain vibrant in the lives of younger generations. Join Juan Pablo Mobili, Rockland County Poet Laureate, for an evening with four remarkable poets who chose to be teachers in our county - Meghan Nolan, Christine Potter, Rebecca Watkins, and Monica Wendel. The reading will be followed a Q & A of our poets-teachers, about their craft, their vision, and their call to teach.
Finkelstein Memorial Library, Fielding Room, 3rd Floor, 24 Chestnut St., Spring Valley, NY 10977
In-Person Only - Register HERE

The 2026 Poet Laureate is Juan Pablo Mobili, and he will serve as an ambassador for the literary arts, engaging audiences throughout Rockland County and beyond through public readings, civic events, and educational activities.

“Language is the foundation of authentic dialogue, and poetry is one of the most profound uses of language,” said Juan. I am honored to serve as Rockland County’s Poet Laureate and look forward to celebrating the power of words with our community.”

Poet Laureate Curriculum Vitae

Poet Laureate Presents Poem at Rockland County’s 24th
911 Anniversary Ceremony

Families Gather at 24th Anniversary of 9/11 Attack To Toll Bells, Read Names of Loved Ones Lost, Share in Collective Grief and Strength - Rockland County Business Journal

Remembering That September by Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Pablo Mobili

Watch Rockland County 911 Memorial Ceremony HERE.

Rockland County Poet Laureate Inaugural Event

Rockland County Poet Laureate, Juan Pablo Mobili, launched his 2025 laureateship with a poetry reading, Echoes of the Heart: Life’s Joys & Sorrows, featuring powerful readings by Brian Kates, Kelly Jo Lillian, Marjorie Tesser, Rebecca Watkins, and Juan Mobili at the Valley Cottage Library on February 20th.