Arts Council Elects Ari Banias as Poet Laureate
Arts Council elects Ari Banias as Northampton's new Poet Laureate. Kelsey Socha-Bishop nominated Banias, and council members voted 11 to 1 in favor, with one abstention. The council also discussed reviving a youth poet laureate program and indicated it will revisit that initiative at the next
Arts Council · Meeting of February 10, 2026
NORTHAMPTON — Arts Council elects Ari Banias as Northampton's new Poet Laureate. Kelsey Socha-Bishop nominated Banias, and council members voted 11 to 1 in favor, with one abstention. The council also discussed reviving a youth poet laureate program and indicated it will revisit that initiative at the next meeting.
In related business, the Silver Chord Bowl fundraiser raised $961 for the BJ Goodwin Fund, and members reported on upcoming events including Kids Best Fest, the Northampton Youth Cinema Festival, and FloFest scheduled for September 19.
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Source: the Arts Council meeting of February 10, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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