Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange has announced that internationally acclaimed poet Professor Kwame Dawes will be the next Poet Laureate of Jamaica.

Minister Grange said that Dawes emerged as the most suitable person after a public nomination process, which was followed by a seven-member committee vote administered by the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ). His investiture of as the Poet Laureate of Jamaica for 2024 to 2027 will follow.

“The Poet Laureate of Jamaica is given a three-year tenure with the responsibility of developing and executing a programme of activities which support the reading, writing and promotion of Jamaican poetry.

“I am pleased with the selection of Professor Dawes. He is deserving of this honour given his years of foundational work and contributions made to the literary landscape of Jamaica. Dawes is a naturalised citizen of Jamaica, having grown up here, and in 2004 was awarded the Musgrave Silver Medal for Literature. In 2022, he was awarded National Honours, the Order of Distinction Commander class,” Grange noted.

Kwame Dawes was born in Ghana and is a widely acclaimed poet, editor, critic, and musician whose work has brought him global recognition exploring themes such as identity, migration, and the human experience. His achievements span multiple genres, including poetry collections such as Progeny of Air and City of Bones: A Testament, which have received critical acclaim for their lyrical depth and social commentary. He is the author of 35 books of poetry with numerous other books of fiction as well as essays.

He is also a co-founder of the popular, world-class Calabash International Literary Festival, alongside novelist Colin Channer and producer Justine Henzell, which was inaugurated in 2001 and now takes place biennially at Treasure Beach on the island’s south coast.

The National Library of Jamaica celebrates 10 years of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica Programme, post-independent Jamaica. During this time the institution has seen to the investiture of three prior laureates: Professors Mervyn Morris, Lorna Goodison, and Olive Senior.