SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture has announced its newest ambassador of the literary arts.
Eduardo “Eddie” Vega, a director at Holy Cross San Antonio, will serve as San Antonio’s poet laureate beginning April 1, ultimately finishing his term on March 31, 2027.
Recommended Videos
Vega will be officially appointed to the position on April 15 in a ceremony held in the city council chambers.
“I’m very honored and excited to take on this responsibility of Poet Laureate for San Antonio - a city that welcomed me three decades ago, whose people have supported me, whose culture has enriched me, and which continues to be the creative energy behind this poet,” Vega said in a city news release.
Vega has published two full-length collections of work and is the recipient of a literary arts grant from the Luminaria Artist Foundation, the release said. He also founded and hosts open-mic poetry through his Mouth Dakota Poetry Project.
Poet laureates are an honorary position. They serve three terms and focus on promoting literary and poetic arts and literacy in their respective community.
The United States Poet Laureate was established in 1937, and Texas has appointed a Poet Laureate since 1932. In 2012, San Antonio was the first major Texas city to begin appointing a poet laureate.
“As an extremely active member in our local poetry community as well as an educator, Eddie is an excellent advocate for literary arts who demonstrates a strong commitment to community engagement in addition to displaying artistic excellence,” Krystal Jones, the executive director of the arts and culture department, said.
San Antonio’s previous poet laureate, Nepthali De Leon, was removed four months into his term after posting a controversial tribute to the late columnist Roberto Cintli Rodriguez, which used two racial slurs.
De Leon was terminated from this laureateship on Aug. 14, 2023.
The United States Poet Laureate was established in 1937, and Texas has appointed a Poet Laureate since 1932. In 2012, San Antonio was the first major Texas city to begin appointing a poet laureate. San Antonio’s past poet laureates are:
- Carmen Tafolla (2012 - 2014)
- Laurie Ann Guerrero (2014 - 2016)
- Jenny Browne (2016 - 2018)
- Octavio Quintanilla (2018 - 2020)
- Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson (2020 - 2023)
- Nephtalí De León (April 2023 - August 2023)