SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — On May 4, Kevin Scot Graham was inaugurated for a two-year term as the Sullivan County poet laureate in a ceremony held at the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library in Monticello.

Graham is the fifth poet laureate in the county, following Mark Blackford, Lisa Titus, Eric Baylin and most recently Sharon Kennedy-Nolle.

The Sullivan Public Library Alliance (SUPLA) administers the Poet Laureate Project to advocate for the appreciation of reading and writing poetry for children and adults. Graham was chosen after a two-tiered selection process that included librarians, teachers, artists and writers.  

The new poet laureate describes himself as an artist above all else, and doesn’t limit himself to any particular medium. He said he has been passionate about art his whole life and began his focus and study with the guitar 31 years ago, and has formed several music groups. 

Graham moved to Sullivan County in 2016, and in 2019 contributed over 50 drawings to a show at the Narrowsburg Union. He has performed as a solo musician in the 2020 DVAA Salon Series, and released two musical EPs in 2024.

Throughout this other work, poetry has remained a constant, Graham said. He has begun compiling poetry for his first book, with a chapbook to be produced this summer.

“Art is a powerful way for people to connect, and I look forward to sharing the creation of poetry with people of all ages, throughout the county through readings, open mics, workshops, and multi-media gatherings, both in person and online,” Graham said.

He, as well as the other poets laureate, will read poetry as part of the Deep Water Literary Festival in Narrowsburg on Friday, June 21 at 5:30 pm. 

Learn more about Graham at www.Facebook.com/SullivanCounty.PoetLaureate and on Instagram @sullivancountypoetlaureate. 

Invitations to bring poetry to venues, events and schools can be emailed to scpoetlaureate@gmail.com.

The Poet Laureate Project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor’s Office and the New York State Legislature and administered by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance.