Illinois Names Mark Turcotte as New Poet Laureate, Celebrates Arts Milestones

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker has named Mark Turcotte the sixth Illinois Poet Laureate, recognizing his work during a celebration that also marked National Poetry Month, the 60th anniversary of the Illinois Arts Council, and the launch of the Illinois Creative Caucus, a bipartisan group focused on supporting the state’s arts and creative economy. Turcotte, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band Anishinaabe and a professor at DePaul University, succeeds Angela Jackson, who has held the role since 2020.