Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts - Lee A. Tonouchi Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate 2026-2029

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Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts - Lee A. Tonouchi Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate 2026-2029
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Lee A. Tonouchi - Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate 2026-2029

Image description: Lee A. Tonouchi smiling and throwing shaka. Lee is wearing glasses and a bright blue aloha shirt. Lee is standing in front of yellow and green bamboo plants.

February 4, 2026

HONOLULU—The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, and Hawaiʻi State Public Library System are pleased to announce the selection of Lee A. Tonouchi as the new Poet Laureate of Hawaiʻi.

The Hawaiʻi Poet Laureate program promotes and encourages appreciation of poetry and literary life in Hawaiʻi and the poetry community while inspiring new writers from all walks of life. Nominations to the three-year program are open to Hawaiʻi poets with significant accomplishments in writing and in engaging the community. The selected poet receives an annual grant from State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) to carry out readings and workshops across the islands. Lee Tonouchi will serve from February 2026 through February 2029. He joins the ranks of Hawaiʻi Poet Laureates Kealoha Wong and Brandy Nālani McDougall.

Tonouchi shares his hopes for the Poet Laureate term: “B-U. Das my vision. I stay looking forward to serving da community as Hawai‘i's Poet Laureate. For da past chree decades it's been my mission to show Local people that dey should be proud of their Pidgin. Through da technique of talk story, I believe everybody can find their poetic voice. I see my role as being able for empower people, for give 'em da tools dey need for be writers demselves so dey can represent their own communities and life experiences. Da goal is for have one greater diversity of voices as part of Hawai‘i’s Local literature. No sked for B-U.”

For more about upcoming Hawai‘i Poet Laureate programming and events, visit
hihumanities.org/hpl/ and follow Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities on social media @HiHumanities.

•   MEDIA RELEASE: Lee Tonouchi new Hawaiʻi Poet Laureate (PDF)

•   MEDIA CONTACT: Aiko Yamashiro, 808-732-5402, AYamashiro@HiHumanities.org

•   LINK to photos: Lee A. Tonouchi photos (Google Drive)

•   FACEBOOK: @HawaiiSFCA, @HiHumanities, @HSPLSHIgov

•   INSTAGRAM: @Hawaii_SFCA, @HiHumanities, @HSPLSHIgov

Contact

Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities
Aiko Yamashiro
Email: AYamashiro@HiHumanities.org
Telephone: 808-732-5402

About the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
The Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), a government agency administratively attached to the Department of Accounting and General Services (Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 9), was established by the Hawai‘i State Legislature in 1965, to promote, perpetuate, preserve and encourage culture and the arts, history and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawai‘i. SFCA funding is provided by the state of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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The mission of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is to promote, perpetuate, preserve and encourage culture and the arts, history and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawai‘i. HSFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Courtesy of: Hawaii State Art Museum

Hawaii State Art Museum

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawai'i artists that celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural legacy of Hawai'i.

OUR MISSION
To promote, perpetuate, preserve and encourage culture and the arts, history and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawai`i. HSFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai`i and the National Endowment for the Arts. The HSFCA is administratively attached to the Department of Accounting and General Services.

HOURS:
The musuem is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed State and Federal Holdays. Always free admission. For pre-recorded information call 586-0900.

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For pre-recorded summary information on the museum, call (808) 586-0900. For current museum program information, call the HSFCA Art in Public Places Program at (808) 586-0305. To arrange an educational tour of the museum, call (808) 586-9958.

For information on the HSFCA; the Hawai'i State Art Museum; HSFCA grants, programs, and services; Hawai'i arts and culture events; and USA and worldwide arts opportunities, visit the HSFCA website, www.hawaii.gov/sfca.

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Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts - Lee A. Tonouchi Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate 2026-2029

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