John Kertisz

John Kertisz is an American poet living in Venice, California, where he started a performing arts center called the Front Porch Gallery, working with countless local and regional musicians, artists & poets. In 1984, he was a founder of the first West Washington Blvd Community Festival which later became the Abbot Kinney Festival, in honor of the founder of Venice. He became Master of Ceremonies in 1988 and was instrumental in the name change to Abbot Kinney Blvd. He was initially designated Poet Laureate of Venice in 1990 by County Supervisor Deane Dana, serving in that capacity until 2005 when the Mayor of Los Angeles conferred upon him the title of Poet Laureate Emeritus. Kertisz was a finalist in the first Favorite Poem Project and was honored to be recognized as Venice Poet Laureate by U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky at UCLA in 1998.