Nisrine Mbarki Ben Ayad (she/her), the Poet Laureate of the Netherlands (2026–2027), is an Amsterdam based Dutch Moroccan versatile multilingual writer, poet, literary translator, and programmer. Her work spans poetry, fiction, theatre, and literary translation. Rooted in Dutch, Arabic, and Tamazight, and fluent in English and French, she operates across multiple literary contexts. As a literary translator, she primarily translates female voices from Arabic and English into Dutch. 

In January 2022, she debuted with her poetry collection Oeverloos (Shoreless). The collection was nominated for the C. Buddingh’ Prize for best poetry debut and the prestigious Herman de Coninck Prize. Her debut novel Kookpunt (Boiling Point) was published in 2025. 

In addition to her literary practice, Mbarki collaborates with various international literature festivals as curator and serves as an active member of several literary organizations, juries, and boards. 

Her participation is made possible by the support of the University of Iowa’s Office of the Vice President for Research.