Poetry slams and the tricks of the trade: pick up some top tips
Ever wondered about the tricks of the trade for winning poetry slams? How to Win a Poetry Slam!, a workshop that is part of the Warwick Words festival, will be led by Steve Larkin, founder of UK slam promoter Hammer and Tongue, on Sunday 30 September at Bridge House theatre, from 2-5pm. Steve said: “The point is not the points, the point is the poetry (as the saying goes in slam circles) but w...
30th September 2012
Poets serve up a banquet for Ilkley literature festival
There’s a feast of poets lined up for the forthcoming Ilkley literature festival, from 24 September to 14 October, with Benjamin Zephaniah, Roger McGough, Lemn Sissay, Simon Armitage and Ian McMillan among the headline acts. In addition, Ilkley’s poet in residence, Seni Seneviratne, pictured, wil...
27th September 2012
A bit of hush? Essex poets give library readings at festival
Essex poets will be reading in the county’s libraries as part of Essex poetry festival from 27 September to 6 October. On Wednesday 26 September John Steer will be at Great Parndon library, Harlow ...
25th September 2012
The Killing of Sophie Lancaster: Simon Armitage elegy restaged in theatre
A poetic radio drama-documentary - Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster, an elegy to a student who died after being attacked in Stubbeylee Park, Bacup, Lancashire – is to be restaged for ...
25th September 2012
Bristol takes on all-comers in festival slams
There are two poetry slams lined for the Bristol poetry festival taking place between 24-30 September. On Thursday 27 September it’s Bristol (Lucy English, Anna Freeman, Steve Duncan, and Jonny Flu...
23rd September 2012
Joy France at Write Out Loud Middleton on Sunday
Joy France is this month’s guest at Write Out Loud Middleton on Sunday 23 September. Entry is a £2 donation for this open mic night that begins at 7pm at the Ring O’Bells, St Leonard’s Square, Midd...
22nd September 2012
Carol Ann Duffy's view of Hillsborough
The poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy has written a sonnet to mark publication of the verdict of the independent panel that looked for the truth behind the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989, in which...
19th September 2012
Punctures, blood and nettle rash: Winston's poetry trail bike ride
Winston Plowes has finally got his breath back after his incredible bicycle journey along the Rochdale canal posting selected poems on each of its 92 locks as part of last month’s canal festival. I...
19th September 2012
Write Out Loud Marsden: mists and mellow fruitlessness?
As I write this I have just been listening to Simon Armitage reading extracts from his book, Walking Home, relating how he walked the Pennine Way in reverse, without a penny in his pocket and buski...
19th September 2012
John Hegley scatters his magic in Manchester
Legendary poet-comedian John Hegley will be performing on Wednesday 19 September at a special Spoke'N'Heard night at Gullivers, Oldham Street, Manchester. Hegley is widely recognised as one of the ...
19th September 2012
Tom Jenkins, Jess Green, Emma Decent at Write Out Loud Sale
Tom Jenkins, Jess Green, and Emma Decent are the guest poets at Write Out Loud Sale, hosted by Rod Tame, on Tuesday 18 September at the Waterside arts centre. It starts at 7.30pm. First-time reader...
17th September 2012
Sarah Jackson at Leicester Shindig
Sarah Jackson, (pictured), Angela France, Rory Waterman and Daniel Sluman are guest poets at Leicester Shindig open mic on Monday 17 September at The Western, Western Road, Leicester. It starts at ...
17th September 2012
Tom George at Write Out Loud Bolton on Sunday
Liverpool poet and singer-songwriter Tom George is the guest at Write Out Loud Bolton on Sunday 16 September. Entry is £1 for this monthly open mic event at the Brooklyn pub, kick-of 7.30pm. Contac...
15th September 2012
Write Out Loud at Wigan tonight
Hot on the heels of Wigan’s Diggers festival, the stage is set for another Write Out Loud Wigan night – and all that that entails - on Thursday 13 September, starting at 8.30pm. The open mic venue ...
13th September 2012
Mike Garry kicks off new season of Bang Said The Gun: Manchester
Bang Said The Gun: Manchester (“stand-up poetry for those that don’t like poetry”) launches its autumn season of weekly poetry nights at the Old Nags Head, in Jacksons Row, off Deansgate, on Thursd...
12th September 2012
Write Out Loud poets in spooky anthology
Write Out Loud poets, including John Coopey (The Ghost of White Hart Lane and Yggdrasil), Jane Wilcock (The West Window), Tim Ellis (The Mystery of Keith Fowler), David Cooke (Hill-fort) and Greg F...
11th September 2012
Two on the verge ... Sue Farmer and Ann Foxglove
Two Women on the Verge…, a brand-new two-hander written and performed by Sue Farmer and WOL’s very own Ann Foxglove, will be performed next week for the first time during the St Ives arts and liter...
10th September 2012
Write Out Loud Stockport tonight
Write Out Loud Stockport meets on Monday 10 September at Stockport Art Gallery, where you can share your poems and discuss their technical and creative aspects. The speciality at Stockport is the c...
10th September 2012
Luke Wright at Nottingham's world event for young artists
Top performance poet and favourite of BBC radio, Luke Wright – who unveiled his new show, Your New favourite Poet, at last month's Edinburgh fringe - is representing the UK at a gathering of 1,000...
9th September 2012
Laura Taylor and Solomon Scribble at Wigan's Diggers festival
Laura Taylor and Solomon Scribble will be performing at the 2nd Wigan Diggers festival on Saturday 8 September, bringing their political verse to an event celebrating the life and ideas of the 17th...
6th September 2012
Roll up for London's big poetry book fair
Poetry lovers who prefer to browse among books and leaf through pages, rather than buy online, will have the chance to sample the wares of more than 50 publishers at Free Verse, a poetry book fair ...
6th September 2012
Amanda Dalton at the Puzzle Poets tonight
Poet and playwright Amanda Dalton is the guest at Puzzle Poets at the Puzzle Hall Inn at Sowerby Bridge on Monday night, 3 September. Her first book-length collection, How to Disappear (Bloodaxe, 1...
3rd September 2012
It all knits together at St Ives festival
St Ives September festival of arts and literature - a mix of music, visual arts, poetry, and even a one-day course in knitting your own jewellery out of wire, if you should feel so inclined - begin...
1st September 2012
