An anthology of new writing by women, featuring the work of 34 UK and international writers, will be launched at Whitechapel Art Gallery in east London, on Wednesday, 29 February, at 7pm. Loose Muse reflects the work of women who meet on the second Wednesday of each month at the Poetry Café in Covent Garden.

Poet and organiser Agnes Meadows, who has been co-ordinating the event, since 2005, said:  “Over the past six years Loose Muse has grown into a unique event with a solid reputation for quality and openness. A grant from the Arts Council of England last year enabled us to step things up, including commissioning new work.”

The first anthology features the work of 34 women writers. Some are veterans of the poetry and literature scene, while others are newcomers who are seeing their work published for the first time. All the work is by writers who attended Loose Muse events as a featured poet or in the open mic slots. It also contains the first three commissions of new work, with poetry from Sally Blackmore and Linda Whitehead, and a short story by Isabel White.

The anthology will be launched in the Whitechapel Art Gallery’s top-floor Clore Creative Studio, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 1QX – two minutes' walk from Aldgate East tube station. Twenty-nine of the included writers will be reading from their work. Price of the anthology is £7 on the night, or £7.99 thereafter. To order copies, contact Agnes Meadows agnespoet@googlemail.com 07789-901-667