The Winchester Poetry Festival has become a major player in the poetry world with a reputation for innovative programming and for sponsoring and nurturing new talent.  This year’s Festival takes place on the weekend of 5-7 October, with a roster of more than 40 poets and speakers, including Ian McMillan, Frances Leviston, Liz Berry, Kathleen Jamie and Hollie McNish.

Identity is the theme for 2018.  Festival co-director Sarah Hesketh said: “While technology makes the distances between us grow ever smaller, it can also feel like we are retreating from each other, unsure of who we are and how to live with those who might be different from us. The poets we have invited explore the difficulties, but also recognise the strength in our individual differences and personal stories.”

New events for 2018 include a new writing competition for 11-16 year-olds and a programme of workshops for young writers aged 16/17, which will run in five local colleges throughout the summer term. Their work will be published by the Festival and read at a special event on National Poetry Day.

The Winchester 2018 International Poetry Prize is an open poetry competition which attracted more than 1800 entries last year. The 2018 competition, sponsored by 200 year-old Hampshire law firm Paris Smith, will be judged by award-winning poet Liz Berry and the winner will be announced at the Festival. Last year’s award was won by Bristol-based Caleb Parkin with Somewhere to Keep the Rain.

Other Festival 2018 highlights are set to include:

• World Voices bringing the very best in translated poetry to Winchester, with poets from Syria, Macedonia, USA and the Caribbean. 
• The Natural World features new readings from three award-winning poets, Rebecca Goss, Kathleen Jamie and Harry Man, for whom the natural world and its environment are a vital concern.
• Old Norse Translation Duel!  Debbie Potts and Carolyne Larrington tackle verse from the saga of Gísli.
• Free events – tours, readings and poetry workshops.

Make a note of the date, and visit the Festival website for all the information you need.