Members' Area(left to right: Moniza Alvi, Phoebe Stuckes, D Nurkse, Rachel Long – photo: Amaal Said) Please join us via Zoom for the online celebration of the Summer issue of The Poetry Review. Our exciting readers will be Moniza Alvi, Rachel Long, from the US, D. Nurkse, and our Geoffrey Dearmer Prize winner, Phoebe Stuckes. […]
highlights
“the task of being real”: Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award and National Poetry Competition Ledbury Poetry Festival showcase (Zoom)
Each year at Ledbury Poetry Festival, The Poetry Society traditionally showcases a selection of the finest new voices to have emerged from its flagship poetry competitions, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award and the National Poetry Competition. This year, The Poetry Society is pleased to bring these celebratory readings to the comfort of […]
Into the Water: canal poetry readings and screenings (Zoom)
As Canal Laureate, Nancy Campbell studied fish migration, learnt about locks, and paddled her kayak 100 miles during a drought. Poems bubbling out of these Laureate experiences have just been published in a handsome Happenstance pamphlet, Navigations, which Nancy will read from and discuss. Joining Nancy will be Jo Bell, Canal Laureate 2013-15, reading new […]
Peggy Poole Award / National Poetry Competition launch readings
Left to right: Rosie Shepperd, Louisa Adjoa Parker (photo: Robert Golden), Michael Symmons Roberts (photo: Andrew Crowley), Mark Pajak (photo: Robert Peet) The Poetry Society presents a special event celebrating the Peggy Poole Award featuring readings from the 2018 Peggy Poole Award winner Mark Pajak, alongside his mentor through the Award, acclaimed poet, novelist and librettist […]
Peggy Poole Award readings at Ev
The Poetry Society presents a special event featuring readings from poet Mark Pajak, the winner of the 2018 Peggy Poole Award – a new talent development award recognising emerging writers in the North West of England – alongside the judge of this year’s competition, celebrated poet, novelist and librettist Michael Symmons Roberts. Mark Pajak has […]
[UPDATED] The Poetry Review Spring issue launch
Programme change: Owing to the current situation related to coronavirus, all our in-person live events are on hold. We are currently looking at ways we can turn as many of these events as we can into accessible, online, digital versions. If you were planning on attending this event, please keep the date in your diary, […]
[UPDATED] Stanza Bonanza: featuring poets from Oxford and Reading
Programme change: Owing to the current situation related to coronavirus, all our in-person live events are on hold. We are currently looking at ways we can turn as many of these events as we can into accessible, online, digital versions. If you were planning on attending this event, please keep the date in your diary, […]
[UPDATED] Poetry @ 3
Programme change: Owing to the current situation related to coronavirus, all our in-person live events are on hold. We are currently looking at ways we can turn as many of these events as we can into accessible, online, digital versions. If you were planning on attending this event, please keep the date in your […]
Workshop: a mini editing masterclass with Will Harris
A practical afternoon workshop as part of Free Verse, the Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. Poet, essayist and editor Will Harris is one of the guest editors for the forthcoming issue of The Poetry Review. He’ll look at edits of poems by others and share his most successful strategies for getting your work noticed, whether […]
Workshop: A Small Press Publishing How-to with Bad Betty Press
A practical morning workshop as part of Free Verse, the Poetry Book and Magazine Fair. If you’ve ever dreamed of setting up a small press, new indie poetry publisher, Bad Betty Press, is here to help you with ideas, top tips and case studies. Join Bad Betty Press editor Amy Acre for a conversation about […]
Free Verse Poetry Book & Magazine Fair
Free Verse is an all-day market, celebrating the vitality of contemporary poetry in the UK, publishers and organisations both large and small, both experimental and traditional, who display and sell their work direct to the public. Free Verse is managed by The Poetry Society. The 2020 fair will feature over 70 poetry stalls to browse […]
Poetry @ 3
Poetry @ 3 is (usually) the first Thursday of each month at the Poetry Cafe – an open mic for poets who like to come out and play during the day. Hosted by the Poetry Society’s Paul McGrane. No booking required, just turn up. Sign up between 2.30 and 3 to read. FREE. NOTE: Due […]
The Poetry Review Winter issue launch
The Poetry Society celebrates the publication of the Winter 2019 issue of The Poetry Review with an exciting line-up of readers featuring Don Paterson, Victoria Kennefick and Amy Acre, who will be introduced by the Guest Editor of the issue, Colette Bryce. Doors open at 7pm, readings begin at 7.30pm. The event is FREE but […]
Poetry Archive launch Foyle Young Poets collection
Poetry Archive has launched a very special collection of poems from winners of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Run by The Poetry Society and generously supported by The Foyle Foundation, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award has been discovering, celebrating and supporting the very best young poets from around the […]
Lorna Goodison recipient of Her Majesty’s 2019 Gold Medal of Poetry
Jamaica’s Poet Laureate Lorna Goodison has been announced as the recipient of Her Majesty’s 2019 Gold Medal for Poetry, on the basis of the body of her work, which includes thirteen collections of poetry, as well as a selection of short stories. The Gold Medal for Poetry was established by King George V in 1933 […]
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting up ceremony 2019
Christmas is on its way once more – and in one of London’s favourite traditions, the famous Norwegian Christmas Tree will soon begin its journey to Trafalgar Square. The Poetry Society and the Royal Norwegian Embassy are once again encircling the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree in poetry, to celebrate the City of Oslo’s annual gift […]
Poetry @ 3
Poetry @ 3 is (usually) the first Thursday of each month at the Poetry Cafe – an open mic for poets who like to come out and play during the day. Hosted by the Poetry Society’s Paul McGrane. No booking required, just turn up. Sign up between 2.30 and 3 to read. FREE. NOTE: Due […]
The Poetry Society 2019 AGM and readings
All Poetry Society Members are welcome at the 2019 Annual General Meeting of The Poetry Society. Following the formal business of the AGM starting at 7pm there will be a celebratory reading (due to start around 7.30-7.45pm) featuring Jo Shapcott, Carole Bromley, winner of the Hamish Canham Prize 2019, Penny Boxall (2019 Stanza Poetry Competition […]
Blue Black Permanent screening with an introduction by So Mayer
The Poetry Society is delighted to present a screening of Margaret Tait‘s haunting film Blue Black Permanent (1992). Tait’s only feature-length film, from her own screenplay, was produced by the BFI and is the first Scottish feature film directed by a woman.. The screening will be introduced by So Mayer, to tie in with their […]
Where Light Falls: Coventry
Over the last year, The Poetry Society has been working on Historic England’s project Where Light Falls – a spectacular combination of light, history and poetry. A poem written by Jane Commane, exploring the war time history of Coventry Cathedral, and written with participants from local schools and community groups, will be projected on to the […]
Where Light Falls: London
Over the last year, The Poetry Society has been working on Historic England’s project Where Light Falls – a spectacular combination of light, history and poetry. A poem written by Keith Jarrett, exploring the war time history of St Paul’s Cathedral, and written with participants from local schools and community groups, will be projected on […]
The Poetry Review Autumn issue launch
NOTE: This event is now fully booked. Returns on the door only. The Poetry Society will be launching the Autumn issue of The Poetry Review, at the Poetry Café, London, on 9 October. Our exciting line-up includes Aria Aber, Colette Bryce and Greta Stoddart. We will also have a filmed recording by the acclaimed US […]
Annie Yim – The Poet Speaks: From Debussy to Pärt
MusicArt, in association with The Poetry Society, presents a poetry-inspired concert for National Poetry Day, featuring pianist Annie Yim, the poet Zaffar Kunial and composers Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Raymond Yiu. ‘The Poet Speaks’, a MusicArt conceptual concert, combines the recorded voices of composers and writers with live piano, juxtaposing poems from two centuries with musical responses to […]
National Poetry Day 2019: Time Line calligraphy workshop
This National Poetry Day join master calligrapher Paul Antonio at a free drop-in session at the Poetry Café, during which he will demonstrate how to interpret lines of poetry into beautiful pages of script. Should you feel inspired, you can join in and create some calligraphy of your own to take home! Relax before or […]
Schools National Poetry Day Live 2019 at Southbank Centre
Join us this National Poetry Day on the Clore Ballroom at Southbank Centre, London, for an unmissable free poetry event hosted by the incredible Joelle Taylor. We’ll be hearing from prize-winning poets Daljit Nagra, Raymond Antrobus, Dzifa Benson, Young People’s Laureate for London Theresa Lola, and former Foyle Young Poet Jasmine Simms – all thinking […]
National Poetry Day 2019: poems on the tannoy
To celebrate this year’s National Poetry Day, The Poetry Society has teamed up with London Underground to record some poets reading selected verse from the Poems on the Underground initiative. Poems will also be available to hear online on the day. Head to Covent Garden tube station on National Poetry Day to hear poems read […]
National Poetry Competition readings at The Poetry Café – Stephen Sexton with Jane Yeh and Kirsten Irving
l-r: Jane Yeh (credit: Andy Forest), Kirsten Irving, Stephen Sexton (credit: Michael Weir) As the weeks count down towards the deadline for the 2019 National Poetry Competition on 31st October (enter here), The Poetry Society is delighted to welcome the competition’s 2016 winner Stephen Sexton who will read from his new debut collection If All […]
Young Poets Takeover 17 August 2019
It’s the summer, which means it’s time for another Young Poets Takeover! This will be our fifth Takeover of The Poetry Café, as part of The Poetry Society’s programme for young writers. We are pushing young voices to the fore – so if you want to hear from the up-and-coming stars of the poetry world, […]
Young Poets Network Poetry in Translation workshop with Clare Pollard
Have you ever translated a poem? This summer, The Poetry Society’s Young Poets Network has teamed up with Modern Poetry in Translation to challenge young writers worldwide to try their hand at translating poetry. Find out more about the challenge here. As part of this partnership we’re delighted to offer writers aged 14-25 a free […]
Ledbury Festival Showcase: John Masefield High School Students with Foyle Young Poets
(left to right: Mukahang Limbu – picture credit: Cesare Di Giglio, Phoebe Power, Lucy Thynne) Three Foyle Young Poets, Mukahang Limbu, Lucy Thynne and Forward Prize winner Phoebe Power will be reading at this free event as part of the Ledbury Poetry Festival. The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award for poets aged […]
National Poetry Competition readings at Ledbury
(l-r) Wayne Holloway-Smith, Katie Griffiths, Ella Frears The 2018 National Poetry Competition saw 10 prize winners chosen by the judges, from over 14,000 poems. This is your chance to hear readings from three of those fantastic commended and winning poets at Ledbury Poetry Festival. Commended poet Ella Frears, whose pamphlet Passivity, Electricity, Acclivity was published […]
The Poetry Review Summer Launch
THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED: please email [email protected] to be put on the waiting list, and we’ll let you know if a place becomes available. Please join us in The Poetry Café as we celebrate the launch of the Summer issue of The Poetry Review. Introduced by Editor Emily Berry, our exciting line-up of readers […]
Poetry Society & Faber present New Voices at Hebden Bridge Festival
(l-r) Wayne Holloway-Smith, Rachael Allen (credit: Daniela Silva), Zaffar Kunial (credit: Kevin Lake), Yvonne Reddick (credit: Hayley Madden) The Poetry Society and Faber are partnering to present an exciting quartet of striking poetry voices who are fast-gaining in reputation through recent publications and award wins. Join us for what promises to be a fabulous evening […]
Young Poets Takeover with Chicago Youth Poet Laureates
Get ready – on Saturday 15 June we’re hosting our fourth free Young Poets Takeover. This time we’re extremely excited to be joined by three incredible young poets from Chicago who are taking the US poetry world by storm. Natalie Richardson, Kara Jackson and Patricia Frazier will be in London as part of a unique […]
Poem-A-Thon at the Poetry Cafe
A non-stop Poem-a-Thon featuring an astonishing line-up of sixty poets over ten hours raising money for The Poetry Society. Each poet will read for eight minutes, entry is by donation, and you can come and go as you please. There’ll also be a tombola – your chance to win fabulous prizes! It’s going to […]
Kate Wakeling at the NOW Gallery
The Poetry Society is pleased to present a special reading of both children’s poetry and adult poetry from award-winning poet Kate Wakeling, held at the NOW Gallery on the Greenwich Peninsula, London. The event is one of seven literary events to tie in with NOW Gallery’s exhibition, ‘The Mouse and His Child’, named after the […]
The Poetry Review Spring Launch
Please join us in The Poetry Café as we celebrate the launch of the Spring issue of The Poetry Review. Introduced by Editor Emily Berry, our exciting line-up of readers will be Sophie Collins, Inua Ellams and Carolyn Jess-Cooke. Tickets are FREE but must be reserved in advance at [email protected] • Doors open at 7pm, readings […]
Jean Sprackland and Martha Sprackland
A rare mother and daughter double bill, this one! We welcome two poets from the same family for a night out at the Poetry Cafe – Jean Sprackland reading from her newly published book Green Noise, and Martha Sprackland reading recent work and new translations. Jean Sprackland is a poet and writer. She is the […]
National Poetry Competition 40th anniversary readings at Kings Place
Join us for at a celebratory 40th anniversary event for the National Poetry Competition – one of the most prestigious poetry competitions in the world – featuring readings and new commissions from some of the UK’s finest writers. The Poetry Society presents a dazzling line-up of ten poets who have gained recognition through the National […]
Winning Lines: a National Poetry Competition workshop with Mary Jean Chan
Join Mary Jean Chan in an interactive creative writing workshop which will hone in on some of the victorious poems from the past 40 years of the National Poetry Competition. You will explore these winning poems through group discussion and critical analysis, and undertake creative writing exercises to draw inspiration from these works and help bring new […]