Last May I attended the Aberystwyth Poetry Festival, and came away buzzing with ideas. But what was it that made this poetry festival so special? I have been pondering this question for a while now. Of course, everyone will have different experiences of literary festivals. Having organized a few literary events myself, I am aware of just how much unpaid labour often goes into making them happen. Festival organisers often work with very little, if any, funding, and rely heavily on small teams of dedicated volunteers. So here are a few reflections from a poetry festival addict, and please do share your own experiences using the comments below. Continue reading
Upcoming Festivals & Events
Extending the Ekphrastic Conversation with SHAPE Arts
In May 2024 I finally submitted the hard copies of my thesis, and wondered what might come next. With a creative writing PhD, the creative component (in my case, a collection of poems) is usually published as a book, though this process can take a long time. I still intend to publish my poetry collection in book form, but I’ve also had an opportunity to expand my creative work in a new, and unexpected direction. Continue reading
Online Creative Writing Courses – Poetry & Ekphrasis
I’m really excited to be delivering five online creative writing courses in 2025-6! These include three poetry courses: (1) Starting to Write, (2) Experimenting with Form & Technique, and (3) Pushing Poetic Boundaries. There will also be a course on ekphrastic writing, and I posted details about another course (Writing Neurodiversity) a couple of weeks ago. I’ve included a short summary of each course below, with links to find out more information and booking details… Continue reading
An Ekphrastic Celebration & Poetry-Film Launch!
I’m really excited to be launching a poetry-film at an in-person event on 30th October! ‘Fragments of Us’ was commissioned by SHAPE Arts. It combines poetry with a focus on the process of making, reflecting on the creativity of museum visitors who responded to an interactive poetry display that took place at National Museum Cardiff, as part of my PhD research, three years ago. The film incorporates some of the original words taken from museum visitors’ texts, linking them together in a way that embodies the social and relational aspects of this ongoing ekphrastic conversation. Continue reading
A List of Poetry Festivals in the UK
Poetry festivals provide the ultimate opportunity to hear poets perform their work, and to enjoy discussing poetry with like-minded folk. So here is a list of poetry festivals taking place in the UK. I have previously attended Cheltenham, Verve and Ledbury myself, and was lucky enough to be invited to perform at the Aberystwyth festival this year(!) but would also love to attend or perform at many of the others (So, if you are a festival organiser, and would like to invite me along to do a reading or deliver a workshop, please do let me know…) Continue reading