I’ve pulled together a list of all the regular literary events, spoken word gatherings, book launches and poetry performances which take place in Cardiff throughout the year. NB. This post has not been updated since Covid – Some of these events change venues or dates on occasion, so please check their websites or pages for more details. If I’ve missed any out please let me know, or add your own events via the comments below…    

First Thursday

Seren organise this regular performance event at Chapter Arts Centre on the first Thursday of every month. They generally feature two of their published writers (sometimes prose, sometimes poetry) followed by an open mic. Starts at 7.30pm, £2.50 entry fee. See the First Thursday Facebook group or Seren’s website for more details. NB. These events don’t take place during the summer or January.

Where I’m Coming From

A regular open mic night which is often held on Tuesday evenings or Sunday afternoons, once every couple of months in the Tramshed. It’s aimed specially at promoting BAME writers but open to anyone who would like to come along and listen or sign up to read / perform on the night. Follow their Twitter feed or Facebook page for details of events.

Company of Words

An open mic evening (with guest performer) which often takes place on the last Wednesday of the month, usually at Little Man Coffee Company, organised by Alix Edwards. See the website for details.

Open Space

Cardiff Central Library allows local writers to hold book launches or other similar events. These events are free, often on Thursday evenings, but ticketed. Search ‘open space Cardiff’ on Eventbrite to see what’s coming up.

Waterstones Events

Waterstones hold regular events. Some events are free, others cost a small amount, and all are held in the upstairs café. You can search for events on their website. They also have a mailing list and a Facebook page.

Octavos Bookshop

Octavos hold a wide variety of regular events including the Sunday Sessions (poetry performance with open mic on the third Sunday of the month 2-4pm, free). They also hold book launches, workshops and other similar events. Visit their Facebook page for more details. Read more about Octavos here.

Octopoet

This is an annual free event held in October, as part of the Made in Roath Festival. Organised by Mark Blayney, it features a variety of published poets and spoken word artists performing their work. See the Made in Roath website for details. Read my review of the 2016 Made in Roath Spoken Word Events here.

Megaverse

Megaverse is an occasional poetry and spoken word event organised and hosted by Will Ford to showcase the diversity of talent in spoken word performance, by experienced performers and new voices. Short slots for each performer ensure the greatest diversity of experience for the audience. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for details.

Milieu

Milieu is a free night of literature, spoken word, art, photography and visual concepts, organised by local poet Rhys Milsom. It takes place four times a year – in March, June, September and December. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for upcoming events.

Open Mic at The Roath Park Pub

A regular weekly open mic event 4-6pm every Sunday at the Roath Park Pub, including music and spoken word. Anyone is free to attend, organised by Ben Wildsmith. Events advertised on Facebook.

Regular Storytelling Events

There are several regular storytelling events that take place in Cardiff and further afield, including those held at Chapter Arts Centre and Milgi’s – for a list of these events visit the Beyond the Border website.



Cardiff Poetry Experiment

An occasional event which provides a platform for the performance of experimental poetry, followed by discussion. It’s organised by Calum Gardner, Wanda O’Conner and Josh Robinson in conjunction with Cardiff University’s School of English, Communication and Philosophy. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for upcoming events.

Cardiff Book Talk

These are fascinating literary events which take place every few months, including academic discussion and debate. They’re organised by Cardiff University’s School of English, Communication and Philosophy but anyone can attend. They are usually free but ticketed. See their website, or Facebook page for details.

Sunday Night Writes

These are monthly Sunday night events hosted by James Sarson at The Other Room (in Porters) which usually include an open mic. Third Sunday of the month – 6-9pm. For more details contact James on sarson1992@gmail.com.

madeinroath

A community arts festival which takes place in Roath, for a week in mid-October each year. There are always plenty of performance, creative writing and literature related events. See their website for details.

Creative Writing Workshops and Writing Groups

I have now moved the list of Cardiff’s regular creative writing workshops and writing groups to another post, as this one was getting too long! Click here to find out more…

Other Useful Places to find out about events:

Literature Wales – What’s On page

Spoken Word Wales

Write Out Loud