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.   

Factor 1: Friendliness & Welcome

I realise this is a difficult one to define, but I think what made the Aberystwyth Poetry Festival so special was something to do with the fact that audience members (and organisers, and performers) were so open and friendly, willing to chat to each other, to share stories and even to join together to eat lunch or grab a cuppa between events. Perhaps there are several things going on here. If festival organisers are friendly and willing to chat with everyone, not just the performers, that sets the tone for everyone else.

It probably also depends on size and location. Aberystwyth itself is fairly small, and its location (far away from everywhere, on the Welsh coast) means that people tend to travel there for the whole weekend, or at least a whole day. Squeezing multiple events into a short period of time (e.g. a weekend) makes it feel worthwhile travelling such a distance. Only dedicated poetry enthusiasts will make such an effort for a poetry event, often leaving their families behind, so perhaps that makes people more willing to converse with fellow attendees. Bigger festivals that take place over a week or several weeks, with events spread out across more venues, will inevitably attract a more transitory audience.

Factor 2: Audience Involvement & A Sense of Community

I love attending an event where there is plenty of time allocated for the audience to ask questions at the end. These questions can lead to some really engaging discussions, and can also create space for further discussion after the event, because it breaks the performer/audience divide. Poetry festivals are so niche that there will often be poets in the audience, as well as on the stage. I love it when performers and event organisers acknowledge this. It makes the audience feel included, and takes away some of the hierarchy that is created when you give one person the mic.

An open mic event is another way to break down this divide between those poets who appear to be established (because they were paid to read at the festival) and those whose work is less well known. It seems to work particularly well when everyone is encouraged to participate, including those who have already appeared on stage for other events. This kind of open mic sends a clear message to everyone that their involvement in the poetry world is valued and appreciated, even if they themselves lack confidence, or haven’t yet published their own work. Many years ago, I thought that only published poets were allowed to read at open mic events, so it’s also worth making it clear on the festival programme that this is not the case! The open mic at Aber was so good that I forgot to take any photos, but it definitely made the festival feel more inclusive.

Factor 3: Accessibility & Inclusion

Many people have written far more comprehensively on this topic, and I’m acutely aware that making events accessible often depends on funding. A lot of work from volunteers and festival organisers often goes into making events work in a hybrid format, or running a combination of online and in-person events. Larger festivals such as Verve, Ledbury, and Cheltenham have done this well in recent years, though perhaps that is partly because they have had the resources to do so.

My personal preference is to attend events separately as online or in-person. Otherwise, there can be a sense that the online audience are not really included. In some cases, of course, such as when I can’t attend because of illness, the online observation of an in-person event is better than not being able to attend at all. But I often feel that I don’t get the same opportunity to ask questions, or engage in discussion with the people in the room. Whereas an online-only event often does involve opportunities to connect with other audience members.

Making use of accessible venues is probably one of the key factors for in-person festivals, and clearly communicating access details in the festival programme. But there are many other things that often aren’t considered. If the venue has blue badge parking outside, for example, then that will be useful for those with blue badges. But not every disabled person has a blue badge, so additional options can be helpful.

I had a positive experience recently when I booked tickets for a couple of events at the Lyra Poetry Festival in Bristol (which takes place in April). I discovered a document on their website listing contact details for the venue, and was able to email them, asking about nearby parking options. Their response was extremely helpful, and this is the kind of provision that can make a real difference.

Other things that have made a difference for me include paying attention to the temperature and noise levels in the venue. Leaving doors open can create distracting background noise (especially if there is no microphone). I’m aware, from previous experience, that the adrenaline rush you get from performing or hosting an event can raise your temperature, and it’s easy to forget that members of the audience won’t experience the same level of warmth.

Ensuring that two or three different types of seating are available in a venue can also be really helpful, as it enables those of us who struggle with chronic pain to select our seating according to need.

Factor 4: Timing, Location & Cost

When a festival runs several events in one day (or one weekend), in a single venue or location, this always makes me think that the travel time, the energy involved in getting there, and the cost of a ticket might be worthwhile. It’s even better if you can get a discount for attending several events in one go. I also particularly enjoy attending an event which features two or three poets. Perhaps one poet may be well known or familiar, but by bringing several poets together, I get the opportunity to hear new voices, too.

Factor 5: Payment for Performers

This factor should probably go without saying, but I am acutely aware that poets are regularly invited to perform for free, even at reasonably well-funded events. Many of us will occasionally give a reading without asking for payment e.g. if the event is raising money for charity, or because we want to support a small-scale local event, where the audience are not paying to attend, and the organiser is volunteering their own time. However, if we’re not careful, this can easily become the norm. It’s important to remember that festivals which receive funding (e.g. from the Arts Council) and charge for tickets, do normally pay at least a small sum, and travel expenses, for all of their performers. The Society of Authors has a set of guidelines on how much writers should be paid.

If you have ideas about what you think makes a good poetry festival, please do share them below, and let us know about any really fantastic poetry festivals that you’ve attended in the past few years…

I also have a list of poetry festivals in the UK, and would be happy to update this if anyone has new details or specific dates to add…

I’m looking forward to reading at the Aberystwyth Poetry Festival again this year, which will take place on the weekend 8th-10th May, featuring a variety of events on the theme ‘Interconnected: Poetry Beyond the Page’…