There’s a new programme for the third Leeds Poetry Fest, with more events at Left Bank Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club, Chapel FM and Rainbow Junktion from Monday 10th until Sunday 16th July.
Poets from Leeds, across Yorkshire, and further afield will be taking to the stage, and local creatives will lead workshops and interviews. Workshops have been planned so that those from the simply curious and beginners to professionals are catered for. There are open mic opportunities for everyone, too, no matter whether this is your first time or you’re a familiar face.
Our third annual anthology, ‘Out of Time’, curated by a panel of judges and the organiser of the festival, will be launched during the first night of the week. Copies are available to pre-order and will be on sale throughout the week at Left Bank Leeds.
The Organiser of Leeds Poetry Festival, Poppy-Lee: “Every year I get to see this Festival grow and expand with the poetry communities in the City and it only gets more incredible. Each summer is an opportunity to see the communities, venues and artists come together and put on some of the most brilliant poetry shows in the City, and this year is no different. Our programme is for everyone, with performances, interviews, open mics, and workshops open to everyone and accessible to everyone. We’re working closely with more amazing venues and have a spectacular line-up of artists to fill those spaces.
We’re publishing another anthology, Out of Time, that excited and inspired the judges; we’re bringing back Poetry on the Aire, our podcast, for a second season, another six episodes that will launch during Leeds Poetry Festival 2023. You can join myself and Jack Collins for a series of discussions with local artists and tune into two special write-along episodes.”
Sue Jennings, Director of Left Bank Leeds LS6 (home to many of the Festival’s events“We are incredibly proud to see Leeds Poetry Festival enter its third year as the City celebrates its year of culture for 2023. Headed up by a passionate team of young poets and spoken word artists, the Festival provides a platform for emerging talent and exciting local voices as well as established artists, to perform, share and learn… beautifully independent and inclusive, I urge everyone to watch and listen to this growing network of voices exploring our cultural, political and creative futures, past and present.”
Jack Simpson, Owner of Hyde Park Book Club: “Leeds Poetry Festival has quickly become an important date in the City’s literary calendar. Energetic, relevant and beautifully put together, a must for all fans of poetry and language generally.”
Nasser Hussain, a judge on this year’s competition and Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, says: “We had some excellent conversations about the body of work we had to consider, and as I had hoped, there were many truly excellent ideas, images and forms to think about. My overall impression is simple and clear: poetry thrives in Leeds. It was an honour to help out with this contest, but in a way, the judges were the real winners – we got to read everything, and be inspired.”
For more information you can visit the Leeds Poetry Festival website at: www.leedspoetryfestival.com or @leedspoetryfestival on Instagram.
Photography by Dawn Kilner.
