Since 2007, 40 poets have ‘graduated’ from the Advanced Poetry Seminar, many of whom have gone on to secure recognition, first collection publication, prize nominations and awards.

2011
Liz Berry, Jamie Coward, Ramona Herdman, Hannah Lowe, Alex McCrae, Fiona Moore, Jocelyn Page, Luke Yates

2010
Peter Daniels, Rebecca Farmer, Holly Hopkins, Nicholas MacKinnon, Sophie Nichols, Rebecca Perry, Angela Smith, Tom Warner

2009
Cathy Benson, Jonathan Davidson, David Gilbert, Daniel Hardisty, Helen Mort, Catherine Ormell, Meryl Pugh, River Wolton

2008
Gill Andrews, Cathy Bolton, Graham Clifford, Katrina Naomi, Diana Pooley, Ed Reiss, Philip Rush, Mary Woodward

2007
Sally Baker, Judy Brown, Susan Burns, Philip Hancock, Allison McVety, Philip Polecoff, Kathryn Simmonds, Saradha Soobrayen

An alumni programme is being developed to support, promote and connect Seminar participants. It is anticipated that this will create an influential group in which the more established poets will be able to provide guidance to emerging writers.

The course was undoubtedly one of the best weeks of my life. The detailed feedback and inspiring advice from Michael and Peter made me see my work afresh and I left with an entirely new approach to my writing.
Helen Mort.
Helen has published two collections including Pint for the Ghost, which was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice. Her work has appeared in The Spectator, Poetry Review and The Manhattan Review.

The Advanced Seminar had a really very significant impact on me and my writing. It re-acquainted me with the pleasures of sharing poetry, of hearing it read and reading it aloud.
Jonathan Davidson.
Jonathan is the joint-founder and Associate Director of the Birmingham book Festival and CEO of Writing West Midlands. His radio plays are regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

The Seminar gave me the confidence to find and take up opportunities. It was a remarkably good course with a careful selection process.
Peter Daniels.
Peter won first prize in the 2010 TLS Poetry Competition. Peter is currently engaged on a project to translate poems by Vladislav Khodasevich (1886-1939) from Russian.