Welcome to Stuff. The Poetry Trust's latest news, events, podcasts and publications.

New Podcasts on The Poetry Channel

Two new podcasts to provide a warm poetry glow this February on The Poetry Channel, both gleaned from the 22nd Aldeburgh Poetry Festival last November.

Poem Show: New Blood
available from Friday 11 February
Three poems by three of the most richly talented young poets on the UK scene. Jack Underwood gives absence a surreal yet touching twist with ‘Your Horse’; there’s Caroline Bird’s wonderfully absurd lament for lost time, ‘I Miss My Tuesdays’;  and we close with Luke Kennard’s joyfully scornful and exhilaratingly spiteful ‘My Friend’.
generously supported by The Ronald Duncan Literary Foundation

Aldeburgh’s Open Workshop
available from Friday 25 February
What has 800 fingers, 160 feet and 80 heads sprouting fresh ideas and new poems? Why, it’s the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival’s unique and ever-popular mass writing workshop, annual inspired and led by Michael Laskey and Jeni Smith. Nick Patrick investigates its collective writing energy and appeal…
generously supported by The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust

 

Poetry Channel Top Ten

The Poetry Channel audience has continued to grow throughout 2010 and if you’re new to our online poetry platform it’s well worth a click around the archive to discover lots of “best words best order” - podcast-style!

It’s also interesting to discover which have been our most popular podcasts to date - a real mixture of international poets (from South Africa, America and Italy) alongside top UK names.

1. Seamus Heaney in conversation with Michael Laskey

2. Discussion: The Female Poem - Maureen Duffy, Annie Freud, Pascale Petit, Jo Shapcott

3. Wimbledon Championships Poet 2010

4. Antjie Krog’s Craft Talk on Afrikaans Poetry

5. Seamus Heaney reading from the Poetry Prom

6. Sharon Olds Interview, with Michael Laskey

7. Aldeburgh Backchat: Albert Goldbarth

8. Poem Show - American Special: Mark Halliday, Jane Hirshfield, Thomas Lux

9. Poem Show - Summer Special: Adrian Mitchell, Matt Harvey, Helena Nelson

10. Aldeburgh Conversation: Jamie McKendrick & Valerio Magrelli, with Robert Seatter

So, what’s been your favourite Poetry Channel podcast and why? Do let us know…

 

David Harsent at UEA Spring Literary Festival 2010

Don’t forget your Poetry Passport at the UEA Spring Literary Festival on Tuesday 8 February. That’s when David Harsent will be reading in Lecture Theatre 1 at UEA. David will also discuss his work as well as take questions from the audience at the end of the session. “Poems that move you and make you think” - according to William Boyd (Guardian ‘Books of the Year’).

The Poetry Passport is a terrific deal we’ve brokered with UEA - it’s a ticket that enables you to attend three poetry evenings for just £12 (with Alice Oswald and Costa-winning Jo Shapcott to follow between now and May). To buy a ‘Poetry Passport’ or tickets for individual readings (£6 each), telephone 01603 508050. For full programme you can visit their website.

To read ‘Moppet’, a typically arresting new David Harsent poem - in the recent Poetry magazine (Chicago) - click here

 

Aldeburgh Poets at the National Portrait Gallery

Since 2003, Peter Everard Smith has been capturing spontaneous and definitive images of world-class poets at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and Poetry Prom. So we’re delighted that two of his iconic photographs will be celebrated at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2011. A portrait of Carol Ann Duffy taken at Snape Maltings (prior to her 2005 Poetry Prom reading) will be going on display in the gallery from 15th February as part of the ‘New Acquisitions’ selection.
http://bit.ly/poetrypromduffypic

And this will be followed later this year by a Geoffrey Hill portrait, taken after his extraordinary Aldeburgh Poetry Festival reading in 2009.

To enjoy more ‘Aldeburgh Poets’, visit Peter’s online gallery

 

Good News: The Garfield Weston Foundation says Yes!

Everyone knows these are extraordinarily stressful and challenging times for the arts - and especially for small organisations specialising in contemporary poetry. But 2011 is off to a really good start with the excellent recent news of a significant award towards The Poetry Trust’s core costs over the next two years from The Garfield Weston Foundation. This fantastic and timely investment in our future ought to boost our recently-submitted National Portfolio Organisation application to the Arts Council…

 

 

Costa Award for Jo Shapcott

Many congratulations to Jo Shapcott for winning the 2011 Costa Book of The Year. We’re thrilled that Jo scooped the £30,000 prize for Of Mutability (Faber), her first collection in 12 years and containing all the poems we so enjoyed at her pre-publication 2009 Aldeburgh reading. Jo becomes the second poet in a row to win the Costa, after last year’s award for Christopher Reid. It’s great to see poetry taking centre stage - especially when it’s by one of the fantastic co-judges of our 2010 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize!
You can hear Jo read her unsettling yet affectionate ‘Somewhat Unravelled’ from her award-winning collection on The Poetry Channel as part of our ‘Wonderful & Strange’ Poem Show. And while you’re there, check out her characteristically articulate insights at The Female Poem discussion (with Maureen Duffy, Pascale Petit and Annie Freud).

 

Other STUFF you might enjoy:

Dean’s Dad’s Ducks
The Poetry Trust’s very own Dean Parkin will be reprising his successful Edinburgh Fringe one man show at Dereham Library in Norfolk on Saturday 19 February as part of the Breckland Winter Arts Festival.
http://bit.ly/derehamduckshow

Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition 2011
Judge: Carole Satyamurti, closing date: 30 April 2011
http://bit.ly/warepoetrycomp2011

The 58th Crabbe Poetry Competition 2011
Open to anyone either born, resident at any time or educated in Suffolk.
Judge: Elaine Feinstein, closing date: 31 May 2011
http://www.suffolkpoetrysociety.org.uk/crabbecompetition/index.php