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

Wimbledon Championships Poet 2010

Matt Harvey ends the UK’s trophy drought by triumphing as the first Wimbledon Championships Poet 2010 - ok technically he didn’t get a trophy, or even a rosette, not even any M&S vouchers, but he did get people talking about poetry!

Commenting in The New York Times on the decision by The Poetry Trust & the AELTC to team up, Martinia Navratilolva said “Its quirky and British and very Wimbledon”.

Here’s some highlights from Matt’s fortnight at SW19:

• Receiving over 100 hakui from poetry & tennis fans in response to his call to mark the longest tennis match in recorded history in the shortest poetic form
• Winning over an initially sceptical John Humpheys on the Today programme with his crowd-pleasing poem ‘thwok’ declared as ‘brilliant’ by an impressed Humphreys
• Inflicting poetry in a ‘well-meaning sort of way’ on fans in the Champagne bar & reflecting on the great British sport of queuing in two specially produced podcasts from Wimbledon for The Poetry Channel
• Getting 60 children from local primary schools to join in on Centre Court with an interactive poetry reading. The children also wrote their own poems, which included an inspired ‘A plate is for the winner, not for dinner’
• Reading poems to the ball boys and girls for a BBC short film
• Being christened the ‘Baseline Bard’ in a film for CNN
• Talking to sports writer Jamie Jackson in The Guardian
• Popping back to the Today studios to mark Andy Murray’s semi-final

All of this whilst also producing a poem-a-day (and sometimes two). All of Matt’s poems can be enjoyed (audio & text) at: www.thepoetrytrust.org/wimbledon

If you’ve enjoyed Matt’s poems get your hands on a copy of his first (and only collection) The Hole In The Sum of My Parts, published by and available from The Poetry Trust

Photo credit: Neil Tingle/AELTC

 

Aldeburgh First Collection Prize – deadline fast approaching

Submissions for the prestigious Aldeburgh First Collection Prize must arrive by 31 July 2010. Last year saw a record 92 entries for this, one of the most important and long-established poetry prizes in the UK. Judges Jo Shapcott, Neil Rollinson and Michael Laskey (Chair) will select the winner, who’ll receive £3,000, plus a week’s ‘protected’ writing time and a free-paying invitation to read at the 2011 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Since 1989 the prize has helped launch the careers of poets such as Robin Robertson, Nick Laird and Colette Bryce. Click for submission details

 

Suffolk Young Poets Competition – send us your poems!

The Suffolk Young Poets Competition is open to all young people (4 - 18 yrs) living in or attending school in Suffolk. We welcome entries from individuals as well as from schools. Poems can be about anything and judges will be looking for those that show individuality and linguistic daring and are on topics that really matter to the writer. Prizes include book tokens and the chance to read at the 2010 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival with top children’s poet Mandy Coe. Parents, guardians, uncles & aunts with budding writers in the family - now is their chance to shine, so send in those poems. And teachers there’s also a prize for the school with the strongest overall entry. Closing date 31 July 2010. Full details

 

Advertise in The Poetry Paper

The Poetry Paper - an annual triumph of style & content - is currently in the pre-production pipeline as we commission new articles and interviews and dream up some quirky diversions. The 2010 paper will feature an exclusive interview with Seamus Heaney as well as contributions from all 22nd Aldeburgh Poetry Festival poets. To advertise in this gem of a read, which enjoys well-targeted national distribution, contact Alice Kent at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Further details

 

Dean’s Dad’s Ducks

Jerwood Dance House, Ipswich, Friday 23 July 2010, dinner from 7.30pm

Following a triumphant performance at The Cut, Dean Parkin previews his Edinburgh show - Dean’s Dad’s Ducks - at the Jerwood Dancehouse café at the invitation of Dance East. Join Dean on a journey with 30,000 plastic ducks and plenty of poems, songs and some groovy moves along the way. The show’s been given a five duck-rating by Costa Book award-winning poet Christopher Reid.

£15 - Dinner, a drink & entry to the show
£8 - Drink & entry to the show
Box office: 01473 295230
Website: www.danceeast.co.uk

...you can also catch the show at:
Luton Fringe Festival, Monday 26 July & Tuesday 27 July, 8pm
Fringe Theatre & Dance Stage
Tickets: £3 or £2 (with Fringe Pass £6)
Box office: 01582 878100

 

Seamus Heaney, 8th Poetry Prom – Sold Out

The 26th of August is set to be an unforgettable night as Seamus Heaney comes to Snape Maltings for the 8th Poetry Prom - a partnership between The Poetry Trust & Aldeburgh Music. With just under 800 tickets sold this will be one of the largest celebrations of contemporary poetry in the UK’s literary calendar. For all those who’ve not been able to get a ticket, we’ll be recording the evening and producing a podcast for The Poetry Channel to enjoy later in the year. With The Poetry Channel now attracting an average of 1,500 downloads a month, this is the place for in-depth poetry discussions, readings and short documentaries from The Poetry Trust all year-round. www.thepoetrytrust.org/poetry-channel

 

Become a ‘Friend’ of The Poetry Trust & secure priority booking for Aldeburgh Poetry Festival

We’ve just put the finishing touches to the programme for the 22nd Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 5 - 7 November 2010. As always this ultimate poetry weekend will feature internationally renowned poets, exceptional newcomers and some well-kept secrets from the UK and abroad. Popular events do sell out so to make sure you get the tickets you want, you need to be a Friend of The Poetry Trust. For just £15, as well as enjoying a two-week priority booking period you’ll also be helping us deliver our year-round programme of live-events, prizes, publications, creative education opportunities and more. Friends subscriptions make a real difference! The Festival programme will be distributed in late July and Friends priority booking opens 17 August 2010. For details about becoming a Friend see: www.thepoetrytrust.org/friends_scheme/