Welcome to Stuff. The Poetry Trust's latest news, events, podcasts and publications.
2010 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize now open for submissions
The Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2010 is now open for submissions from publishers and individual poets. As the first serious ‘First Collection’ award, Aldeburgh’s is now one of the most prestigious and highly valued poetry prizes in the UK. Previous recipients include Robin Robertson, Colette Bryce and Nick Laird. The winner receives £3,000, plus a fee-paying invitation to read at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 2011 and a weeks ‘protected’ writing time on the East Suffolk coast. Plans are afoot to extend the scope and benefits of the prize to offer mentoring for the winner and shortlisted poets and increased opportunities at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. The poet-judges this year are Michael Laskey (Chair), Neil Rollinson and Jo Shapcott.
Closing date for entries is 31 July 2010.
Listen to Ciaran Berry, the 2008 winner on The Poetry Channel (scroll to Aldeburgh Backchat 8)
The Female Poem – does it exist? New podcast on The Poetry Channel
To mark International Women’s Day - Monday 8 March - we’ve produced a new podcast for The Poetry Channel on the vexed question of The Female Poem. This is an edited 20 minute version of the lively and wide-ranging one hour discussion chaired by Jo Shapcott during the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 2009. Enjoy Maureen Duffy, Pascale Petit and Annie Freud debate, amongst other things, the horror of being labelled a ‘female poet’, whether the male poem is the default position, the importance of ‘outsider art’, why ‘miserable guys stalk the poetic world’ and whether Donne, Keats and Wyatt actually wrote ‘female’ poems.
The Poetry Toolkit – foolproof recipes for teaching poetry in the classroom
For more than a decade The Poetry Trust has been running creative workshops for teachers. This new (free) toolkit draws on this unrivalled experience and provides fun, adaptable, tried-and-tested exercises to get young people - and indeed people of any age - confidently writing poetry. Primary and secondary school teachers who kept on coming to our workshops have repeatedly said what a revelation it was to try writing themselves - putting themselves in the position of their pupils. Dip into the toolkit which is based on direct contributions from leading poet-tutors - including Mandy Coe, Peter Sansom, Jackie Wills and Anthony Wilson - for warm-ups and group exercises based on poem-jigsaws, photographs, eavesdropping and telling lies! Printed copies of the toolkit will be sent to all Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk schools who participated in the workshops.
Click for your free PDF download copy
Advanced Poetry Seminar welcomes outstanding new talent
The Poetry Trust’s fourth annual Advanced Poetry Seminar takes place this month, bringing together eight exceptional poets early in their publishing careers. The Seminar dynamically delivers on The Poetry Trust’s mission to identify talented poets and nurture their creative and professional development. The calibre of the nominations and applications this year (43 in total) was particularly high and the eight poets selected show real talent combined with strong evidence of commitment. Tutors Michael Laskey and Peter Sansom look forward to working with: Peter Daniels, Rebecca Farmer, Holly Hopkins, Nicholas MacKinnon, Sophie Nicholls, Rebecca Perry, Angela Smith and Tom Warner at Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk.
Enjoy a fly-on-the-wall podcast documentary of last year’s seminar on The Poetry Channel (scroll down to ‘The Write Stuff’)
Celebrated Scottish Poet Robin Robertson at UEA Literary Festival this month
Wednesday 17 March, 7.00pm, Lecture Theatre 1, University of East Anglia
The Poetry Trust is partnering the UEA Spring Literary Festival and can whole-heartedly recommend an evening with the outstanding Robin Robertson. Robin is the only poet to have won both the Aldeburgh and Forward First Collection Prizes (in 1997) and he has since won all three categories of Forward Prize. His poems draw on myth and the natural world - stark imagery of falconry, forests, fishermen - and his poetry is exhilarating in its oral and aural relish for language. A L Kennedy describes him as “master of the dark and wounded, the torn complexities of human relations.”
Tickets £6, telephone 01603 508050
Click for full programme
The Poetry Trust – Staff News
The Poetry Trust bids a very fond farewell this month to Judy Braggins, our administrator extraordinaire who has been a linchpin for the organisation for over five years. Judy’s exemplary warmth and commitment have been of enormous value during the Trust’s transformation from regional poetry hub to national literature flagship. She has proved herself a great friend to poetry and to the many national and international poets we’ve worked with since 2004.
Certainly she’s a hard act to follow, but we’re delighted to welcome Katie Burroughs - Judy’s administrator job-share since August 2009 - who will take up The Poetry Trust’s new role of Operations Manager from April 2010. Katie will be in the office four days a week and her energy, clear-sighted practicality and humour (oh, and her IT skills) promise to be invaluable to our next phase of development.
All administrative and operational questions should now be directed to Katie Burroughs. Contact her at: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Other Stuff you may like:
Cambridge Wordfest 2010 Spring 9 - 11 April
Look out for the fabulous Wonderful Beast Theatre Company’s production of YES - the cabaret celebrating the life and work of Adrian Mitchell which was commissioned by The Poetry Trust and premiered to a sold-out audience at the 2009 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival.
Academy of American Poets - Poem on the Range
2010 Templar Poetry Pamphlet & Collection Prizes - closing date 8 May 2010
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
The art of translation – two new podcasts on The Poetry Channel
This month we’re celebrating the art of poetry translation. Every year poets in translation are a key element of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and a necessary reminder that not all poetry starts off in English! Enjoy two insightful and meditative conversations on the process and challenge of translating the uniqueness of another poet’s vision and voice.
Jamie McKendrick is the translator of the pre-eminent Italian poet Valerio Magrelli. Magrelli’s first UK publication The Embrace: Selected Poems was launched by Faber at the 2009 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. McKendrick suggests that translation involves revealing the language within the language and finding the distinct and unique tongue of the individual writer. Magrelli himself is an experienced translator, obsessed by the complex inner life of words.
The Poetry Channel
Sasha Dugdale has won huge acclaim for her translations of Elena Shvarts, one of Russia’s greatest contemporary poets. In conversation with Robert Seatter she discusses how Shvarts’s extraordinarily eccentric view of the world has influenced her own poetry. And be sure not to miss her Russian recital of Robert Burns…
The Poetry Channel
More poetry in translation news and links…
The Stephen Spender Prize for Poetry Translation 2010: Three categories: Open, 18-and-under and 14-and-under. Deadline Friday 28 May 2010
The Poetry Translation Centre: Dedicated to translating contemporary poetry from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The British Centre for Literary Translation: Take a look at the new website for the UK’s leading centre for the development, promotion and support of literary translation.
Modern Poetry in Translation: The international magazine for the translation of poetry into English.
Poetry @ The Cut, Thursday 4 March, 7.30pm, The Cut, Halesworth
This spring join us at The Cut for an evening with two exceptionally warm and generous poets. This is a fantastic opportunity - rare in Suffolk - to hear such high quality live poetry.
Mimi Khalvati
Described by George Szirtes as “one of the most poignant and graceful poets currently writing in England”, Mimi Khalvati has published six collections and her work has been translated into nine languages. She has been praised for writing “some of the finest sad poems since Tennyson”. Her lyric poems touch on joyous celebrations of the physical world, snapshots from childhood and tender poems of family, loss and love.
Roger Robinson
“We need poets like Roger Robinson,” says Bernardine Evaristo who describes the Trinidadian writer as a “fresh, daring, sensitive, clear-sighted and big-hearted poetic voice”. Part of a new generation of writers who take their cues from music and comedy, his energetic performances have won him a legion of loyal fans. He delivered an outstanding and memorable reading at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival last autumn.
Tickets £6
Box office: 0845 673 2123
More information
Supported by The Limbourne Trust
STUFF about… Peter Sansom
Kicking-off a new monthly slot in which we delve deeper into the world and words of an individual poet we’re keen on, we bring you… STUFF about Peter Sansom. Peter has made ‘a sort of living’ from poetry for over 20 years and has been praised for the ‘candour of his confessions’ and his ‘surrealistic take on every day life’. Through residencies with Marks & Spencer, The Prudential and Morrisons he has sought to demystify contemporary poetry. As Director of The Poetry Business he has tutored countless poets, stressing the importance of ‘writing authentically’ and ‘saying genuinely what you genuinely need to say’. Described by The Guardian ‘as the best poetry teacher in the world’, Peter is the co-tutor of the Aldeburgh Advanced Seminar taking place next month. His latest pamphlet The Night is Young, is published by and available from The Rialto.
What’s The Poetry Trust been up to during the big freeze?
According to Dean Parkin (Creative Director), “The 2010 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival programme has been coming together since June last year. We’ve already got eight names confirmed (including three international poets) and the rest of the invitations will be going out by the end of February. The Festival is known for its general principle of not inviting poets back - a rule we’ve sometimes relaxed when there’s been a break of a decade or more. This year we’re currently aiming for a completely fresh line-up of poets and so far the eight confirmed poets are all first-timers. But things may change…
Once our main 12 poets are all in place (hopefully by the beginning of March!) then the fun begins: sorting out the reading order and concurrent events; finding out more about poets’ particular interests and enthusiasms; identifying less obvious poets for stimulating close readings and craft talks; and best of all, acting as a matchmaker to create unusual pairings for conversations.
Festival aside, I’m looking forward to Mimi Khalvati and Roger Robinson coming to The Cut in March. Mimi’s workshop sold-out predictably fast but there are still tickets available for the evening reading. We’re also busy recording new poem shows for The Poetry Channel for a U.S. Poets series we’ll be running throughout April (coinciding with National Poetry Month in America).
And… when I emerge from my three days a week at Poetry Trust Towers, I’m busy preparing my own show for Edinburgh in August…
New Board Member
The Poetry Trust is seeking a specialist new trustee to join its dynamic board. Current membership comprises a strong mix of marketing, legal, financial, digital, and business planning skills and experience. But the board needs a champion money-raiser and advocate. In today’s difficult financial climate, the Trust must maintain its outstanding fundraising track record to ensure a robust future. Could you be just who we’re looking for?
For an informal chat and more information, please call 01986 835950. Or send a CV and statement of suitability to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (The Poetry Trust, The Cut, 9 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk, IP19 8BY)
Arts Council Consultation – Achieving great art for everyone
Between now and 14 April 2010, Arts Council England are consulting artists, arts organisations and other key stakeholders on future priorities for the arts. This is a major consultation that will help shape arts funding and development over the next ten years. Poetry has been highlighted as a particular priority area within the literature strand. Share your views
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You may also be interested in …
Words by the Water Literature Festival 5-14 March, Cumbria
Including the Mirehouse Poetry Prize reading on 13 March
The Michael Marks Award for Poetry Pamphlets Two awards worth £5,000; the Poetry Award recognises an outstanding work of poetry published in pamphlet form in 2009, and the Publishers’ Award is for a publisher to reward their endeavours in promoting poetry pamphlets in 2009. Deadline 12 March 2010.
Writer in Residence The Hosking House is seeking to appoint a writer for its twelfth arts residency. The appointment is restricted to women aged forty or more. Deadline 12 April 2010.
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
New poem shows on The Poetry Channel
Happy 2010 to all STUFF readers and to get the New Year off to a great start here’s three rewarding new programmes. Take a tour behind the scenes of the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival with three erudite and generous poets who offer reflections, advice and inspiration. Keep an eye on The Poetry Channel this year as The Poetry Trust continues to develop this as the place to go for lively poetry interviews and discussions. And tell us what you think: Do you enjoy the shows? Any suggestions for improvements? Please drop us an email at: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Aldeburgh Backchat: Roger Robinson
Revealing insights from Trinidadian writer Roger Robinson who reflects on his inspirational father, his outstanding teachers and the thorny issue of cultural diversity in contemporary poetry. He also talks about finding the right place to write and the importance of ‘just writing, not judging’ in the first instance.
Aldeburgh Backchat: Ciaran Berry
Last year’s winner of the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize discusses the experience of devising a first collection and how he plans to spend his ‘protected’ writing time - a unique feature of this national poetry prize. He also considers the cultural traditions and interplay of poetry between Ireland, the USA and the UK.
Interview with Maureen Duffy
One of the UK’s most versatile writers with over half a century of work, Maureen Duffy is a respected poet, novelist, playwright and biographer. Here she talks to Robert Seatter about the ‘constant beacon of Sappho’, her ‘immense identification with Keats’, and finding ‘the female muse’ through love poetry.
The Advanced Poetry Seminar – Call for nominations/applications 15 - 19 March 2010
* Deadline: Friday 12 February 2010
“Stretched, challenged and propelled”, “Undoubtedly one of the best weeks of my life” - this is how two previous participants described their experience of the Aldeburgh Seminar, an outstanding professional and creative development opportunity for poets early in their publishing careers. The Poetry Trust is looking for a maximum of eight UK poets either at first collection or between first and second collection stage to participate in this residential course. Led by Michael Laskey and Peter Sansom, two exceptional poet/tutors with strong editorial experience, the course will include: workshopping, tutorials, craft talks and practical advice on giving readings. Over five-days participants will stay and learn together at Bruisyard Hall, a 14th century atmospheric and spacious retreat in rural Suffolk. Tuition, accommodation and all meals are included in the highly subsidised cost of £285 per participant. Further details and application/nomination information
or call 01986 835950 or email: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Enjoy a fly-on-the-wall documentary of the 2009 Aldeburgh Seminar on The Poetry Channel (scroll to the 10th podcast)
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Poetry @ The Cut – An exhilarating mix of vibrant voices
Thursday 4 March, 7.30pm, £6, The Cut, Halesworth
Box Office: 0845 673 2123
This spring The Poetry Trust welcomes two exceptionally warm and engaging poets for an evening of high-calibre life-affirming poetry. Join us at The Cut contemporary arts venue to enjoy an evening with:
Mimi Khalvati - Described by George Szirtes as “one of the most poignant and graceful poets currently writing in England”, Mimi Khalvati has published six collections and her work has been translated into nine languages. Her poems are full of generosity of spirit and touch on joyous celebrations of the physical world, snapshots from childhood and tender poems of family, loss and love. Enjoy Mimi reading ‘It’s heartache’ on The Poetry Channel (Poem Show 1)
Roger Robinson - “We need poets like Roger Robinson,” says Bernardine Evaristo who describes the Trinidadian writer as “a fresh, daring, sensitive, clear-sighted and big-hearted poetic voice”. Part of a new generation of writers who take their cues from music and comedy, his energetic performances have won him a legion of loyal fans. He delivered a memorable reading at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival last autumn. Watch Roger read his poem ‘The Misuse of Magic’.
* Creative writing workshop with Mimi Khalvati
From prose to poetry, Thursday 4 March, 4 - 6pm, £15
Prior to the evening reading, Mimi Khalvati will lead an inspiring and insightful workshop exploring the difference between poetry and prose. Just 12 places are available for this opportunity - rare in Suffolk - to generate fresh work and learn from one of the most outstanding teachers in the business. To book a place contact the Box Office on 0845 673 2123.
Listen to Mimi Khalvati’s whistle-stop tour of the ‘line-break’ and the essence of poetry on The Poetry Channel (Aldeburgh Craft Talk: Mimi Khalvati)
Brilliant poetry at UEA Spring Literary Festival 2010
Poetry is a particular highlight of the UEA Spring Literary Festival this year, with three outstanding internationally acclaimed poets coming to the University of East Anglia. The Poetry Trust is partnering the festival and would like to draw your attention to the amazingly good value Poetry Passport - a ticket that enables you to attend all three poetry evenings for just £12. Each poet will read and discuss their work and there is dedicated time for questions from the audience. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear world-class poetry in the East of England.
Don Paterson Tuesday 26 January, 7.00pm, Lecture Theatre 1, UEA
Just awarded The Queens Gold Medal for Poetry, Paterson’s fourth collection Rain won the 2009 Forward Prize and was described by Prize Chair Josephine Hart as “knee-weakeningly good”.
Robin Robertson Wednesday 17 March, 7.00pm, Lecture Theatre 1, UEA
Robertson is the only poet to have won both the Aldeburgh and Forward First Collection Prizes (in 1997) and he has since won all three categories of Forward Prize.
Simon Armitage Wednesday 19 May, 7.00pm, Lecture Theatre 1, UEA
A close-runner for the laureate and currently poet-in-residence at the Southbank Centre, he has published nine collections of poems which, to quote Carol Ann Duffy, “have an energy which comes directly from life now and the living language.”
To buy a ‘Poetry Passport’ or tickets for individual readings (£6), telephone 01603 508050. For full programme information visit: www.uea.ac.uk/litfest
Short Cuts Cabaret & Open Mic Night, The Cut, Halesworth, 7.30pm, Friday 22 January 2010
Why not let an oversized mock-Russian ballet dancer chase away those January blues. Join us for Suffolk’s cult-status variety show as we welcome special guest ‘Madame Galina New Forces Sweetheart’ whose London show was described by Time Out as ‘the bargain of the week ticket’ and as providing ‘non-stop belly-ache laughter’. The evening will also feature the dazzling array of strange or stupendous Open Mic talent with its heady mix of comedy, music, spoken word, live poetry and audience participation. Hosted by Dean Parkin (think Eric Morecambe crossed with Philip Larkin), with jazz and boogie-woogie maestro Maurice Horhut at the piano. Food and drink will also be available at The Cut, contemporary arts venue, café & bar.
To apply for a slot, contact Dean on 01986 835950 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Supported by The Co-op Community Fund
Tickets cost £5, Call The Cut Box office on 0845 6732123
Christopher Reid wins Costa Book Award
Huge congratulations to Christopher Reid on winning the Poetry category of the Costa Book Awards this week. Christopher is a good friend of The Poetry Trust and former judge of the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize. His winning collection A Scattering - a tribute to his late wife - was described by judges as “intensely moving, compelling and honest.” More
You may also enjoy…
TS Eliot Prize Readings, Sunday 17 January 2010, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
The Petty Concerns of Luke Wright, 12th - 30th January
The Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington www.lukewright.co.uk
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
The Aldeburgh Poetry Festival celebrates its 21st with a record-breaking year
Tom Paulin said it was ‘the best poetry festival - indeed, literary festival’ that he had ever been to, and with a record overall attendance figure of 4,630, there was certainly something of a buzz to the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Thank you to all of you who made it and also those who completed the online Festival survey. An overwhelming 92% of you rated your Festival experience as either ‘excellent’ (49%) or ‘good’ (43%). Philip Levine was chosen as the ‘favourite’ Festival poet, his reading was described by one attendee as ‘an inspirational visual and auditory experience’. Other highlights included: Geoffrey Hill, who showed a surprisingly lighter side when explaining a ‘tum-tutty, tum-titty’ rhyme scheme and asking the audience not to snigger; Roger Robinson delivering ‘one of the most energetic readings Aldeburgh has ever seen’ and the ‘witty, acerbic and kooky’ Kate Fox causing hysterics with her Geordie take on existentialism, ‘Why I?’
Congratulations to Lucius Redman who has won the Festival questionnaire Prize draw and will receive a year’s subscription to Poetry, the leading US magazine from the Poetry Foundation in Chicago.
If you couldn’t make it to Aldeburgh this year or if you’d like to share your Festival highlights, join in conversations on Facebook and Twitter. Keep an eye on The Poetry Channel where you will soon be able to listen to some Festival favourites. Enjoy the story of 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in photos. And have a read of the lively Guardian Online ‘Female Poem’ blog from the Festival.
...and lastly a date for your diaries…The 22nd Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 5 - 7 November 2010.
Watch Philip Levine in conversation with Naomi Jaffa
Enjoy Philip Levine - one the most significant US poets of the last 50 years - in conversation with The Poetry Trust director Naomi Jaffa. Levine received a long ovation following his sell-out reading at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival - his first UK appearance for over 30 years. In this short film Levine touches on growing up in Detroit, ‘needing a larger world’ and the impact of ‘the greatest teacher he ever had’ John Berryman. A big thank you to Neil Astley, Founder and Editor of Bloodaxe Books for producing this short film, recorded live during this year’s Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Click to watch
Issue six of The Poetry Paper – Order your free copy
Where else can you find exclusive interviews with Sharon Olds and Alan Brownjohn, new poems by Tom Paulin, Philip Levine and David Morley, the poetry CVs of Kate Fox and Richard Price and a ‘questioned by poems’ feature with Ciaran Berry, Peter Blegvad, Imtiaz Dharker and John Hegley? Issue Six of the beautifully designed Poetry Paper is now making its way to poetry lovers across the globe. The Poetry Paper is entirely free (we will even drop it though your - UK only - letter box for no charge!) To order a copy for yourself or several for a reading group or writing course, simply complete an order form
J O Morgan wins Aldeburgh First Collection Prize
The winner of the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2009 - one of the most important and established poetry prizes in the UK - was announced at the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. The recipient of this £3,000 prize for the year’s best first collection is Scottish poet J O Morgan for Natural Mechanical (CB Editions). The book - which was also shortlisted for the Forward Best First Collection Prize - comprises a single narrative poem recounting a resourceful childhood on the Isle of Skye. In a year attracting a record 92 entries, Aldeburgh poet/judges David Constantine, Mimi Khalvati and Michael Laskey (Chair) were unanimous in their final decision. Mimi Khalvati said: “Such an engaging, affecting book. It effortlessly combines different verse-forms: remarkable, particularly for a first collection, in deftly tackling a book-length narrative, and also refreshing in its sense of tradition.” The Guardian online reveals winner of the 2009 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize
To order a copy of Natural Mechanical see: www.cbeditions.com
Advanced Poetry Seminar, 15 – 19 March 2010
The Poetry Trust invites expressions of interest for the fourth Advanced Poetry Seminar which will take place at the stunning Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk from 15 - 19 March 2010. Co-tutored for a fourth successive year by Michael Laskey and Peter Sansom, this intensive residential retreat is designed to offer accelerated professional and creative development to a small group of carefully selected poets early in their publishing careers. Previous attenders - and subsequent prize-winning and first book ‘successes’ - include Allison McVety, Helen Mort, Katrina Naomi, Ed Reiss, Philip Rush, Kathryn Simmonds and Saradha Soobrayen.
Successful applicants will either be at or genuinely close to their first collection stage. We will also consider applicants who are in the transitional period between first and second books. Further details will be available shortly and to register your interest please contact: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 01986 835950.
Short Cuts Cabaret & Open Mic Night, The Cut, Halesworth, Friday 22 January 2010
Join us for Suffolk’s cult status variety show and find out what all the fuss is about. In January, Short Cuts welcomes special guest ‘Madame Galina New Forces Sweetheart’ - a burly Welsh bloke in a tutu - whose fans include Joanna Lumley, Madonna and 42 Commando. Clearly not a night to miss! The evening will also feature the dazzling array of strange or stupendous Open Mic talent with its heady mix of comedy, music, spoken word, live poetry and audience participation. Hosted by Dean Parkin (think Eric Morecambe crossed with Philip Larkin), with jazz and boogie-woogie maestro Maurice Horhut at the piano. Food and drink will also be available at The Cut, contemporary arts venue, café & bar.
To apply for a slot, contact Dean on 01986 835950 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tickets cost £5, Call The Cut Box office on 0845 6732123
Supported by The Co-op Community Fund
You may also enjoy…
Poetry Daily - a new poem every day. Subscribe at: http://poems.com/about_newsletter.php
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
Forty-eight hours and counting! The 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6 - 8 November 2009
Just two days to go until the finest national and international poets land in Aldeburgh for a weekend of outstanding words, music, exhibitions and cabaret. We do hope you can join us in Suffolk’s irresistible seaside town for this celebratory 21st Festival. It’s the complete poetry experience - with 49 events (15 entirely free). As a ‘Pick of the Week’ in The Independent and featured in Saturday’s Guardian Guide, Aldeburgh is the place to be this weekend. If you can’t make it in person, there’ll be plenty of highlights to enjoy on The Poetry Channel in the months to come.
A number of events have now sold out but there are still seats available for some truly fantastic readings and performances. A small taster below.
Call the Box office on: 01728 687110
Philip Levine’s Journeys
Philip Levine is a giant of US poetry, making his first UK appearance for over 30 years. His deeply human poetry of the assembly line finds a ‘voice for the voiceless’. And according to The Poetry Trust’s Naomi Jaffa and Dean Parkin who heard Levine ‘in conversation’ at the Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey, he’s a phenomenally entertaining raconteur with a refreshingly frank approach! No poetry fan should miss this very rare opportunity to hear him.
Philip Levine’s Journeys, Saturday 7 November, 2.00 - 2.45pm, £7
Family Reading: John Hegley
A comic genius for all ages. Join the rib-achingly funny John Hegley for an hour of songs, poems and joining in’s. The evening begins with a short and always endearing reading by the winners of the Suffolk Young Poets Competition.
Family Reading: John Hegley, Friday 6 November, 6.00 - 7.00pm, £6
Performance: Peter Blegvad
Successful Singer/Songwriter Peter Blegvad will provide a musical interlude during the weekend of words. Described by The Poetry Trust’s Artistic Director Dean Parkin as a ‘veritable mix of Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen, Loudon Wainwright III and Tom Waits’, this is a rare chance to hear him solo and acoustic. Take a listen to one of Peter’s songs.
Performance: Peter Blegvad, Saturday 7 November, 5.45 - 6.30pm, £6
The Poetry Paper
Festival goers will be the first poetry lovers in the country to get their hands on Issue Six of The Poetry Paper. This beautifully designed (and shockingly pink!) paper features exclusive interviews with Sharon Olds and Alan Brownjohn, as well as new poems from Tom Paulin, Philip Levine, David Morley and more. Peter Blegvad, the Festival’s Commissioned Illustrator has lent his surreal vision to the artwork - find out what happens when his Independent on Sunday cartoon creation Leviathan ‘Goes to Poetry School’. And the question we most wanted to ask Festival poets? What’s your favourite seduction poem?! And if that wasn’t enough, The Poetry Paper is entirely free, so make sure you pick up a copy in Aldeburgh or contact us and we’ll even send it to your door (UK addresses only).
Blogger in Residence
Join our official ‘Blogger in Residence’ and Commander of all things Facebook, Charles Christian, as he takes on Aldeburgh, armed with just a Blackberry and an ‘Access all Areas’ Festival pass. Charles is Publisher & Editor of the poetry blog Ink, Sweat and Tears. Throughout the weekend he will be sharing his Festival experience with his 10,500 regular readers and hopefully some new friends. Will he be called upon to provide backing vocals to John Hegley’s droll reflections on life? Will he find his first encounter with England’s greatest living poet Geoffrey Hill suitably inspiring? And more importantly will he ever make it to the front of the legendary Aldeburgh Fish & Chip shop queue?! Follow Charles and share your own Festival experience at www.ink-sweat-and-tears.com or by joining The Poetry Trust’s Facebook group.
Look out for …STUFF November 2009 Part two …
With a full Festival round-up and details of the winner of the 2009 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize ...
Join the party - The 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6- 8 November
Festival fever has well and truly gripped The Poetry Trust office with just four weeks to go until an exceptional line-up of world-class poets descends on Aldeburgh. Tickets for Geoffrey Hill, perhaps England’s greatest living poet, have sold out as have all craft talks, and sales are up by 33% on last year. However there are still seats for the main ‘three-handed’ readings featuring outstanding writers from America, Pakistan, Italy, Russia and all over the UK. Festival goers will also be the first poetry-lovers in the country to get their hands on Issue 6 of The Poetry Paper, a beautifully illustrated and completely free publication featuring an exclusive interview with Sharon Olds, new poems from Tom Paulin, Philip Levine and Annie Freud, and lots more. So take a look at the programme and join us for a celebratory 21st birthday Festival in the irresistible small seaside town of Aldeburgh.
Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 www.aldeburgh.co.uk
Your invitation to the Festival launch party
Thursday 5 November, 2009, 6.00 - 7.30pm Peter Pears Gallery, Aldeburgh
Come and raise the curtain on the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival with wine, canapés, friends and poetry. All are welcome on Thursday 5 November to the Festival reception for an exhibition preview of ‘Poetic Polydipsia & other pictures’ by Peter Blegvad and the book launch of A Casual Knack of Living: Collected Poems by Aldeburgh’s foremost international translator, critic and poet Herbert Lomas. If you would like to join us, RSVP by Friday 30 October to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 01986 835950
Luton’s finest export – the ‘scandalously talented’ John Hegley
From his ‘Luton Bungalow’ to poetry superstar, comic genius John Hegley will reflect on his journey on Saturday 7 November during the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Audiences can expect an hour of inspired poetry, comedy and music from the Comedy Store and Edinburgh Festival veteran. He will be prompted by the dynamic Peggy Hughes, and audiences may well be called upon to provide harmonic backing vocals to his droll reflections on the misery of existence - as well as the more serious subjects of potatoes, croutons and dogs.
John Hegley’s Journey, Saturday 7 November
James Cable Room, 11.00am - Noon, £8
Family Reading: John Hegley, Friday 6 November
Jubilee Hall, 6.00 - 7.00pm, £6
Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 or www.aldeburgh.co.uk
Peter Blegvad - a rare solo set by the engaging singer-songwriter
New York born renaissance man Peter Blegvad is best known for his inspired Independent on Sunday comic strip ‘Leviathan’. He is also a fine guitarist and an exceptionally talented singer-songwriter. A member of cult bands Slapp Happy and Henry Cow, his songs have been covered by, among others, Fairport Convention and Leo Sayer. Join him in Aldeburgh, for a timely musical interlude in the weekend of words, and a rare chance to hear him solo and acoustic - with his trademark poetic wordplay, surrealism and cool tunes.
Saturday 7 November, Jubilee Hall, 5.45-6.30pm, £6
Click to enjoy Peter’s great song ‘In The Meantime’
Full Festival programme: www.poetrytrust.org
Box office: 01728 687110 www.aldeburgh.co.uk
Shortlist announced for Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2009
The shortlist for the 2009 Aldeburgh First Collection Prize - one of the most influential and established poetry prizes in the UK - signals the arrival of five authentic and distinctive new poets.
Judge David Constantine says “contemporary poetry in the UK is thriving” with 2009 attracting a record 92 entries. The Poetry Trust announced the shortlist to coincide with today’s National Poetry Day:
Sian Hughes for The Missing (Salt Publishing)
J O Morgan for Natural Mechanical (C B Editions)
Andrew Philip for The Ambulance Box (Salt Publishing)
Philip Rush for Big Purple Garden Paintings (Yew Tree Press)
Dawn Wood for Quarry (Templar Poetry)
The result will be announced on Saturday 7 November during the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6-8 November 2009. The winner receives a cash prize of £3,000, a weeks ‘protected’ writing time on the Suffolk coast and a fee-paying invitation to read at the 2010 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Click for more information
Follow The Poetry Trust on Twitter
Poetry sounds like… a curing song from the well which contains oceans and ashes
Pascale Petit
Follow The Poetry Trust on Twitter and enjoy a taster of the Festival poets on the ‘sound of poetry’ in the run up to the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival.
Michael Laskey poem unveiled at Hospital
Michael Laskey’s poem Treatment, inspired by the life, knowledge and experience of patients and staff, has been unveiled at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). The poem was commissioned to mark the end of the first year of the hugely successful ‘Poetry Treatment’ - a partnership project between The Poetry Trust and the NNUH. Anna Dugdale, Chief Executive of the hospital unveiled the poem and spoke personally of how the project poems had provided enormous pleasure and moments of calm reflection during busy hospital days.
Read Press Coverage
More information and read Michael’s poem ‘Treatment’
Close Reading, Good Writing - a pre-Festival poetry course from the Poetry School
Enjoy the unique Aldeburgh spirit for longer with a Poetry School course led by David Constantine in the run up to the Festival. Three mornings of close reading, discussing, thinking about and translating poetry - all activities to refill your writerly reservoirs. There are still, amazingly, a few places left on this course which includes a one-to-one feedback session with David to talk about your poetry in progress.
P.S David Constantine was a tutor on one of The Poetry Trust’s own residential courses a few years back and we unequivocally recommend his superlative skills, wisdom and care.
Church Hall of St Peter & St Paul Church, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Wednesday 4 - Friday 6 November, 10.30am - 1pm
£130 (£90 concs).
Book online or call: 0207 582 1679
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
The Poetry Prom
Thank - you to all of you who completed the online audience survey following this summers’ Poetry Prom. All those who left their email address were entered into a prize draw and Emma Pitt-Steel has won signed copies of the latest collections from the three Prom poets.
You may also enjoy…
Serpentine Gallery Poetry Marathon, Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London 17 - 18 October www.serpentinegallery.org
Inside Out Festival, venues across London, 19-25 October www.lcace.org.uk
Aldeburgh welcomes Philip Levine – one of the most significant US poets of the last 50 years
Appearing in the UK for the first time in 30 years, The Poetry Trust is delighted to announce that Philip Levine will be reading at the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 6 - 8 November 2009.
Born in 1928 in industrial Detroit, Levine’s familial, social and economic portrait of working class America has left a monumental testimony of mid-20th century American life. His poetry of the assembly line finds a ‘voice for the voiceless’.
Philip Levine will be in conversation with Naomi Jaffa, The Poetry Trust director, on Saturday 7 November, reflecting on, amongst other things, ‘poetry, work, jazz, fountain pens, horse racing, Spanish Anarchists, birth and transfiguration…’ He will also be reading on Sunday 9 November in the Jubilee Hall.
Click for the full Festival programme and booking information
Listen to Levine discuss his life and works and read several of his poems
Festival poet Albert Goldbarth on the ‘pizzazz of innocence’
An extraordinary voyage of discovery is promised as Albert Goldbarth, perhaps one of the best kept secrets of American poetry, joins the stunning 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival line-up.
Goldbarth’s poetry celebrates the ‘lingual gush of invention’ as he combines pop-culture fanaticism with erudite research into the far corners of modern culture.
A self-confessed sci-fi fanatic, Goldbarth has an awesome collection of toy spaceships and robots. “I love the 1950s outer space look - Cadillac-finned rocket ships, bubble-helmeted space guys and gals, fantastical guns that go zap.” Goldbarth will be appearing at three Festival events, including his Sunday 9 November talk ‘The Outer Space Collector’ in which he will share poems, observations and photographic proof of the “pizzazz of innocence”.
Click for the full Festival programme and booking information
Click for a tour of Goldbarth’s toy collection and to listen to him reading his poems
Limited edition Alan Brownjohn pamphlet available to order
In Ludbrooke: An Introduction - a stylish new pamphlet from The Poetry Trust - Alan Brownjohn introduces Ludbrooke, his eponymous anti-hero. “I’ve found somebody fictitious to represent the disagreeable elements in my own character”, Alan explains. “He’s devious and up to all sorts of furtive ruses. In fact Ludbrooke has more than a little seedy panache!”
This is the first time Alan’s ‘Ludbrooke’ poems have been brought together in one volume and according to Alan Jenkins, Literary Editor of the TLS, “Alan’s late flowering with Ludbrooke is one of the best things going on in poetry at the moment.”
Another fan is Dennis O’Driscoll: “Alan is astonishing: the Ludbrooke poems are among his very best - a brilliantly wry creation, lovably roguish, yet deeply vulnerable too…”
There are just 300 limited edition copies of Ludbrooke: An Introduction. They cost £5 (+ £1 P&P) and can only be purchased direct from The Poetry Trust. To place an order, call 01986 835950 or fill in the order form
We are able to accept payment by cheque or by card. To pay by debit or credit card, please call the office with your order and card details.
Enjoy Alan reading a ‘Ludbrooke‘ poem on The Poetry Channel (on ‘The Poetry Prom Poets’)
Over 600 enjoy poetry of the highest calibre at the 2009 Poetry Prom
At what has to be the largest audience for contemporary poetry in the UK, over 600 people enjoyed world-class writers at the 7th Poetry Prom. In an energetic, warm and bold performance Finuala Dowling demonstrated why she’s is one of the most engaging writers in South Africa today. Alan Brownjohn, billed as a ‘national treasure’, told the audience he preferred ‘national liability’ as he read from his new pamphlet of ‘Ludbrooke’ poems. And Sharon Olds more than lived up to her reputation as ‘one of America’s greatest living poets’. Her captivating reading epitomised the unique value of the Poetry Prom experience as hundreds of people hung on every word of her deeply personal and affecting poetry.
If you attended The Poetry Prom and would like to tell us what you thought please complete the online survey and help us plan next year’s Poetry Prom.
Join The Poetry Trust Facebook group
The Poetry Trust Facebook group is now up and running - it’s never cool to arrive at a party early! We want to provide a very open and international forum for poets and poetry lovers everywhere. Please join the group and get talking.
Just click here
One million people receive ‘The Poetry Treatment’
This month sees the culmination of the first year of ‘The Poetry Treatment’ - a hugely popular partnership project between the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and The Poetry Trust. The project gained a captive audience for poetry by placing poems on the backs of hospital loo doors. Highly sophisticated loo-visiting arithmetic suggests that nearly one million people will have enjoyed/endured the poetry over the last year! Sixty-eight poets were invited to contribute poems, including 24 international poets, all had strong links with The Poetry Trust, having read at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. Feedback has been really positive and there’s every intention for the project to continue next year.
As part of The Poetry Treatment, Michael Laskey, Aldeburgh Poetry Festival founder, went to the hospital one day a week to read and discuss poems with patients. Michael has been commissioned to write a commemorative poem as a lasting legacy of the project, ‘Treatment’ - which celebrates the staff and patients of NNHU and their ‘sensitivity to others’ ordinary needs’ - will be unveiled in the hospital later this month and will feature in October’s edition of Stuff. The typography is by leading arts book designer and publisher Colin Sackett. http://www.colinsackett.co.uk/
Click for more information about The Poetry Treatment
Click to order free PDFs of The Poetry Treatment poems
Strut your stuff – Short Cuts Cabaret & Open Mic Night 25 September, 7.30 pm
Short Cuts Cabaret is gathering cult status as Suffolk’s first real variety show. Hosted by our very own Dean Parkin (think Eric Morecambe meets Philip Larkin), a bumper night out of comedy, music, spoken word and live poetry is guaranteed.
With a theme of ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ you won’t know who or what is coming next, only the entertainment is guaranteed. Join Dean and boogie-woogie maestro Maurice Horhut on piano for an evening of unruly fun and perhaps the odd moment of sheer bewilderment.
Short Cuts, The Cut, Halesworth, Friday 25 September, 7.30 pm
To apply for a slot, contact Dean on 01986 835950 or email
Tickets cost £5, Call The Cut Box office on 0845 6732123
This series of Short Cuts is funded with help from the Co-operative Group’s Community Fund
The Poetry Business, Writing School 2009 - 2011
The Poetry Business is offering an intensive course of study, workshops and peer-led discussion, over 18 months for up to 12 selected poets. Peter Sansom is director of The Poetry Business and also co-tutor of The Poetry Trust’s Jerwood Aldeburgh Seminars. His thoroughly successful courses are a great way to learn about writing authentically. The closing date for applications is 25 September. For details see: Poetry Business website
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers (see Poetry at The Cut above) as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. If you join now you will receive exclusive priority booking (from 18 - 26 August) to the celebratory 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in November. To join, email and we’ll do the rest.
World-class poetry in Suffolk this month
This is definitely worth a special summer trip to Suffolk – The Poetry Prom – at 7.30pm on Tuesday 25 August at Snape Maltings Concert Hall. We’ve lined up three favourite poet/performers for what’s surely the UK’s biggest audience for live poetry – nearly 800 people! National treasure Alan Brownjohn will join forces with South Africa’s scintillating Finuala Dowling and Sharon Olds, ‘America’s greatest living poet’ (The Guardian). With hundreds of tickets already sold, book yours now by calling the box office on 01728 687110.
Catch a preview of this world-class line up by listening to the latest Poetry Channel podcast. Hear The Poetry Trust’s Naomi Jaffa and Dean Parkin discuss this year’s Poetry Prom and introduce poems by the three poets taking part – Alan Brownjohn, Finuala Dowling and Sharon Olds.
21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival programme now available
The 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival programme is now making its way to poetry fans (and those in need of conversion!) around the world. Festival artist Peter Blegvad’s illustrations complement the quality and excitement of the line-up. From the family event with comic genius John Hegley through visionary encounters with Geoffrey Hill to readings by richly rewarding Americans Philip Levine and Albert Goldbarth, this year’s programme is designed to entertain, stimulate and engage as never before.
The Festival will also feature a specially-created celebration by the ‘Wonderful Beast Theatre Company’ of one of our best-loved, funny, passionate and political poets – Adrian Mitchell. With a brilliant ensemble of musicians and actors, including Roger Lloyd Pack and Diana Quick, we can promise a riotous evening of words, jazz and rock ‘n roll.
Click here for Festival Programme details.
BBC features Michael Laskey poem
The BBC has treated audiences this summer to readings of Michael Laskey’s poem ‘On Giving Up Cricket’. The evocative poem written by the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival founder has been used in radio and television trailers for the Ashes.
The reading has delighted poetry and cricket fans alike and has received a great deal of positive comment in online poetry forums. One viewer remarked ‘Don’t know about anyone else but I adore the poem that the BBC is using to promote the test. I can not find which anthology it has been published in. Does anyone know? I’d like to get a copy’.
So for this viewer and others who haven’t managed to catch the readings on the beeb, the poem which appeared in Michael’s first collection Thinking of Happiness, can be enjoyed at http://www.michael-laskey.co.uk
The Poetry Trust hosts an evening with Sharon Olds at the Hampstead Theatre, London
In her native New York people queue around the block to hear her bold, astonishing and deeply rewarding readings. The Poetry Trust is delighted to host a rare solo evening with Sharon Olds at the Hampstead Theatre, London. Described by The Guardian as ‘America’s greatest living poet’ her work has been consistently provocative and controversial over eight collections, including her most recent One Secret Thing.
Sharon has generously agreed to support The Poetry Trust’s fundraising for this year’s Festival by offering an intimate evening ‘in conversation’ with Aldeburgh Poetry Festival founder, Michael Laskey. There’ll be a chance also to talk with Sharon afterwards at a champagne reception.
This is a fundraising event and tickets (£65) are limited and can only be booked through The Poetry Trust. If you’re interested in attending please contact Mary Smyth at The Poetry Trust on 01986 835950 or by email
Overwhelming response to Aldeburgh First Collection Prize
The feng shui in The Poetry Trust’s normally harmonious and perfectly aligned office has been thrown out of sorts by an overwhelming number of entries for the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize, which closed last week. We’re delighted with the calibre and number of entries - 92! - but we feel rather guilty about the incredibly hard job facing our judges Michael Laskey (chair), David Constantine and Mimi Khalvati. With such a record number of entries, a stunning shortlist announcement is expected in October with the overall winner announced during the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in November. This unique prize attracts not only a £3000 cash prize but more importantly a week of ‘protected’ writing time on the inspirational Suffolk coast and an invitation to read at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 2010 - an unparalleled opportunity to reach Britain’s largest and most appreciative poetry audience. For more information see Aldeburgh First Collection Prize
A friendly introduction to poetry for anyone aged 16 – 100
The autumn dates for the popular Poetry Trust reading group in Halesworth have now been confirmed. Anyone with an interest in discussing poetry in an informal and friendly atmosphere is encouraged to book a place. Over six evenings the group will be led by expert poet/tutor Esther Morgan to focus on a variety of poems featured in the best selling Bloodaxe anthology Staying Alive. The reading group will run fortnightly on Thursday evenings from 24 September to 10 December at the Halesworth Library. Numbers in the group are limited so advance booking is essential. For more details contact 01986 835950 or email us
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers (see Poetry at The Cut above) as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. If you join now you will receive exclusive priority booking (from 18 - 26 August) to the celebratory 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in November.
To join, email us and we’ll do the rest.
Two favourite poets coming to Suffolk
Thursday 16 July, 7.30pm, The Cut, Halesworth
Tiffany Atkinson
Atkinson’s debut collection Kink and Particle was published to wide acclaim by Seren in 2006. This smart, sexy and often very funny collection established her as one of the rising stars of UK poetry. As winner of the Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize (2007), her jubilant performance at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in 2008 was one of the outstanding performances of the whole festival. Listen to Tiffany reading her darkly funny poem ‘Bad Karaoke’ on The Poetry Channel
Neil Rollinson
Rollinson’s bold, surreal, edgy and erotic poetry celebrates a sense of wonder at the universe. Born in Yorkshire in 1960, Rollinson studied Fine Art in Newcastle before moving to London. He has published three collections of poetry most recently Demolition (2007). His work was reviewed by Alan Brownjohn in The Times as ‘...hilarious, watchful, profound and sharp’.
We’re delighted to showcase two such original and appealing poets and sincerely hope you and your friends will join us at The Cut for a summer storm of electrifying poetry.
**SPECIAL OFFER FOR FRIENDS OF THE POETRY TRUST**
Two tickets for the price of one - just tell the Box Office when you book.
Tickets £7.50
Box office 0845 673 2123
Welcome to the surreal world of Peter Blegvad
Peter Blegvad - creator of the dreamlike philosophical landscape of the Leviathan comic strip - is The Poetry Trust’s commissioned artist for 2009. Blegvad’s cartoons entertained Independent on Sunday readers during the 1990’s and it’s fantastic to be working with him. His new Poetry Trust illustrations will be showcased in the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival programme and you won’t need to wait long to get your hands on a copy: distribution starts next month! Peter’s illustrations will also be integral to the look and feel of the sixth issue of The Poetry Paper, to be launched at the Festival.
Closing date for the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize fast approaching
As part of our mission to nurture and champion new talent, the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize is one of the most valuable contemporary poetry awards in the UK. We invite submissions from publishers or individual poets who have had a first collection of at least 40 pages published in the UK and the Republic of Ireland between 1 August and 31 July 2009.
The winner not only receives a cash prize of £3,000 but more importantly a fee-paying invitation to read at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 2010. This is an unparalleled opportunity to reach Britain’s largest and most appreciative poetry audience. In addition the winner receives a week of paid ‘protected’ writing time on the inspirational East Suffolk coast. Previous winners include Guardian columnist Nick Laird who went on to receive the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize in 2008.
The deadline for entries is 31 July and the judges (David Constantine, Mimi Khalvati and Michael Laskey) will announce the shortlist in October. The winner will be announced at the 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 6-8 November 2009.
For details of the free submission process click here or call 01986 835950, email: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
New Marketing and Communications professional joins The Poetry Trust
We want to make an even bigger noise in celebrating world wide poetry. This summer we welcome our new Marketing and Communications Manager, Alice Kent. Alice has a background in journalism and a wealth of experience in marketing in the charity and private sector. She’ll encourage new and existing audiences to enjoy and engage with contemporary poetry. In particular she’ll lead on establishing our new digital platform, The Poetry Channel as a major player in international poetry.
“This is an exciting time to be joining The Poetry Trust. The organisation has seen phenomenal growth since starting out as a small group of committed and passionate Suffolk poets. I love poetry and all forms of creative writing, it is fantastic to be able to use my marketing experience in a field I really enjoy”. Contact Alice at: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sharon Olds partners with The Poetry Trust for series of UK events
Described by the Guardian as ‘America’s greatest living poet’, Sharon will participate in series of events in the UK this summer brokered by The Poetry Trust. Starting with The Poetry Prom at Snape Maltings Concert Hall on 25 August, she’ll read alongside the UK’s Alan Brownjohn and Finuala Dowling from South Africa. On 27 August The Poetry Trust is holding ‘An Evening with Sharon Olds’ at the Hampstead Theatre in London. This is both a fundraiser and part of our development plans to host poets in new venues across the UK. We’ve also coordinated readings for Sharon at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and at Topping & Co bookshop in Bath, maximising the UK presence of this astonishing poet. For further details click here or call 01986 835950
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers (see Poetry at The Cut above) as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival. As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit. If you join now you will receive exclusive priority booking (from 18 - 26 August) to the celebratory 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in November.
To join, email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll do the rest.
C. K. Williams at UEA Literary Festival
Wednesday 10 June 7pm, UEA
A final reminder to those of you within easy reach of Norwich. We’re delighted to flag up the visit by one of USA’s most outstanding poets - Pulitzer Prize winner C. K. Williams. He read first at Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in 1990 and then again in 2000 and most recently, you may have been lucky enough to hear his blistering, consciousness-raising poems at our unforgettable Poetry Prom at Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 2006. He’s one of our most essential poets and you should never miss the chance to hear him in person. Get to UEA tonight if you possibly can. Full details are here
Poetry at The Cut
Thursday 16 July 7.30pm
The Cut, Halesworth IP19 8BY
Tiffany Atkinson & Neil Rollinson
Watch out for sparks from this brilliant summer duo!
Tiffany Atkinson won the Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize for Kink and Particle (2006), which led to her electric performance at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival last year.
To hear more from Tiffany Atkinson, check out these two podcasts at The Poetry Channel:
Poem Show 1: Aldeburgh Highlights 2008
Aldeburgh Backchat 1: Tiffany Atkinson
Neil Rollinson’s three collections of poetry, most recently Demolition (2007), are known for boldly surreal and explicit poems that celebrate their risk-taking with wit and verve.
Tickets £7.50 0845 673 2123 or email The Box Office
Special Offer for current Friends of The Poetry Trust:
2 tickets for the price of 1 to hear Tiffany Atkinson & Neil Rollinson – contact the Box Office
Supported by The Limbourne Trust
Poetry Prom
Booking now open!
Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape, Suffolk
Tuesday 25 August at 7.30pm
Live Poetry with Alan Brownjohn, Finuala Dowling
and Sharon Olds
From Britain, South Africa and America - three world-class voices celebrate the power of the spoken word.
Tickets £14, £12, £10, Prom £6 Box Office 01728 687110
Full details here
Presented by The Poetry Trust in partnership with
Aldeburgh Music
Sponsored by Fairweather Stephenson & Co, Solicitors
The Poetry Channel
was launched in May with eleven poetry podcasts - featuring hand-picked highlights from the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival archive as well as newly-commissioned material.
The Poem Show is already proving popular - and if you missed the first three, it’s easy to catch up with Mimi Khalvati, Alan Brownjohn, Mourid Barghouti, Naomi Shihab Nye and Sinéad Morrissey among others by visiting the archive page. Plus Clive James in conversation with Naomi Jaffa at the 2009 Festival.
You can also hear tutors Michael Laskey and Peter Sansom in action and a behind-the-scenes documentary of the recent Jerwood Aldeburgh Seminar.
All this and more at The Poetry Channel.
And look out for more perfect poetry podcasts coming your way this summer.
Friends of The Poetry Trust
If you like The Poetry Trust’s work and can offer a little extra support, then please become a Friend. In return for a £15 annual subscription, Friends enjoy Special Offers (see Poetry at The Cut above) as well as an exclusive priority booking period for the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival.
As dedicated Festival audiences know all too well, Aldeburgh events frequently sell out: so being a Friend offers a real benefit.
To join, email and we’ll do the rest.
The Poetry Channel
The Poetry Channel went live on Friday 1 May.
For those who haven’t heard, The Poetry Channel will mine the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival’s rich audio archive - essential words from all around the world - to make broadcast-quality podcasts available for anyone anywhere online.
During the course of this month we’ll be releasing eleven new Poetry Channel podcasts and coming up on Friday 15th May we’ve got the third Poem Show featuring three British poets - Robert Seatter, Sinéad Morrissey & Peter Sansom with very different kinds of poems addressing the theme of family. Meanwhile in this week’s Aldeburgh backchat Ellen Phethean discusses Wall, her teen novel in poems, written while she was writer-in-residence in Byker, Newcastle.
Still to come in May - Clive James, Barbara Hamby, Dennis O’Driscoll and a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the recent Jerwood Aldeburgh Seminar.
Job Opportunity
Could you promote poetry with panache? We are looking for a Marketing & Communications Manager, a dynamic professional with digital flair and expertise to join a small, dedicated team. Salary: £22,000 pro rata (21 hours per week)
Applications deadline: Tuesday 26 May. Full details and application pack
Escalator Showcase
The Poetry Trust’s own Dean Parkin will be premiering his new one man show - Ducks, Trains & Other Tracks - at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival‘s Escalator Live Literature Showcase on Friday 8 May at 7.30pm at the Norwich Arts Centre.
Entries Invited - Aldeburgh First Collection Prize
Entries may be submitted by publishers and individual poets for this annual £3,000 Prize awarded for what the judges consider to be the best first full collection published between 1 August 08 and 31 July 09. This year’s judges are David Constantine, Michael Laskey (Chair) and Mimi Khalvati. Closing date for entries 31 July 09. Full details here.
Ciaran Berry, last year’s prize-winner for The Sphere of Birds (Gallery Press), will read at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival this November.
Short Cuts Cabaret & Open Mic Night
Short Cuts Cabaret is probably Suffolk’s first real variety show and definitely a bumper night out, with a heady mix of spoken word, live poetry, comedy, music and audience participation. There’ll be the usual Open Mic slots, plus performers invited back by popular demand. Hosted by Dean Parkin with boogie-woogie maestro Maurice Horhut at the piano.
To apply for a slot, contact Dean on 01986 835950 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Jerwood Aldeburgh Seminar
Nine talent-spotted poets (either at first collection or between first and second collection stage) took part in the third exhilarating Jerwood Aldeburgh Seminar in March The week long course took place at Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk and was led by Michael Laskey and Peter Sansom.
“I feel like I’ve been stretched and challenged, in excellent company, and propelled into a fast-moving, no-holds-barred, altered state where everyone is living, breathing and dreaming poetry” – was how one participant summed up her experience.
The tuition was unanimously rated excellent and as ever, the venue and catering won high praise as well – one person was so reluctant to depart that she dreamed of stowing away in the hall cupboard…
Catch the Seminar showcase reading at this year’s Aldeburgh Poetry Festival (6 – 8 November)
“ I think I am in love with the word 'deft', which seems to me to describe exactly how a poet should be… ”
Jo Shapcott, Aldeburgh 2009
Poetry Trust events coming up
To register on our mailing list or find out more about what we do, please visit www.thepoetrytrust.org
The Poetry Trust, The Cut, 9 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk, UP19 8BY
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