the poetLinks to British Innovative Poetry Sites:
Readings
and other similar events/organisations


Unless otherwise indicated, these listings are for reading series. The general location is given. By "reading" I mean a range of performative activities based on presentation of innovative poetry, including, and why not? reading the texts. By "events", I mean a wider focus than performance or reading of text, or of art form involved than just poetry (though it may be involved. It's all fuzzy! That's the point, of course.) There are also of course launches, usually involving readings, at a varying number of places by some publishers, both large and small (or even organised by the writers themselves). Full details for all London events are on the Birkbeck Contemporary Poetics Research Centre webpage Innovative Poetry Readings In London.

As with all the material on this site, please contact me at peter@greatworks.org.uk for any suggestions for additions, or to correct any errors. And please note that as on all these lists, a date in italics indicates the last date of fresh material being uploaded to any site; but nonetheless even if it's not live any more, there's interest there. is used to indicate an addition (or major alteration) to the listing. Most recent revision September 23, 2019

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"a small press, publishing collective, events organiser and critical reading group dedicated to emerging and experimental literatures, particularly those from neurodiverse, queer, and ethnic minority communities." Kashif Sharma-Patel, Azad Ashim Sharma, and Devin Maisuria run superb readings! events London

Anathema Poetry

monthly experimental events curated by Sad Press, Moot Press & Hesterglock Press Bristol

artBLAB 

"our mission is to present emerging and well-established artist to a wider audience on a very laid-back evening of art talks in a cosy social space." "Join us at for an evening of talks about art and its whereabouts and discover the processes and works of 5 ground-breaking artists, from up-and-coming young designers to established poets!" When using poets, people of definite interest. Michal Szost is the organiser; also on Instagram talks & discussions London

arthur+martha

"Building peoples confidence, esteem and self worth through art and poetry": Philip Davenport and Lois Blackburn's Community Interest Company doing projects aroundish of Manchester

 Avant-Garde Study Group

"a forum for discussing the historical avant-garde (Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, etc.) as well as other forms of experimentation in 19th and 20th-century literature, art, music, film and performance." Evi Heinz, Paul Ingram & Robyn Jakeman are the names given; also @agstudies Twitter logo London study group

Brighton Poetry Society

"was born in 1999. It is a non-competitive open mic event for poets to air their work. Although BPS is a poetry organisation, any genre of spoken word is welcome. BPS is open to all levels, from the complete novice to the published professional." Facebook page managed by Asha Impson and Dolores Luxedo. poetry group Brighton

Burley Fisher Books

This excellent little bookshop runs interesting, crowded and friendly events in its cellar @BurleyFisher Twitter logo London

Cafe OTO

Hamish Dunbar's innovative music venue often houses activities that will (or should!) interest innovative poets performance events London

Capital Letters

"Poetries in Dialogue": Jonathan Mann's quite wonderful poetry events ending with Q&A London

Cardiff Poetry Experiment

established by Callie Gardner and Josh Robinson in 2014, currently curated by Ailbhe Darcy, Nathanael Jones, Julia Rose Lewis, Wanda O'Connor and Josh Robinson Cardiff

Contemporary Innovative Poetry Research Seminar

but Facebook can be more current; may be accessible on School of Advanced Studies Seminars webpage; Robert Hampson and Amy Cutler organising this London seminar series

Contemporary Poetics Research Centre

Birkbeck University seminar series London

Contraband Live

matt martin and David Ashford do good events, with book launches, range of readers & even open mic London 2018

Datableeder

excellent Datableed magazine "actualizes" in this form, thanks to Eleanor Perry and Juha Virtanen Canterbury

Dead Women Poets Society

"a conversation between female poets, living and dead, through the medium of readings, interviews and essays. Our principal line-up is composed of Jasmine Simms, Sarah Fletcher, Katie Byford and Helen Bowell" events nationwide

Different people doing different things together

Edward Shipsey organised this; "Different people doing different things together. Hopefully a sort of dialogue emerges between the different things of some sort. Working between improvisation and composition i.e. some ideas but some in the moment creation/reaction as well." look out for more! performance event London

DIY Cultures

"DIY or Cry: taking a break in 2018" bookfair based on zine culture, organised by Helena Wee, Sofia Niazi and Hamja Ahsan bookfair London

Electric Arc Furnace

run by enjoy your homes press and Girasol Press Sheffield

Entropics

associated with the Research Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing, University of Southampton

Exiled Writers Ink

"voices in a strange land . . . brings together writers from repressive regimes and war-torn situations and it equally embraces migrants and exiles." Founding Director: Jennifer Langer, and provides a range of activities, eg readings, including the Exiled Lit Cafe in the Poetry Café London & beyond

The Feminist Library

"Archiving our herstories since 1975" hosts readings organised by Virna Teixeira's Carnaval Press London

Free Verse

"Home of The Poetry Book Fair & The Poetry Magazine Fair": both excellent events include readings, founded by Chrissie Williams & Joey Connolly, now managed by The Poetry Society bookfairs London

Free Range

music, performance & poetry events organised by Sam Bailey at Canterbury

Glasfryn Projects: Events

"Information about the Hay Poetry Jamborees, the Glasfryn Seminars, readings and launches", a wide range of complex performance activities centred on Wales, occasionally venturing beyond, with the names Lyndon Davies, Graham Hartill, Penny Hallas and John Goodby linked with the overall enterprise events Wales & beyond

Gramophone Ray Gun

"a 'live' series of events celebrating experimental approaches to writing, poetry and music. Alternating between the page, performance, sound and text, GRG is commissioned by The Dock Road Press." Liverpool

Guillotine

new reading/performance series hosted by Mark Jackson mjb London

Hard to Get

"a feminist book club" with a keen interest in some excellent female poets organising events in Oxford and now London

Hard Work

"Music poetry and performance", organised & hosted by Paul Ingram and Edward Shipsey — best source of info former's Facebook page London

Hi Zero!

"Poetry readings and Publications": long-lasting and important reading series, run by Joe Luna & Eleanor Careless Brighton

HYG Nights

"is a new performance night held monthly at Hundred Years Gallery, showcasing performance art, live and experimental performance" performance event London

Iklectik Art Lab

primarily an innovative music venue, and through that putting on potentially interesting events for poets, and also used often as a poetry venue readings and events London

In Yer Ear

"A spoken word event featuring established and up-and-coming talent" London

Innovative Poetry Readings in London

the listings page I set up is now hosted by Birkbeck CPRC, and maintained largely by matt martin listings for London & around

Juxtavoices

"a large antichoir which includes many familiar faces from Sheffield's leftfield music, poetry and visual arts scene" directors: Martin Archer and Alan Halsey Sheffield antichoir

Klinker Club

"improvisation • right weird • pants • poetry • film • dance": Hugh Metcalfe's multimedia performance events, "London's leading forum for free improvisation and marginal music and performance" now with offspring in Ipswich! London & Ispwich

Locally Sourced London

"provides (mostly) local writers, musicians, poets, and storytellers with a place to perform and an appreciative West Hampstead audience." Including on occasion persons of interest to BIP; Will Lashley put as Team members on Facebook London

Locomotrix

gives events, while The 'Locomotrix': Showcasing Poetry and Experimental Literature at Housmans on Housmans Blog describes its aims, team: Serena Braida & Christina at Housmans London

London Review Bookshop

Interesting names can appear here to talk or read London

London Cantos Reading Group

critically involved with Ol' Ez' seminar series London

London Radical Bookfair

organised by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers(ARB) for radical booksellers, publishers, artists and activists of all stripes, including some poetry publishers bookfair London

May Day Rooms Poetry Readings

organised by David Grundy London

Mercy

"an experimental literature and new media organisation. We commission and produce new performance and digital work that engages with language in new ways." Run by Nathan Jones — commissioning agency & producer events Liverpool and beyond

MIRLive

organised by Birkbeck's The Mechanics' Institute Review, Stephen Willey: Poetry Editor; Fran Lock: Guest Poetry Editor London

Modern Poetry in Translation

is what it says it is; editor: Clare Pollard, and runs events, eg readings London

Morden Tower

"the life of poetry": Jan 2015 or blog April 2013 but still potentially occasional events at this historic venue in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The National Poetry Library

hosts exhibitions, events and readings, as well as issuing information on readings & events nationally events & readings London (& beyond); listings across Britain

No Matter

bi-monthly poetic & performative experiments in Manchester

No Money

"Poetry, film, theatre, and miscellaneous performance, premonition of disaster, offering a variety of new linguistic-visual force fields for the cash-strapped and overtly discontented." performances and reading London

Non-normative Poetry Bookfair

"for presses publishing work that pushes through the boundaries of the normal, whether that's the sociopolitical normal, gender norms, or formal norms of poetry." Organised by Veer Books London bookfair

North by Northeast 

"multi-media readings, performance, and film" hosted by Khaled Hakim in London

Nottingham Poetry Series

supported by the University of Nottingham's School of English and Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham, & organised by Lila Matsumoto: seminars, reading group, and poetry performances Nottingham

Octavia Poetry Collective

London-based performance collective for women of colour, podcast on Europe; or on the founder, Rachel Long's blog performances & events London

Out Else

"a new bi-monthly performance and publication series. We are super excited to return with another night of performances, a buffet, drinking and dancing" — individual events on Facebook but Twitter logo @OUTELSE1: "NEW BI-MONTHLY NIGHT OF PERFORMANCES HAPPENING IN AND AROUND LONDON. KNOCKS ABOUT WITH LITTLE MAGAZINE, SUMMAT" seems to cover series; organised by Alex Walsh readings & performances London

Pages of Hackney

bookshop also running occasional readings London

 Pamenar Press Twitter logo 

runs readings, plus workshops and residencies — thank you Ghazal Mosadeq! workshops & readings London (+ Tehran & Toronto)

Parasol unit

"foundation for contemporary art": "not-for-profit art institution and educational charity that operates purely for the public benefit" based in an art gallery, with a constant interest also in poetry, giving reading & workshops; Ziba Ardalan is the Founder, Director and Curator workshops, events & readings London

The Peckham Pelican

"Arts venue, café & bar offering unfussy brews, food & booze since August 2013" & now a major venue for readings etc London

Peter Barlow's Cigarette

organised by Richard Barrett, Gareth Twose and Rachel Sills Manchester

Plymouth Language Club

Steve Spence is organiser Plymouth

Poet for Hire

"'How does it work?' 'You give me a title, I write you a poem, You pay what you think it's worth.'" Can be contacted via their agent, Sternberg Clarke Entertainment, or from Morbid Books' radically subversive website poets for hire anywhere?

Poet in the City

"an arts organisation which promotes a love of poetry to new audiences through live events, projects, commissions and participation" events and readings London

POETOPOGRAPHY

"Poet-psychogeographer" Niall McDevitt's blog, with details of his fascinating walks in London

The Poetry Café

many readings held here, in the premises of The Poetry Society London

Poetry Emergency  Twitter logo

"a north west radical poetry festival" exploring emergency and liveness in radical poetic art festival Salford & Manchester

Poetry School

"the UK's largest provider of poetry education, a national arts organisation providing inspiring tuition and opportunities for poets and poetry audiences, founded in 1997 by poets Mimi Khalvati, Jane Duran and Pascale Petit"; well, if you need it and can afford it, there are some good poets running courses & workshops London & beyond

The Poettrio Experiment

"AHRC-funded | Poetry translation in poet-advisor-poet trios: collaborative, cross-language and creative processes": Academic/poetic research into collaborative translation, running occasional events; a collaboration between Newcastle University and The University of Roehampton events Newcastle & London

Poma Arts

"Community Arts and Not for Profit arts and literature development" from Shaun Belcher: workshops, graphics, scribing & projects Nottingham

Praxis

with assistance from the Royal Holloway Poetics Research Centre and Humanities and Arts Research Institute Simon Pomery curates a series of text-sound events in London

Reverb

"a monthly interdisciplinary spoken word, performance art and open mic event" managed by Jessica Tillings, connected with Edge Hill University Ormskirk, Lancs

Rich Mix

"East London's independent arts centre" hosts much slam-type "spoken word", but, crucially, is SJ Fowler's main venue in Central London for his events London

Royal Holloway Poetics Research Centre

readings & seminars etc London/Egham, Surrey

Runnymede International Literary Festival

includes BIP events from Royal Holloway festival London/occasionally Egham, Surrey

SALON — LONDON

"Reading and responding to the present through women's experimental writing" hosts an ongoing series of events, moving through various artistic, private, and cultural spaces, and is led by Georgina Colby and Susan Rudy range of events across London

The Shearsman Reading Series

Shearsman Press booklaunches — thank you, Tony Frazer London

Skronkspeak

"Experimental spoken word and text based open mic" at New River Studios, London

Small Publishers Fair

book art etc as well as poetry, organised by Helen Mitchell, and includes readings bookfair London

SPLINTER Reading Series

"Semi-regular house reading series" linked to the magazine edited by Gizem Okulu and David Grundy London

States Of Independence: Independent Press Day

independent bookfair with readings, seminars, launches, bookstalls etc, with good poetry representation, and all free, from Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham and the Creative Writing Team at De Montfort University, Leicester bookfair Leicester

Storm & Golden Sky

organised by Michael Egan, Nathan Jones, Robert Sheppard and Eleanor Rees Liverpool

Sussex Poetry Festival

most recent event organised by Samuel Solomon, Joseph Luna, Keston Sutherland, and Natalia Cecire festival Brighton

TCR Poetry

at Waterstones London-Tottenham Court Road (other London Waterstones occasionally host interesting readings also) London

Tears in the Fence

organises a yearly festival in rural Dorset, with its wonderful range of contributors festival Stourpaine, Dorset

Theatre of Failure

"is an irregular LGBTQ poetry night organised by JD Howse and Sarah Dawson. It is held upstairs at the Nell of Old Drury, a fabulous theatre pub near Covent Garden. We endeavour to provide a platform for LGBTQ poets creating experimental/innovative work, whatever that might mean to them. We enjoy surprises." Also @TheatreOFailure Twitter logo London

Torriano Meeting House

readings linked with Hearing Eye Press London

Uncut Poets

presented by Liz Adams and Alasdair Paterson Exeter

Vanguard Readings

"a platform for new writers & established authors to perform their work", organised by Richard Skinner London

Vital Signs

"will offer a creative playground for artists working across movement and creative writing; a rich programme of workshops, performances, readings and open labs will make space for creatives to share, connect, play and discover." Scott Thurston and Sarie Mairs Slee festival Salford & Manchester

Wedding

"a series of cross-disciplinary text and performance nights breaking new ground in reading events", which kicked off with an event including Sarah Robinson at a London Gallery — no info on the series rather than the event or eventbrite; Alan Fielden and Jamie Lee the organisers London?

West London Poetry

hosted by Niall McDevitt at the Irish Cultural Centre, this new series is likely to have an interest in Irish Innovative Poetry London

Whisky and Beards Publishing

"an author favouring publishing house and media network located in the South East of England to represent, develop and encourage writers and artists", editor-in-chief: Connor Sandsby Kent and beyond

Words & Jazz

is venue events page but you'll get more info on its Facebook page; organised by Nicki Heinen at Vortex Jazz club London

Writers' Centre Kingston

"A literary cultural centre" in the energetic care of SJ Fowler Kingston-upon-Thames, London

Writers Forum

"A vital resource for poetry" and Writers Forum Information "ambition for the Poetry, not the poet", the blog of Writers Forum Workshop founded by Bob Cobbing, who passed its care onto Laurence Upton and Adrian Clarke, and still convened by Lawrence Upton (with Tina Bass) London writers workshop

Writers Forum Workshop—New Series

formed by many members of the above as a separate group, chaired by Antony John London writers workshop

Xing the Line

organised by Jeff Hilson, and my favourite reading series London

Zarf Magazine presents

Callie Gardner's excellent magazine also does readings Leeds (and occasionally elsewhere)

ZONE

"is a collective of poets, readers and critics based in and hosting events around Canterbury, supported by the Centre for Modern Poetry at the University of Kent." Wide ranging reading series based at the University Canterbury