Winchester will soon be singing with poetry as established and up-and-coming poets visit the historic city to share their words at Winchester Poetry Festival 2023. The programme promises a celebration of language for the well-versed and the poetry-curious alike.
Winchester Poetry Festival has built a reputation over the past ten years for producing a high quality festival of poetry readings, discussions and workshops, engaging the country’s finest poets to share their work and expertise. This year’s programme, celebrating the vibrancy of the languages of the UK, builds upon this once again. Winchester Poetry Festival returns to The ARC from 13-15th October, with fringe events taking place throughout October.
Featured poets during the festival weekend include multi-award winner Daljit Nagra; legendary Welsh poet and activist Menna Elfyn; prolific performance poet Luke Wright; prize-winning poet Zaffar Kunial (pictured top); sci-fi verse novelist Harry Josephine Giles; and critically acclaimed poet and biographer Matthew Hollis. The festival will play host to a wealth of writers and performers from around the UK, as well as showcasing local poets based in the area.
Clare Pollard (Artist Director, Winchester Poetry Festival) says: “Some of the best weekends of my life have been at Poetry Festivals – there is nothing I love more than the buzz of live-readings, the sharing of ideas, and the sense of being part of an artistic community. I am honoured to have been able to curate this year’s programme for the Winchester Poetry Festival. Our theme – the languages of the United Kingdom – is a wonderful excuse to showcase a diverse range of exciting poetries… there should be something to whet the appetite of anyone who loves language and literature. I can’t wait.”
The programme for Winchester Poetry Festival 2023 combines 25 performances, workshops, discussions and readings. Key events are BSL interpreted and livestreamed, there are “relaxed performances”, and 11 events are free to attend.
Amy Juliet Brown (Festival Manager, Winchester Poetry Festival) says: “We are taking strides towards making Winchester Poetry Festival a more welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels able to join in. With the cost-of-living crisis bringing fresh challenges to the post-pandemic environment, we believe that people from all backgrounds should have the opportunity to engage with poetry in its many forms. Finding common ground is central to our collective well-being, and we believe that poetry can provide a feeling of community and connection through language, people and place. We are proud that almost half of our programme is free to access this year, and hope that this opens up the world of poetry to those who might not normally feel able to take part”
Winchester Poetry Festival 2023 takes place 13-15th October at The ARC. Fringe events begin from 3rd October and take place at The Railway Inn, University of Winchester, University of Southampton and online. For more information and tickets, visit: winchesterpoetryfestival.org
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