Calling all performance poets, spoken word artists, stand-up poets, raconteurs, bards and wordsmiths – Glastonbury Festival wants to hear from you!

Do you want to perform your work on the only stage at Glastonbury Festival dedicated to poetry?

The Poetry&Words stage team are looking for applications from experienced writers and performers, with something riveting, riotous, rigorous and generally resplendent to offer up to the audiences of the world’s biggest greenfield arts festival.

We are looking for poets to perform short sets or low tech shows of up to one hour. Please note that we don’t have the capacity to book groups of more than two or three, and are generally interested in solo acts. We’re looking for poetry that’s performative, comedic, serious, thought-provoking, lyrical – you name it. We’re happy to hear from poetry/music acts too, but please do remember that we are a poetry stage. If you’re a musician looking for a place to showcase your work, then Poetry&Words isn’t for you – though there are many other stages on site you could consider.

Booked performers will receive a ticket for themselves as well as a backstage camping pitch. We do pay a fee, but this is only small. Overseas poets, in particular, should note that we are unable to provide travel expenses.

The deadline for applications is, strictly midnight (GMT) on Friday 1^st March 2024.  We regret that we cannot view any applications received after this, so please make a note of the deadline!

We hope you’ll understand that, given the very large volume of applications we receive every year, we are not able to respond to requests for feedback, or to let every applicant know how they’ve done. Successful artists should hear back from us by two months after the deadline at the latest. Only one application per act will be accepted. Please do not follow up your application with multiple emails checking on progress or making amendments to your application.

If you’re interested in applying, then please read the further information below carefully then email your application to: poetryandwords@hotmail.co.uk

This year’s festival runs from 26^th – 30^th June 2024. To find out more about the festival, go to: https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/  You can also follow our stage on these sites:

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Further Information

What we are looking for:

• Excellent writers with their own unique voice who will engage our audience 
• Experienced performers who can cope with an audience that will likely ebb and flow as the festival calls them
• Poets with enough material for 2 x 25 min family-friendly sets or 1 x 1 hour show. (Family-friendly means not full of sex, violence or swearing, not that we’re looking for kids’ poets or that you can’t be hard-hitting.)
• People who can commit to being on site from the Thursday afternoon to the end of their second set.
• Solo or duo acts. We don’t book collectives.
• Quick and simple stage set ups. We can generally accommodate backing tracks, provide monitors, vocal and instrument mics, and setups that take 5-10 minutes max.

What we provide;

• A ticket for you to the festival (no guest tickets I’m afraid, unless you have particular access needs that require someone on site to support you, in which case the festival have a process through which an additional ticket can be applied for after you have been booked)
• A camping pitch backstage (You will need to provide your own tent and camping equipment)
• A nominal fee (We are unable to cover travel costs or additional expenses.)

Info needed:

• Name
• Email address 
• About your writing and performance experience (150-350 words)
• Links to three videos of you performing your work
• Any other essential information, eg. passwords to access video files, information about your technical/set-up needs

Checklist:

• Have you provided your email address we can contact you? We deal with poets directly, so please provide your contact details, rather than those of an agent.
• Have you provided three links to your work? These should be video, not audio. Please send links not attachments and make sure these work. If sending links to private, password-protected files, make sure you send us the passwords too.
• Are you performing your work in the videos? We are booking people to perform on a stage, so we need to see what you’re like in that context. Videos of other people performing your work won’t help us there. Equally, poetry films or clips of you performing with a band aren’t a great help to us if you’re applying as a live solo artist. What we’d really like to see is evidence of you performing live on stage in front of an audience just as you would at the festival. It doesn’t need to be a beautiful, professionally edited video, so long as we can see and hear you okay.
• Have you told us about yourself in 150-350 words? We would particularly like to know: what performance experience you have – where, when, how long for; what makes your work interesting/different/special; any awards or accolades you have received for your writing and/or performance

Day 3 of Poetry&Words at Glastonbury 2023

The final day has come but the pace of Glastonbury doesn’t slow and the Poetry&Words stage still has some incredible spoken word theatre shows, poetry performances, and the Glastonbury Poetry Slam 2023 to come!

We kicked the day off the day with a stripped back performance of Sarah Grant’s spectacular hour long show ‘Spark’. A show that is both a personal story about Sarah’s life and the lives of the women who raised her while also being an examination of the injustices done to women through the years who have been branded ‘other’. Accompanied on guitar by talented musician David ‘Dev’ Devereux the combination of music, poetry, and storytelling makes for a sometimes harrowing, sometimes uplifting, but always enjoyable hour of Spoken Word.

Next up was John Osborne, another poet who I have heard a great deal about and was really excited to see live for the first time. Well I enjoyed his work so much on Friday I couldn’t help but go back for seconds on the Sunday. Witty, warm, and meticulously crafted John’s work effortlessly weaves between the fantastical and mundane pulling beauty and hilarity from both. Special mention to his wonderful piece on matching with Kylie Minogue on tinder.

I had to take a minute to mention the amazing work done by Katie Ailes, 2023’s Glastonbury Poet in Residence. She spent the week exploring the festival chatting to folk from the Pyramid stage to the stone circle and everywhere in between. She spent the whole week writing new work inspired by the festival and then performed 7 bran new pieces during her phenomenal feature set. Between poems she shared some of her favourites from her list of ‘overheard at Glastonbury’ and the result was a set that felt like you had cut a cross section into the festival itself. We were lucky to have such a passionate and talented performer lead the charge for poetry at this year’s festival

Closing the stage was the annual Glastonbury Poetry Slam hosted by the dynamic duo of Deanna Rodger and Sally Jenkinson. Twelve poets competing for the chance to call themselves the Glastonbury Slam Champion and for a spot on the Poetry&Words stage at the next festival. Whit such a coveted prize on the line competition was fierce and all 12 competitors gave it their all. There can only be on champ at the end of the day and that honour went to Talitha Wing. It she brings the same energy and we’ll crafted work to the stage next year as she did to the slam then she is certainly one to have on your ‘must see’ list for next year…. we’re all already prepping for next time right?

Day 2 of Poetry&Words at Glastonbury 2023

It was a hot one! Sure, a lot of that has to do with the unrelenting fiery gaze of the sun but it’s at least a little bit because of the incredible talent performing on the stage throughout the day.

Thank God that the tent comes with an abundance of bean bags and shade

Day 2 also happens to be open mic day which was a wonderful opportunity to hear from a bunch of voices completely new to me.

The final performer of the open mic was particularly enthralling, Zoe Mcwhinney. She performed 2 pieces in British Sign Language. If you’ve never seen BSL Poetry performed live I massively recommend you seek it out. To see gesture and movement lead the words of a poem is a unique experience. to convey so much emotion and intention without a voice is something that takes a great deal of skill.

We also had an absolutely astounding end to the day with a trifecta of terrific headliners. First up was the spectacular Kate Fox

Kate brings her spoken word and standup skills together to make something greater than the sum of its parts. She eases an audience into her set with quick wit and Doctor Who references and then takes them with her through wonderfully crafted poems that can cut deeper than they appear. Her openness and honesty on stage make her such an endearing performer that you can’t help but get behind.

Next up was the incomparable Joelle Taylor. Joelle is easily one of my favourite poets writing today. Her spitfire delivery and uncompromising words can leave an audience completely breathless. Her set was made up of pieces from her outstanding collection ‘Cunto’, which in my opinion is a must see show. There are very few poets who can perform with such tenderness and ferocity in equal measure and who can so effortlessly transport you to a new time and place.

Rounding off the stage for the day was the incredible Travis Alabanza. Travis is one of those performers who seems more comfortable on stage than off. Hilarious and happy to challenge their audience, Travis gets into the big subjects of gender and belonging while chatting with the audience like they are all a singular friendly face in the crowd. Transitioning easily into a focused and contemplative reading from their most recent book. The end of their set saw them trade a signed copy of their book for a gruesome Glastonbury story from an audience member.
A lovely last touch on what felt like a familia experience. A talented speaker telling stories for and to the people they love.

There is more to come today so get down here and join us.

Day 1 Glastonbury 2023

It was a long drive from Scotland and the journey from where we parked to where we pitched our tent seemed even longer. But with everything unpacked and the site explored, at least a bit. It’s time to root myself at Poetry&Words stage and enjoy the absolutely stacked lineup.

We kicked off with Gecko, one of my favourite Poetry&Words stage traditions. Gecko is so good at pulling a crowd into the tent with his beautiful voice and big hearted approach to musical storytelling. His ability to take the ordinary or the under appreciated and everyday and always find something beautiful and joyful makes for a rejuvenating start to everyday.

The first poet up to the mic was new to me but could not have introduced themselves any better. Griot Gabriel have a powerhouse performance rooted in community and belonging with a real overtone of hope for change to come.

While my next highlight of the day was someone I had never seen perform live before they were still a familiar voice, it was the incredible Rebecca Cooney from the Dead Darlings Podcast. I was so pleased to finally see her perform and was left completely gobsmacked by her poem ’13 Things To Tell a Friend who is Hurting’. No wonder

it’s wonderful to see new poets but there is always a special joy on seeing someone you’ve seen a dozen times before in a brand new setting, especially if they are like Leyla Josephine and get better every time you see them. Leyla is such a dynamic and energetic presence on stage and she has a punchy writing style to match. Her final poem was an unabashed celebration of all the things in life that make her happy. That kind of optimistic outlook is something spoken word could do with more of.

There were so many fantastic poets throughout the day and even more to come over the rest of the weekend so check out today’s schedule and come say hello!

Glastonbury Poetry Slam!

It was a huge pleasure to host last year’s Glastonbury Poetry Slam. There were some truly phenomenal performances and I think it is wonderful that folk attending the festival have the opportunity to suddenly find themselves on one of its stages. The slam itself becomes all the more exciting when you realise the prize is a spot on the lineup of the Poetry&Words stage next Glastonbury!

We were blown away by last year’s winner, Torrey Shine, and we’re excited to see what she’ll do with a full set at this year’s festival.

Torrey Shine

Torrey Shine is an award-winning writer and performer living in New York City, and a two-time winner of the Glastonbury Festival Poetry Slam. Torrey published her first poem on television at the age of 8, and has gone on to compete in poetry slam at the national and international level – including the US National Poetry Slam, and The UK SLAM! Championship. Torrey’s spoken word blends personal narrative with social commentary, engaging the audience through a mix of rhythm, rhyme, wordplay, wit, body movement, humour, and soul. She is delighted to be crossing the pond to feature at the Poetry&Words Stage again this year. 

Another key part of any poetry slam is the sacrificial poet and we have quite the treat for you this year.

Kabir Kapoor

German-born Kabir is an up-and-coming talented Poet, visual language artist and National BSL Poet Laureate. He uses beautiful, expressive and comical signed poetry presented purely in a visual form for both deaf and hearing audiences to enjoy. Kabir has directed, produced and participated in performances both here in the UK and around the world.

If you’d like to be part of the Slam then make sure to come by the Poetry&Words Stage and speak with one of the hosts to sign up!

Days to go…

With gates opening on Wednesday there are only a couple of days until we all find ourselves exactly where we want to be! It’s a long drive from Scotland but every mile is worth it to be part of one of the most remarkable artistic events the world has to offer. I am so excited to be able to plant myself at the Poetry&Words stage and soak in three full days of some of the most spectacularly talanated speakers going today. So let’s see who we’re adding to that list…

Travis Albanaza

Travis is a writer, performer and theatre maker from Bristol. Their writing, performance and public discourse centres on trans and Black identities.

For stage, Travis wrote and performed in their debut show Burgerz which won the Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, sold out at Southbank Centre and Traverse Theatre and toured internationally. It was also voted one of The Guardian Readers Top Shows of The Year. The text is published by Oberon Books. Their play Overflow, which premiered at and streamed from The Bush, was met with critical acclaim including numerous four-star reviews and was shortlisted for the George Devine Award. Travis currently has a new show for stage in development with the Southbank Centre and Hackney Showrooms. Their latest theatre commission, Sound of the Underground, premiered as part of the Royal Court’s new season in 2023 to critical acclaim. For screen, Travis is developing projects with Lookout Point and Left Bank.

Travis’ debut book None of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary was published in 2022 by Canongate. ‘A breath of fresh air … There’s no memoir like it’- Independent

Travis work has also appeared on BBC Front Row, The Verb and in 2019 they hosted their first radio documentary ‘Going to The Gay Bar’ for BBC Radio Four.

Their work has also earned them a place on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list 2021, on the Evening Standard’s list of 25 most influential Londoners under 25 and on the Dazed100 list.

John Hegley

Along with his mandolin, John brings his folk sing and his creature talk, and some stuff about John Keats. His first Glastonbury performance was in 1979. His best festival moment so far is singing along with Johnny Mar 0’there is a light and it never goes out’ when feeling a little down in the dumps.

Murray Lachlan Young

Believed to be one of two poets ever to have played the pyramid stage at Glastonbury. Residencies have included BBC6music, BBCRadio2 culture show BBCRadio Saturday live, commissions for Shakespeare’s Globe, CERN and many others. Recent collaboration with techno giants Orbital and last poetry collection made Amazon number one best seller in three categories. A brilliant stage performer with a unique take on the downright weirdness of life in human form.

Poet RS

An experienced & energetic Host, Poet, and Entertainer. With experience performing at over 100 venues nationally and internationally. Poet RS offers a perspective from more than just syllables but words of truth and action.

Hailing from South London. Poet RS found his voice and pen in 2019 RS after years of suppressing his feelings and thoughts due to personal trauma. Fast forward to 2023 and Poet RS has shared stages with Geroge The Poet, performed in theatre shows, Glastonbury Festival 2022, BBC Words First, a judge for The Climate Slam and made his international bow at Hey Sister You Got a this in Holland (The Netherlands).

Poet RS is impactful, influential a performer and advocate of Mental Health. Propelling him into the realms of mentoring, aspiring poets/ performers while using his teaching qualifications and skills, to educate and inspire others to reach the peaks of their talent.

‘Inspire the world through your own inspiration’ is a motto I live by. My poetry speaks on topics that have no end to their conversation, Topic such as Mental Health, Racism, Self-Worth, Single Parenting, Societal Misconceptions, and personal traumas. I use my poetry as a steering wheel to inform educate and bring light to different minds.

The Countdown Continues!

As we roll into the weekend It’s got me daydreaming of the next one to come. I will be firmly planted in the Poetry&Words tent soaking in one of the most stacked lineups of poetry I’ve ever seen! With only days to go there are still some incredible names to bring you all the details on…

Kate Fox

Kate Fox is a Northern stand up poet and broadcaster.

She’s a regular contributor to Radio 3’s spoken word cabaret “The Verb”, has made two comedy series for Radio 4, been Poet in Residence for the Glastonbury Festival and the Great North Run and completed a PhD in stand up comedy!

She is the author of “Where There’s Muck There’s Bras: True Stories of the North of England’s Women” published by Harper North, and various poetry collections. She is also a neurodivergent advocate whose latest show “Bigger on the Inside” explores neurodiversity through the lens of Doctor Who…

Griot Gabriel

Inspired by an array of orators such as Muhammed Ali, Malcolm X, and hip hop rapper Nas, poet Griot Gabriel has always been fascinated by the power of words.

Birthed in Peckham, (London) and raised in Longsight (Manchester) fused with Nigerian heritage, Griot Gabriel’s poetry is influenced by his upbringing in Black urban culture, exploring masculinity, political discourse, racial identity, experiences of inner-city young people, their challenges and relevant social issues. He is the founder of The Poetry Place, a company that provides a platform for new and established poets to perform.

Griot Gabriel has been commissioned to work with Warner Bro’s, Manchester International Festival, The Black Curriculum, BlackFest and Jason Reynolds.

John Osborne

John Osborne writes stories, scripts and poems. His first book Radio Head was broadcast as Radio 4’s Book of the Week and his poetry has been broadcast on Radio 1, Radio 3, Radio 4, BBC 6Music, Soho Radio and XFM. His new book is A Supermarket Love Story, published by Go Faster Stripe.

Dan Webber

Dan Webber (he/him) is an award-winning LGBTQ+ poet and producer based in Derby. He has appeared at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Reading Fringe Festival and as part of the 25th Birthday Celebrations for Leicester Comedy Festival. His first collection ‘Genre Fluid’ was published by Big White Shed in June 2019, a show of the same name was named Best Solo Show at Morecambe Digital Fringe in August 2020.

Commissions include ‘The Derby Witness’ a poetry and street art project for Derby Feste, ‘Whispers From The Woods’, a poetry and nature trail produced with Arts Melbourne for The National Forest, ‘15st 9lbs at time of writing’ for SHOUT Festival, Birmingham, ‘Genre Fluid: Quarantine Edition’ for Coventry Pride, and ‘322 Ways of Escape’ as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent.

In September 2021, Dan supported Cheryl Hole as part of The University of Derby Freshers week and in February 2022 ‘Genre Fluid’ and ‘The Derby Witness’ were accepted into The National Poetry Library. In July 2022, Dan competed in the Loud Poets Edinburgh Fringe Slam at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. In September 2022 Dan appeared alongside Barbara Nice as part of the Derby CAN ‘Over To You’ season.

In 2023, Dan judged the Derby Book Festival Flash Fiction Writing Competition.

2022 Performance Video – https://youtu.be/8aL5My5JrTg

Socials / website

Facebook – Dan Webber Poet

Make sure to stay tuned over the next few days as I’ll be announcing the last few poets and explaining how you can your name to the this amazing lineup in our Poetry&Words Open Mic and Slam!

Only a week to go!!

Ok it’s 8 days really but I’m already too excited! I’ve been obsessively checking the weather report, reading up on all The Churnups theories, and listening to Elton John’s entire discography for the last few days now and I am feeling more than prepared. There are still a bunch of incredible poets to tell you all about though, so let’s dive in!

Sami Rhymes

Sami Rhymes is an Award-Winning Spoken Word Artist, Poet, Author and Creative from London, UK. She also works in Project Management.

Sami has performed and headlined at a number of public and private events in London, nationally and abroad in Malaysia. She has also won international slams virtually and in person in London. 

2022 saw Sami pick up “Best Female Spoken Word Poet” , perform nationally and also marked the release of her Debut EP Triple Threat where she fused spoken word and rap with vocal percussion. She has featured on a number of local radio stations including BBC Radio London. Sami has also appeared on ITV news, S1:E3 of the BAFTA winning Sky Arts commissioned TV show Life & Rhymes and Islam Channel to name a few.

Sami started writing young and had her first poem published at the age of 9. She released her debut collection 20 Something in 2020 and has contributed poems to other publications since.

Sami uses rhyme as a means of release and therapy and through her spoken word inspires people in her community to speak up and take action. Her poetry touches on everything from identity to relationships to mental health, injustices and day to day experiences. She also facilitates workshops, ghostwrites and takes on commissions for bespoke requests.

Sami continues to create and perform for various platforms. Her next book and EP is in progress.

Rebecca Cooney

Rebecca Cooney is a journalist and performance poet whose poetry explores themes of feminism, home, mental health, folklore and empire.

She is fascinated by the collision of the magical and the domestic, and the power that storytelling and human connection have to heal, liberate and transform.

She was a Hammer & Tongue National Slam 2018 finalist and is a multiple-time winner of the Hammer & Tongue Cambridge Poetry Slam, Farrago Slam, Genesis Slam and Poetry At Your Place Slam. She has also featured at poetry nights across London and the south east.

Rebecca’s poems have been published in the Spoken Word London Anti-Hate Anthology, The Dear Damsels Annual 2018 and the anthology Let Me Know When You’re Home. Her poem ‘This Is How to Forget Your History’ was longlisted for the 2020 Outspoken Poetry Prize.

She is the producer and co-host of Dead Darlings, a monthly podcast dedicated to spoken word poetry and the community that comes with it (available wherever you get your podcasts).

Expect shape-shifting women, dementia wolves and beard appreciation.

Eleanor Dillon-Reams

Elle Dillon-Reams is an award winning writer and performer from Brighton. 

Her debut poetry book ‘Maladaptive’, was published by Verve Poetry Press. 

After winning Genesis Poetry Slam, Hammer and Tongue Hackney Slam, and the Imperial College Nature Slam, she is going ahead to the National Poetry Slam finals at the Royal Albert Hall this year.

Her debut spoken word solo show ‘HoneyBEE’ won the Three Weeks Editors award for excellence as well as ‘Best Newcomer’ from The Scotsman. Elle will be taking both ‘HoneyBEE’ and her new show ‘MEAT’ up to the Edinburgh festival this year in August. 

For the late night bunnies, you can also find Elle down the rabbit hole this year in Glastonbury…

Luke Wright

After a quarter of a century on stages across the world Luke Wright is a poet and raconteur at the top of his game.

Both brazen and elegiac, Wright’s poems pull on the tidy hem of responsible existence to unravel the frustrations of the family, politics and masculinity in 21st century Britain. 

He marries his inventive writing with breath-taking performance skills to take audiences on an incredible emotional journey. He’s the regular tour support for John Cooper Clarke and often MCs shows for The Libertines. He’s a regular on Radio 4 and has won a Fringe First for writing , a Stage Award for performance, and four Saboteur Awards.

“His performances rumble with rage, passion and humour.” Guardian

“extraordinary and eloquent.” Scotsman

“Hitting his stride as a cultural figurehead.” Telegraph

“Cool Poems” Patti Smith

“Fierce, wistful, romantic and witty… Sensational.” The Stage

“Please don’t hurt me.” John Cooper Clarke

The Scottish Contingent

Having been part of the Scottish Spoken Word scene for the last decade I am often left frustrated at how often the incredible talent that exists up this end of the border is overlooked when it comes to major festivals and events. So you can imagine how happy I was to see not only myself and Mark Gallie invited back this year but also some of my favourite Scottish poets!

This years Glastonbury Poet in Residence is the incredible…

Katie Ailes – Poet in Residence

Katie Ailes is a poet, producer, researcher, educator, and dancer based in Edinburgh.

She has performed her poetry at festivals and events across the UK and Europe including with the Scottish Government, Prague Fringe, the Centre for Poetic Innovation, Apples & Snakes, Brighton Fringe, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and more. Her poetry has been published widely and her poem ‘Outwith’ was chosen as one of the Scottish Poetry Library’s Best of the Best Scottish Poems in 2019.

Since 2015 Katie has worked as a producer with I Am Loud Productions (home of Loud Poets), co-organising hundreds of spoken word events, videos, podcasts, and other projects. In 2022 she hosted the podcast Building Stories with I Am Loud, commissioned by Edinburgh City of Literature, celebrating historic Edinburgh women writers.

As a researcher, Katie focuses on spoken word poetry, the literature of Scottish independence, feminism, and Carol Ann Duffy. Her 2020 PhD focused on the performance of authenticity in contemporary UK spoken word. She has taught university-level English and Creative Writing and facilitated digital poetry workshops, including the Loud Poets Return to Form series.

Katie is also a classically trained dancer and choreographer interested in the intersection between speech and movement. In 2022 she created two new choreopoems reimagining maligned women from Scottish literature and mythology, “Cutty Sark” (commissioned by the Scottish Storytelling Centre and Edinburgh City of Literature) and “Bean Nighe” (commissioned by Push the Boat Out Festival).

Leyla Josephine

Leyla Josephine is a poet, theatre practitioner and filmmaker, originally from Glasgow, now residing in Prestwick. She first started writing poetry in 2013 and won the Hammer and Tongue UK National Slam which catapulted her into the world of Spoken Word.

Her solo theatre shows Hopeless and Daddy Drag have been toured throughout the UK. Hopeless was runner up for Saboteur’s Best Spoken Word Show 2018. Daddy Drag won the Autopsy Award 2019 which celebrates artists making ground-breaking work in Scotland. It was also shortlisted for Filipa Braganca Award 2019, which honours solo female artists creating important work at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Leyla released her book Hopeless with Speculative Books which is a documentation of her solo show of the same name. She has been included in American anthology about abortion called Choice Words: Writers On Abortions alongside the likes Margaret Atwood, Audre Lorde and Gloria Steinem. She has been featured in Gutter Magazine, Neu! Reekies! anthology Untitled 3 and The Centenary Collection for Edwin Morgan. She  has been featured in The National, The Scotsman, The Guardian, Huffington Post, Upworthy, BBC Scotland, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Social.

Leyla has extensive experience as a facilitator and project leader working in lots of different social contexts creating poetry and theatre with participants. She was Schools Writer in Residence 2020 for Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 2019 she performed for the First Minister of Scotland and supported John Cooper Clarke on his Scottish tour. She has been on the same bill as the likes of Kae Tempest, Lowkey and Hollie McNish. Her poem ‘Good with our Hands’ was named as one of Scottish Poetry Library’s Best Scottish Poems 2020. She was named in The List’s Top 100 Artists To Watch in 2019 and again in 2022. 

Leyla is also a film maker with her first short film Groom nominated for a Scottish BAFTA and Critics Circle Award and winning First Prize for Direction at Flickers Film Festival which is Academy Affiliated.

Iona Lee

Iona Lee is an award-winning poet, performer, artist and music-maker from Edinburgh. She has been a prominent member of Scotland’s live poetry scene for ten years, appearing on radio and television and reading her work in venues and on festival stages all over the UK and Europe. Her anticipated debut collection, ‘Anamnesis’ – due to be published by Polygon in August of this year – has been included in Snack Magazine’s list of the top ten books coming out of Scotland in 2023, and was shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Award. Iona’s work deals with themes surrounding memory, magic, truth and tale-telling, and was described by Liz Lochead as: “Youthful, sexy, sharp, ferally female and funny”.

Rounding off the list with her amazing show ‘Spark’ is…

Sarah Grant – Spark

Sarah is a writer, director, performer and poet based in Glasgow. Her first short film, ‘The Cyclist’ (2014), was nominated for a BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award and her most recent short ‘Scare’ (2019) gained BAFTA Qualifying status and has been awarded feature film development funding. Sarah has created short-form work for BBC The Social and BBC Short Stuff, featuring female fronted comedy, gaining tens of millions of views across digital and social media. Her poetry work has also appeared on multiple BBC platforms. Her debut spoken word show “Spark” won Best Spoken Word Show at the 2021 Saboteur Awards. Her most recent show “Oracles” was commissioned by the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Sarah is a Sky Academy Arts Scholar, National Poetry Slam Championship 2021 runner-up and on the Young Women’s Movement 30-Under-30 list of influential women in Scotland. She is currently taking steps towards writing long form for film and television part of programmes including the EIFF Talent Lab and UKTV Comedy 50:50 pilot initiative, and she has long form work in development with BBC Studios and Short Circuit. She is also part of the BAFTA Flare initiative for queer film and tv creatives 2023. Sarah is committed to creating body positive, sex positive and inclusive female-led stories that are honest, feminist and fearless.

Joelle Taylor, Gecko, Drea Chuma, and Lia Burge!

Are you ready for more poets? Of course you are!

One off my favourite things about the Poetry&Words stage is the mix of artists. There are always a bunch of poets whose work I’ve known and loved for years but equally I will always find performers I’ve never seen before. Even in the years before my first time attending the festival in person I would scour the line up searching for new voices. It is a testament to the quality of everyone booked to perform that I’ve never been disappointed by what I found!

With that being said I figured I’d introduce you to two of my favourites, Joelle Taylor & Gecko, and two performers new to me that I’m incredibly excited to see, Drea Chuma & Lia Burge.

Joelle Taylor

www.joelletaylor.co.u

Joelle Taylor is the author of 4 collections of poetry and a novel. Her most recent collection C+NTO & Othered Poems won the 2021 T.S Eliot Prize and was the subject of a Radio 4 arts documentary Butch. C+NTO was nominated for the Rathbone Folio Prize, longlisted for the Ondaatje Prize, and won 2022 the Polari Book Prize. It was named by The Telegraph, the New Statesman, The Guardian, The White Review & Times Literary Supplement as one of the best poetry books of the year, as well as DIVA magazine’s Book of the Month, and awarded 5 stars by the Morning Star. She has completed a book tour of Australia including Sydney Opera House (March 2022). C+NTO is currently being adapted for theatre with a view to touring. A former UK SLAM Champion she founded the national youth poetry slams SLAMbassadors through the Poetry Society in 2001, remaining its Artistic Director until 2018. She is a co-curator and host of Out-Spoken Live, resident at the Southbank Centre, and an editor at Out-Spoken Press. She is also completing her memoirs for publication in 2024, and her novel of interconnecting stories The Night Alphabet will be published by Quercus in Spring of that year. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and the 2022 Saboteur Spoken Word Artist of the Year.

Gecko

Gecko is a London based singer-storyteller, his playful lyrics cover the big things in life with wit and warmth. Think tooth fairy admin, ignored characters in Italian renaissance paintings, and pig outlaws. Gecko has toured the UK, Europe & New Zealand, appearing at Glastonbury, Latitude, BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music & the Edinburgh Fringe. He has shared stages with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Loyle Carner, Tim Minchin & Billy Bragg. In 2020 Gecko appeared on BAFTA winning Sky TV show ‘Life & Rhymes’ with Benjamin Zephaniah. His songs have received multiple millions of views on TikTok & both his albums ‘Volcano’ & ‘Climbing Frame’ have been made ‘Album of the year’ in the Morning Star newspaper.

Drea Chuma

Drea Chuma is a Botswana-born poet currently living in Amsterdam. In Botswana she became part of the acclaimed Exodus Live Poetry collective known for shaping Botswana’s performance poetry scene. In 2006 Drea was invited by Hammer & Tongue to represent Africa in the UK Four Continents Slam tour, where she won the Nottingham and Cambridge slams. She has performed in many stages, including Johannesburg Constitution Hill, Stockholm City Theatre, Berlin Kink Kong Club, Harare Shoko festival, Botswana Infinite Word Festival, Glastonbury festival. Drea lived in Belgium until 2020, where she collaborated with other artists and curators and shared her poetry in numerous stages including Zomerfabriek, Belgium’s Afrikan Film Festival, and at the inaugural People of African Descent Week at the European Parliament.

Her poems have appeared in publications including Prairie Schooner and Sixty Poems for Haiti (Cane Arrow Press). She has read her poems on many stages and festivals, including Johannesburg Constitution Hill, Stockholm City Theatre, Berlin Kink Kong Club, Harare Shoko festival, International Video Poetry Festival and Glastonbury festival. Her debut poetry album 1981 Was A Good Year can be found among the collection of music recordings from Botswana at the US National Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. In 2022 she released her sophomore poetry-album Homing under her moniker Supermoon Blues. Collaborative poetry films from her Homing project with a Welsh filmmaker and a Chilean filmmaker have been screened at various film festivals including 10th International Video Poetry Festival (Athens), ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival(Berlin), Cinema on the Washing Line(Lisbon), London International Animation Festival and Amsterdam Independent Film Festival. Her honours include Farrago Poetry award(UK), African Artist Award (Belgium) and Botswana Top 40 under 40 Catalyst award. She is currently working on a debut poetry collection.

Lia Burge – Crying Into Bins

Lia Burge is an OFFIE nominated actress and two-time Hammer & Tongue National Slam finalist bringing her show CRYING INTO BINS to the Poetry&Words stage.

From the food waste bin into which her friend had a nervous breakdown, Lia tries to make sense of the twenty years she spent serving food and drink. Crying into Bins chronicles tales collected over two decades and takes shape as a long-form spoken word poem. But expect a little more than one woman and a microphone. This is a fast-paced and funny poetical exploration of mental health, societal structures, terrible rage and bittersweet acceptance.

‘I have spent my adult life shovelling leftover potato fondants into my mouth in the vain hope that the sheer volume might make up for the lack of company, posh dress and dinner music they were designed for’

“As natural as having a conversation with a mate down the pub but with a glorious lyrical flair”

“Fresh and thrilling”

“Jaw-droppingly brilliant”

Praise for previous acting work:

★★★★★
‘A highly sophisticated performance and never one-note…a masterclass in acting’ – Spy in the Stalls 

Make sure to stay tuned as we continue through our stacked 2023 Poetry&Words lineup!