Our stage wants YOU. Show us what you can do… and then show everybody else!
Want to perform your work on the only stage at Glastonbury Festival dedicated to poetry in all shapes, sizes and guises? Then read on…
Poetry&Words 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 operate a fast turnaround stage, so are looking for individual artists and duos who can hit it at a dead run with the minimum of tech support, preamble, props and paraphernalia. We also have stage-time available for one person spoken word shows of up to 1 hour in length, with minimal stage set-ups and technical requirements.
Genuinely confident that you will fit this bill? Send us your BEST stuff. We want to be able to see you performing live, so YouTube links or similar would be great. Audio is okay but video holds the most impact. Up to 3 web-links will give us a rounded view of what you are offering. We’re interested in the quality of your writing and performance, not your videography skills, so don’t worry if your video’s a bit shaky – so long as we can see and hear you clearly. Please send us your bio too – sell yourself in a few well-crafted paragraphs.
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. This clogs the Inbox and makes your name memorable for all the wrong reasons. The info you need post-application will be in the auto-reply. Please read it.
We do pay a fee, but this is only small. Overseas poets, in particular, should note that we are unable to provide travel expenses. Guest tickets are also beyond our power. Booked performers will also receive a ticket for themselves as well as a camping pitch backstage of the Poetry&Words tent.
This year’s festival runs from June 21st – 25th 2023. We require artists to be on site from the Thursday afternoon until the end of their last set, but you can arrive any time from the Wednesday.
To find out more about the festival go to: https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/
The deadline for applications is, strictly, 5pm (GMT) on Friday 3rd March 2023. We regret that we cannot view any applications received after this time, so please make a note of this. Don’t miss your chance!
We hope you’ll understand that, given the frankly fantastical volume of applications we receive every year, we are not able to respond to requests for feedback or advice, 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.
Send your application to: poetryandwords@hotmail.co.uk
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Poetry&Words at Glastonbury Festival 
Here’s wishing you all another amazing year of spoken word excitement and endeavour! It must be about 30 years now since a few of us helped Pat V T West establish the first Glastonbury Poetry Tent – at the lower end of the Green Fields, just over the Old Railway Line!
Huge hugs,
Marcus (Moore) x