Inspire Poetry Festival Returns for 2023!

The annual festival is back for another year, bringing acclaimed poets to local libraries across Nottinghamshire.

 This year, the festival brings audiences an array of reasons to enjoy poetry, and especially invites those who may have shied away from the genre previously to delve in and discover a love of literature.

 Poets gracing libraries across Notts include stand up poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster, Kate Fox, who will be bringing her show, ‘Bigger on the Inside’, to West Bridgford Library. The smart, funny spoken word show looks at neurodiversity and autism through the theme of Doctor Who. 

 For fans of the local poetry scene, Beeston Library will host two exciting poetry launches – Paper Crane Poets with their collective anthology First Flight, and Trish Kerrison with her first pamphlet, Beyond Caring, published by Five Leaves. Local favourite, Andrew Graves, will be hosting a masterclass in performance poetry at Inspire’s Buttermarket venue in Newark, bringing the poetry festival to the venue for the first time.

 Children and families are also in for a treat this year as award-winning poet Alex Wharton – the new Children’s Laureate Wales 2023-2025 – will be performing at both Beeston and West Bridgford Libraries. Families can also enjoy a new Small World short film screening and poetry activities at Sutton-in-Ashfield Library, to kick-start your little one’s love of poetry!

Other workshops, screenings and performances across the county include Cathy Grindrod, Leanne Moden, Michelle Hubbard, Sian Tower, and more.

For the full programme and to find Inspire Poetry Festival events in your local area, visit the Inspire website (inspireculture.org.uk/poetry-festival). Tickets can be booked online, in person at any Inspire Library, or by calling Ask Inspire on 01623 677 200.