Nottingham Poetry Festival is back! From Friday until May 5 the city comes alive with readings, events, workshops and more. We had a chat with Tommy Farmyard, one of the organisers.
So the poetry festival is back for its fourth instalment – tell us more!
Yes indeed. Founded in 2015 by Henry Normal and Craig Chettle, it has grown from a 20-event festival to around 70 events involving much of Nottingham’s poetic scene taking over Notts for ten days. This year we appointed Nottingham’s Young Poet Laureaute, 'We have more poets for the people' says Nottingham Poetry Festival 2019 creative director Georgina Wilding, as creative director so this year is especially good!
Past festivals have welcomed poets such as Hollie McNish, Roger McGough, Carol Ann Duffy, Lemn Sissay, John Cooper Clarke and this year is just as exciting. It is lovely watching the festival grow and Nottingham’s poetry scene thrive. Also amazing to introduce poetry in all its forms to new audiences. One of our sponsors is Castle Rock Brewery which means that the beer is also excellent.
What’s on this year?
Lots. Roger McGough is back at Lakeside while Andrew McMillan, Caroline Bird, Ian McMillan and Linton Kwesi Jonson are all at Nottingham’s fantastic new venue Metronome. Patience Agbabi and Lorraine Mariner appear at Waterstones. The Theatre Royal hosts John Hegley and a special evening with Henry Normal and Cathy Grindrod.
The festival is a real community effort and the Notts scene has done itself proud with some fantastic events featuring hundreds of local (or not) poets showcasing diversity and culture.
Tell us about the AR project.
Thanks to the Arts Council who helped fund the festival this year we’ve developed an augmented reality project with City Arts, Nottingham Trent University and Castle Rock. The whole city is littered with tiny little 3D poets, you just need to find them – it’s pretty cool. Visit the website to find out more.
Any top tips this year?
Pick up a brochure, open it up at any page, go to any event and you’ll enjoy yourself. There are so many great events but personally I’m really looking forward to Caroline Bird at Metronome, Andrew McMillan, also at Metronome.
I absolutely love the work local publisher Anne Holloway (Big White Shed) puts in helping local writers, BWS are running a series of events throughout the festival. There’s an evening of Iranian poetry at Waterstones, which will be fascinating. Amity host a globe hopping selection of entertainment at award-winning vegan eaterie Café Roya in Beeston and City Arts hosts a writing workshop with John Hegley.
Psst. at Jamcafe will be fantastic and Andrew Graves brings us the final performance of his one man show God Save The Teen.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
We’re really thankful to everyone who supports us. Nottingham Trent University, Confetti Media Group, Notts TV,, Castle Rock, Arts Council England, the Unesco City Of Literature team and the biggest thanks goes out to the Nottingham poetry scene.
We’re all very excited for the festival to start – come one, come all, it’s going to be great!
Nottingham Poetry Festival is Friday, April 26 to Sunday, May 5. The full list of events and ticket details can be found here
