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Festival Programme
Friday
Festival passes already purchased allow access to SOLD OUT events
PRE-FESTIVAL EVENT:
/ THURSDAY
7 NOVEMBER
BALLROOM ARTS
15.00 - 16.30
SUFFOLK LAUNCH OF POETRY TOGETHER
This nationwide project, created by Gyles Brandreth, and coordinated in Suffolk by Vanessa Raison, invites participants under the age of 18 and over 70 to either write or choose a poem based on the theme of friendship. Those wishing to read poems can sign up at 3pm. Tea and cakes will be available. For more information, please email Vanessa Raison vanessa.raison@btinternet.com
ART AT THE FESTIVAL
EXHIBITIONS AT BALLROOM ARTS
CONFLUENCE II: Simon Carter and Jevan Watkins Jones
INFORMED SPECULATION: Simon Read
ON SHOW THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND
For more information about our festival exhibitions, please click here
/ FRIDAY
8 NOVEMBER
10.00 – 11.00
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
TALK: SIMON READ, INFORMED SPECULATION
Join us for this free event with our festival Artist-in-Residence Simon Read, who will give an introduction to his exhibition Informed Speculation, and will speak about his artistic practice, his work as an environmental activist, and his many years of living on a seagoing Dutch barge on the River Deben.
10.00 – 11:30
FISHERS GIN DISTILLERY
WORKSHOP: DON'T THINK TWICE
with Michael Laskey
Trust the process. Responding to a range of quick-fire prompts, take this opportunity to surprise yourself and to end up with some live first drafts of poems you didn't know you wanted to write. The workshop takes place in the beautiful seaside headquarters of Fishers Gin. Limit of 15 participants.
10.15 - 11.45
CRAG PATH
POETRY WALK: THE LONELY SEA AND THE SKY
Join Suffolk Poetry Society members Sue Wallace-Shaddad and Sue Mobbs for a walk by the sea, sharing poems in the fresh air. To register and receive instructions, contact secretary@suffolkpoetrysociety.org. You are invited to read two short poems on the theme. Spaces are limited, and the itinerary may change based on the weather.
FRI 12.30 - 14.00
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: THE SHORT POEM with George Szirtes
What is short need not be simple. Even a very short form can contain changes of rhythm and tone as well as subtlety of expression. It's like watching light congregate in a piece of crystal. The idea of this brief session is to introduce one or two short forms that can be complete as they are but also retain the possibility of being expanded. Limit of 15 participants.
FRI 14.15 - 15.45
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: WATER THREE WAYS with Mimi Khalvati
Looking at three inspiring water poems, we will write in response to them as the urge takes us in our own way, but also try out ways perhaps new to us in either formal or free verse. Nothing is more inimitable or various than water so in this workshop we will think less about the subject and more about the approach to it, allowing water to speak for itself. Limit of 15 participants.
FRI 14.30 - 15.30
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
SUFFOLK POETRY SOCIETY SHOWCASE
This reading showcases nine poets who are active members in the Suffolk Poetry Society: James Alexander, Philip Baker, Virginia Betts, Col Farrell, Pat Jourdan, Lynne Nesbit, Fran Reader, Sarah Sibley and Nicola Warwick. They will be introduced by SPS President George Szirtes.
FRI 16.00 - 16.45
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
GIN COCKTAILS AT THE FESTIVAL OPENING
Join us for the official opening of Poetry in Aldeburgh 2024, as well as the opening of our two festival exhibitions, Confluence II (curated by Jevan Watkins Jones) and Informed Speculation, a show of work from our Artist-in-Residence Simon Read. There will be complimentary seaside cocktails, sponsored by Fishers Gin.
FRI 17.00 - 18.00
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
POETS FOR THE PLANET
Poets for the Planet is a community of kindred poets, performers, artists and creative activists raising their voices to engage with the climate and ecological emergency through poetry in all its forms. Tonight’s reading presents Julian Bishop, Susie Campbell, Claire Collison, Caroline Davies and Emma Woodford, and will be introduced by Poets for the Planet founder Jacqueline Saphra.
FRI 19.45 - 20.45
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
BLAKE MORRISON AND THE HOSEPIPE BAND:
THE BALLAD OF SHINGLE STREET AND OTHER POEMS
This merging of spoken word and original music brings together poems from Blake Morrison’s 2023 pamphlet Never the Right Time, from his earlier Suffolk-centred collection Shingle Street and original compositions from The Hosepipe Band, a leading ceilidh group based in East Anglia.
FRI 21.30 - late
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
OPEN MIC
with JILL ABRAM and special guest ELLA FREARS
Sign up on arrival for a chance to read your poems. The event will be hosted by Jill Abram, and will feature readings from Jill and from guest poet Ella Frears.
Throughout Saturday, Festival Artist-in-Residence Simon Read, will be occupying the South Lookout Tower on Aldeburgh Beach. Please drop in to speak to him about his process and ideas, his drawing practice, his poetry and his environmental activism.
/ SATURDAY
9 NOVEMBER
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
09.00 - 10.00
HAZEL PRESS: A TRIBUTE TO DAPHNE ASTOR
Daphne Astor, who died this July, was the founder of Hazel Press, a publisher committed to presenting the finest writing on the environment. We celebrate Daphne’s life and work with Jane Lovell and Julia Blackburn, who will be reading from their recent Hazel Press publications, and with reminiscences from Pam Johnson and Jan Heritage, who will be sharing some of Daphne’s own poems.
SAT 10.15 - 11.45
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: POEM AND OCTOPUS with Kit Fan
An octopus has a decentralised brain distributed throughout its body; each arm is an independent mind. A poem too has more than one brain and each line has its own mind. For a poem to withstand the erosion of reading, it needs to find multiple intelligences in its singular body. Informed by other poems, participants will be invited to reflect on their own craft and invent a new way of being a poem that defies a single perspective but thrives on multiple intelligence. Limit of 15 participants.
SAT 10.30 - 11.30
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
FIRST PAMPHLET POETS: KAT DIXON, JEMILEA WISDOM-BAAKO AND ERIC YIP
We are pleased to feature three dynamic poets reading from their debut pamphlets: Kat Dixon (eat the glitter, published by Broken Sleep), Jemilea Wisdom-Baako (Grey Coats and Nokia Phones, the inaugural publication from Poetry London Editions) and Eric Yip (Exposure, published by ignition press).
SAT 12.00 - 13.00
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
ECO-POETRY
Poets Khairani Barokka, Emily Hasler and Matt Howard are passionately engaged with the natural world, and in their work they explore lost and threatened habitats. They will be reading from their new books - Amuk, Local Interest and Broadlands - which consider new responses to climate change and environmental hazard.
SAT 14.00 - 15.00
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
EDITORS’ PANEL DISCUSSION:
SARAH HOWE, MICHAEL LASKEY AND JACOB SAM-LA ROSE
Sarah Howe, poetry editor at Chatto; Michael Laskey, the founder of Garlic Press, and Jacob Sam-La Rose, poetry editor at flipped eye discuss the challenges and triumphs of contemporary publishing. The event will be chaired by Hercules Editions founder Tamar Yoseloff.
SAT 15.15 - 16.45
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: ROUTES TO A FIRST PAMPHLET
with Kat Dixon, Jemilea Wisdom-Baako and Eric Yip
Our first pamphlet poets will talk about their individual experiences in writing, assembling and finding a press for their debut publications. Do come along if you are in the process of gathering your poems together and would like some practical advice. Limit of 15 participants.
SAT 15.30 - 16.30
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
READING, REVEAL and RAFFLE:
FIONA MOORE, JACQUELINE SAPHRA, PAUL STEPHENSON AND TAMAR YOSELOFF
Four members of your intrepid poet-led committee will kick off this fundraiser with short readings from their recent books and move on to spilling the beans on the journey to recreate Poetry in Aldeburgh for 2024. Line the coffers for next year by buying a raffle ticket with a chance of winning a festival pass for 2025, with other alluring prizes to be drawn on the day. If you want to know about the obstacles, delights, shocks, work and creativity that go into making a festival, this is the place to be.
SAT 17.00 - 18.00
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
BARBICAN YOUNG POETS:
ESME ALLMAN, KATIE O’PRAY and ZAHRAH SHEIKH
Barbican Young Poets is an artist-development initiative and community for those who wish to explore what’s possible in their writing. Come and hear the poetry stars of the future, Esme Allman, Katie O’Pray and Zahrah Sheikh. The event is hosted by Barbican Young Poets facilitator Jacob Sam-La Rose.
SAT 20.00 - 21.00
NOTE VENUE: ALDEBURGH CINEMA
FESTIVAL GALA READING WITH CAROLINE BIRD AND IMTIAZ DHARKER
We are delighted to be presenting two of the UK's most exciting poets reading from their recent collections. Simon Armitage has described Caroline Bird's Ambush at Still Lake as "spring-loaded, funny, sad, deadly"; and Imtiaz Dharker will be reading from Shadow Reader, which Jackie Kay has hailed as "witty, wise, profound and moving."
The reading is co-sponsored by the Aldeburgh Cinema.
SAT 21.30 - late
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
STRESS TEST LIVE
Based on the format of the long-running Soho Radio show, Stress Test Live involves poets and musicians writing live on stage to a collective prompt (while inviting the audience to write along with them) then performing and discussing those new poems. So join Stress Test poets Joe Dunthorne, Ella Frears and John Osborne, plus a special guest to be confirmed on the night, for an evening of surprises!
/ SUNDAY
10 NOVEMBER
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
09.00 - 10.00
THE ROBIN BOYD MEMORIAL LECTURE: CHRISTINE WEBB
Cross-currents: keeping afloat in the lively waters of translation
This lecture, the first of an annual series honouring the late Poetry in Aldeburgh Chair Robin Boyd, an inspirational figure to the Festival, is given by Christine Webb, who invites you to take an early-morning dip in the seas beyond our shores, and to consider the contradictory forces that challenge translators. What is it that is ‘lost’ in translation? And why do we keep re-wording the poetry of the past?
SUN 10.15 - 11.45
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: THE DARK IMPLICATIONS OF A SILLY IDEA
with Caroline Bird
In this workshop, we’ll be writing poems that swerve, poems that take a dark turn, poems that introduce themselves pleasantly then quickly start to freak you out; poems that take a seemingly silly idea and run with it till things get serious. It’ll be horrible and fun! Limit of 15 participants.
SUN 10.30 - 11.30
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
RED BEAN POETRY: KIT FAN, SEAN WAI KEUNG AND JENNIFER WONG
Red Bean Poetry was founded to showcase work by writers of East/SE Asian heritage in and beyond the UK. They are committed to promoting inclusivity, (racial) equality and understanding and appreciation of writers of colour. This reading, which is generously sponsored by Red Bean, features Kit Fan, Sean Wai Keung and Jennifer Wong.
SUN 12.00 - 13.00
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
TO THE RIVER: A PANEL DISCUSSION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND POETRY
Poets Julian Bishop and Emily Hasler will be joined by our festival Artist-in-Residence, Simon Read, and Helen Dangerfield, the Director of Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust, for a discussion on rivers, environmental activism, and how poetry and art can change attitudes. The discussion will be chaired by Fiona Moore.
SUN 14.00 - 15.45
BALLROOM ARTS UPSTAIRS
CLOSING EVENT:
SARAH HOWE, MIMI KHALVATI, ARJI MANUELPILLAI AND JACOB SAM-LA ROSE
Please join us for this extended reading with four wonderful poets, who through their teaching, mentoring and curating, as well as their writing, have been influential and essential figures in the UK poetry scene. They will bring a close to this year's festival, and we invite you to join us for tea and cake after the reading.
SUN 17.00 – 18:30
COURTYARD GALLERY AT BALLROOM ARTS
WORKSHOP: THE POETRY OF DIALOGUE
with Arji Manuelpillai
How do we use dialogue to raise the stakes of our poetry? How can the conversational give authenticity in a work? In this workshop you will look at text messages, poems and scripts, unpacking the power of real-life exchanges and using them to create new poems. Limit of 15 participants.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
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