Empower Growth Start Now

Empower Growth Start Now

Discover and explore Leeds Poetry Events and find more events across Yorkshire and beyond! List includes poets' readings, open mics, competitions and poetry opportunities. See what is on tonight and coming up over the next few weeks. Regular event details given for Leeds: in Burley, city centre, Headingley, Horsforth, Ilkley, Morely, Otley, & Woodhouse, as well as Bradford, Halifax, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Hull, Scarborough, Sowerby Bridge, Sheffield, Wakefield. Also Manchester and Salford! Poetry Events Calendar in Leeds and Beyond! Keep scrolling down to see the details of 89 current events listed! Please refresh this page to get latest updates! Click to see Events A to Z Click to see the Events Map Click on the pictures to see the poster full size Writing the North: How the Leeds Lit Fest Continues to Showcase Leeds as an Important Literary City – Column By Keith Fenton Each month Keith Fenton, a Leeds-based performance poet, broadcaster and host of Poets Talking Bollocks podcast, explores the events, people and debates shaping literary culture in the North. This month, he reflects on an amazing literary week in Leeds as Leeds Lit Fest took over venues across the city with poetry readings, book events and creative workshops. Image: Keith on stage at Poets Talking Bollocks when it closed the Leeds Lit Fest this year at Hyde Park Book Club. Image Credit: Natasha Dobson see @n_j_dphotography (Many thanks to Natasha for the use of this photograph, and for the use of the photograph for Bob and Poetry's Instagram account.) 3 Aug 2026 Click to read the article PUBLISHED Click to read the article All of Us - Poetry Workshops A free monthly poetry workshop, based in Leeds and accessible to everyone. A place to share a passion for words, and analyse styles. Join Joe Spivey, Oliver Clifford, and our lovely attendees to explore poetry techniques and forms in a supportive environment. This session we'll: - Explore contemporary uses of punctuation in poetry - Think through the lenses of form, rhythm, space, and non-verbal communication - Use selected poems from diverse writers to prompt a discussion around the role punctuation plays in poetry. - End with an opportunity for one or two attendees to share a poem for feedback (the feedback is optional! Please be mindful to only bring one poem due to time restraints and supporting everyone else present) Free - suggested donation £5.00. Book tickets at the link below. 6 pm to 7.30 pm Imagine Leeds, 9 Blenheim Ter Woodhouse Leeds LS2 9HZ 6 Oct 2026 Click for Linktr.ee page PUBLISHED Click for Linktr.ee page Rhyming Words #18 Hosted by Culain Wood The line-up is silly, but they always are, with wonderful poets @jenny.pilkington @lu.what.where @vigspoetry and @bxnks.poet ❤️ The open mic is a gig in itself too, so don’t be a silly billy and make sure you’re there! Tickets £5 on the door Doors 7 pm, show 7.30 pm The Rat & Pigeon 33 Back Piccadilly Manchester M1 1HP Poster by @_littlebadger 12 Oct 2026 Click to go to Culain Wood's Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go to Culain Wood's Instagram page Verbal Gerbil Spoken Word Caberet Next event Hagglers Corner with Surf Jaz and @warburtonjack on the musician duties. Hosts: Stan Skinny and Francis & I Surf jazz: Relax, sit back and head downstream - find peace to the sound of Surf Jaz. Expect reverb-washed guitars, drum machines, and many, many synths, all beneath gentle vocals. For fans of Beach House, Sylvan Esso, Raveena, and James Blake. Pay as you feel suggested £5. Last Wednesday of every month, 7.30 pm to 10 pm. Hagglers Corner 586 Queens Rd Lowfield, Sheffield S2 4DU 12 Oct 2026 Click to go to Verbal Gerbil's Facebook event page PUBLISHED Click to go to Verbal Gerbil's Facebook event page Creative writing sessions at The Grayston Unity, Halifax Join award winning local writer, Gaia Holmes, for inspirational weekly creative writing sessions to generate poetry or prose upstairs at The Grayston Unity in the homely, cosy snug. This workshop welcomes writers of all abilities. See link for contact details. £7 (£5 concession) Most Wednesdays 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm Upstairs in ‘Tiny Grayston’ The Grayston Unity 8 Horton Street Halifax HX1 1PU (Note: put this address in the satnav as the place name may take you to a former address) (Event not confirmed by website, so please do contact Grayston Unity first) 14 Oct 2026 Click to visit Grayston Unity website PUBLISHED Click to visit Grayston Unity website The Salutation Writers - a weekly writing workshop in Manchester Come join our weekly workshop to create new writing through a series of prompts and activities, led by experienced facilitators. This weekly workshop is a welcoming place to come and work on your writing through a series of activities and prompts, led by experienced facilitators Becky May and John Greenwood. It’s designed to be generative so that you can focus on getting as many words down as possible and leave with new ideas to develop. At the end of term, we’ll have a performance special – this is your chance to share your work (either written in the group or outside) and gain confidence when performing. Our group size for this event will be larger, and you’ll be able to sign up on the night for a three-minute slot. Feel free to come as often or as little as you like. So that price isn’t a barrier, we’re offering two options – general admission and concessions (student, those on benefits and over 60’s) £5.04 - £7.21 Every Wednesday 6.45 pm to 7.45 pm The Salutation Pub 12 Higher Chatham Street Manchester M15 6ED 14 Oct 2026 Click to go to Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to Eventbrite page OpenMind @ The Grove Acoustic Open Mic Music, comedy - spoken word House guitars & piano available. The Grove Inn Back Row Leeds LS11 5PL 14 Oct 2026 Click to go to Grove Inn's website PUBLISHED Click to go to Grove Inn's website Wakey Wild Ones Lyrical Drama by Tim Brookes about five former club friends from Wakefield reflecting on love, loss and basslines. Once you have listened to Tim's play, explore lots of great events archived at Chapel FM and find new upcoming events, too! 15 Oct 2026 Click to go to Chapel FM PUBLISHED Click to go to Chapel FM SOUL Open Mic & Social Fridays A supportive and encouraging space for everyone in our community to share some expression, be seen and known, and witness others doing the same - because that's part of how we connect, belong and build community. Music, spoken word, dance, comedy, karaoke and more are all welcome! Come to express, come to witness, or simply come to relax. Food and drinks are available throughout the evening. Not performing? Come along anyway. SOUL is a chance to meet new people, catch up with familiar faces and enjoy a relaxed evening together. £5 suggested donation supporting SOUL Community Interest Company. 🗓 Every Friday 🕖 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm SOUL Wellness Hub & Café Burnley Road Sowerby Bridge HX6 2TL 16 Oct 2026 Click to go to SOUL's website PUBLISHED Click to go to SOUL's website Ink Spill open mic and workshop As the evenings draw in, light up your heart at Ink Spill #47 You're invited to an evening filled with creativity, community and poetry at the Head of Steam, Huddersfield - with the night divided into a poetry workshop and open mic event. Whether you're at the beginning of your journey or a seasoned poet, this event is open to all. So grab your pen, bring your thoughts, and let your words spill onto the page! During the workshop, you'll have the opportunity to write and develop your poetry - inspired by the theme. You'll be introduced to a variety of styles and techniques that will be supported by a variety of activities by the workshop host. Following the workshop and a short hydration break, the stage is yours! Step up to the mic and share your writing with our supportive and enthusiastic community. Or simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the performances of other members. Whether you're seeking inspiration, looking to connect with fellow poets, or simply want to spend an evening surrounded by poetry, Ink Spill is the place to be! Free 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm : Themed poetry workshop with Hannah 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm : Poetry open mic with Abbi and Hannah The Head of Steam, Saint George's Square Huddersfield HD1 1JB 16 Oct 2026 Click to visit Ink Spill Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to visit Ink Spill Eventbrite page Write Now Discover the joy of storytelling in our friendly creative writing group Write Now. No booking is required. Just turn up and start your creative journey with us. The group meets twice a month to fuel inspiration and nurture your writing skills. With no pressure and all skill levels welcome, you'll find a supportive community where your writing voice can truly shine. PAYF donations taken on the day. 2 pm to 4 pm Northlight Arts Centre 31 Potternewton Lane Leeds LS7 3LW 16 Oct 2026 Click to visit Northlight Arts Centre webpage PUBLISHED Click to visit Northlight Arts Centre webpage Talking Zebras Do you enjoy Poetry / Prose / Short Stories / The Spoken Word? Do you like Listening / Reading / Performing? Then why not join our friendly, regular group Talking Zebras Turn up and say hello to the herd! All are very welcome. Next dates: 17th October, 2026 2.15 pm till 4.45 pm The Bobbin Carrier Centurion Way Cleckheaton BD19 3QB The pub is about 20 minutes walk from Cleckheaton, it is situated near the chain bar roundabout (junction 26 of the M62) and very close to bus stops for the 268 route. 17 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Talking Zebras website PUBLISHED Click to go to the Talking Zebras website Wordsmiths Open Mic Poetry, Short Stories & Prose Featuring local writers and poets Free entry 5 pm to 7.30 pm Craft Bar 7 Northway Scarborough YO11 1JH 18 Oct 2026 Click to go to Craft Bar's Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Craft Bar's Facebook page Balby Library - Poetry Group Weekly on Monday Discuss and write poetry led by Dr Parks 12 pm to 2 pm Balby Community Library High Road Balby Doncaster DN4 0PL As the library website is no longer publishing event dates, I cannot confirm this date, so please check with the venue. 19 Oct 2026 Currently no website PUBLISHED Currently no website Mind Over Slammer 🎤 LEEDS — GET READY FOR A NIGHT OF LIVE POETRY. 12 poets. 3 rounds. 5 judges. Mind Over Slammer comes to Hyde Park Book Club for an evening of poetry and performance as 12 poets compete for a place in the 2027 National Grand Finale in London. Come down, enjoy an evening of poetry and see who makes it through to London. 🎟️ Get your tickets now. £11.25 incl. £1.25 Fee (Click link below) 🚪 Doors 6 pm 🎤 Slam 7 pm – 10 pm 🎧 DJ 10 pm – 11 pm Hyde Park Book Club 27-29 Headingley Lane Leeds LS6 1BL 19 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page Verbose MCR One of Manchester’s longest running spoken word events, Verbose, returns at the Kings Arms. Headliners: to be announced To enter the draw for an open mic slot, please email us on verbosemanchester@gmail.com Doors open: 7.15 pm Event: 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm The King's Arms 11 Bloom Street Salford M3 6AN 19 Oct 2026 Click to visit Verbose MCR Fatsoma page PUBLISHED Click to visit Verbose MCR Fatsoma page Brave Words - Write Club Inclusive, energetic poetry writing workshops run by Brave Words Artistic Director, Chris Singleton. Each week we take part in a quick warmup before delving into multiple creative prompts designed to get your brain firing and your pen flying. We aim for you to leave the session with multiple first drafts that you can develop later in your own time. Our workshops are open to all levels of writer, from first-time to jobbing professionals. Write Club is the perfect setting to get creative in a community dedicated to their craft, and supporting each other's work. MONDAYs 11:00 am to 12.30 pm Ages 18+ FREE Space2 The Old Fire Station, Gipton Approach, Leeds LS9 6NL 19 Oct 2026 Click to go to Brave Words website PUBLISHED Click to go to Brave Words website Runcible Spoon Open Mic Runcible is back again with talented poets and headliners. Carrier Arms is a lovely pub with great atmosphere and friendly people. Come and share your writing or just come and listen. Host Kathleen Strafford Guest reader plus open mic Free 7 pm onwards Carriers Arms 17 Glen Road Morley Leeds LS27 9EY 20 Oct 2026 Click to go to the event Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to the event Facebook page Spread the Word – Open Mic Night It's open to poets of all abilities and you're welcome to come and listen or perform your poetry. You will be able to perform your own poetry at the Open Mic Night! This opportunity is for all abilities, we hope everyone feels comfortable enough to share in our space. As you arrive, let the host know you would like to perform. General admission tickets are pay as you feel - £5/£3/Free tickets available. Choose whichever selection you are comfortable with at: TICKET LINK Refreshments (including alcoholic drinks) will be available at the venue. Please note - This venue is old, so has some limitations. There are male and female toilets available, but there is no disabled toilet available. Access into the venue is step free. There is a RMBC owned car park next door, parking is free after 6pm. For any questions about access, please contact hello@fluxrotherham.org.uk Spread The Word is a poetry project run by Flux Rotherham, including poetry writing sessions and open mics. 8 pm to 10 pm Cutler's Arms 29 Westgate, Rotherham S60 1BQ Note: Photo by James Mulkeen. 20 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Spread the Word website PUBLISHED Click to go to the Spread the Word website Gobbledegook at the Puzzle A new monthly spoken word evening hosted by Welsh poet Rob Edwards at the Puzzle Hall Community Pub. Poetry. Comedy. Storytelling. Bardic ramblings. Beautiful madness. 10 minute performance slots. All voices welcome — first timers and seasoned performers alike. Gobbledegook usually lands on every 3rd Tuesday of the month but a long standing booking means that in September it has moved to the Wednesday. Normal service resumes next month. Come along and help start something special. Free 8 pm to 11 pm Puzzle Hall Community Pub 21 Hollins Mill Lane Sowerby Bridge HX6 2RF 20 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Puzzle's website PUBLISHED Click to go to the Puzzle's website Keighley Poets Open Mic Poetry read around and feedback. Monthly writing prompt for the next meeting. The theme for this month is a prose poem of 12 lines or less on the theme of Dreams. If you'd like to send your poem, or a poem you have read and would like to share, to me before the group I can print them off for us to read. The theme for next month's meeting is 'Wonder', in keeping with the theme of National Poetry Day on the 1st October. Our next session will be on Tuesday 20th October, 6.00 - 7.30 pm. Hope to see you there! 3rd Tuesday of the month Free 6 pm to 7.30 pm Keighley Library, North St, Keighley BD21 3SX Please use the entrance on Spencer Street (Picture not linked to event) 20 Oct 2026 No website available PUBLISHED No website available Folk & Word FOLK & WORD A free open mic session for all kinds of spoken word & acoustic music in York All welcome. SAFE, DIVERSE AND FRIENDLY. Entry is free with a purchase from the bar. Sign up from 7 pm. Welcoming writers and wordful acoustic musicians with original material who'd like to share their work in a WARM, APPRECIATIVE ENVIRONMENT. We'll invite a writer and a musician to play host each month, and they'll bring a guest to perform as well. Then the floor is open to everyone for an open mic session (sign up from 7 pm). Bring a poem, a song, some new jokes, a monologue, a guitar, a voice. Try out fresh material or revive an old fave. Or just sit and enjoy the others! Sign up at 7 pm starts at 7.30 pm Black Swan, 23 Peasholme Green, York YO1 7DE 20 Oct 2026 Click to visit Folk & Word website PUBLISHED Click to visit Folk & Word website Crossgates Recreational Hall Open Mic Open Mic Night Every Tuesday from 8 pm All sorts of talent and genres welcome, from beginners to seasoned players All music appreciated, from George Formby to Miley Cyrus. Sing, read poetry, do comedy stand up. We welcome anyone willing to entertain Or if you'd rather just come along and listen an audience is always appreciated. For this event everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member of the club. 8 pm on Crossgate and District Recreational Hall Popular Avenue Off Austhorpe Road Crossgates Leeds LS15 8EB 20 Oct 2026 Click to go to website PUBLISHED Click to go to website Bar One Poetry Open Mic In collaboration and hosted by UoS Poetry Society, join us in Raynor Lounge, Bar One on the third Tuesday of every month for Poetry Open Mic Night. Whether you want to perform, or just enjoy the words, everyone is welcome - students & the public. Free entry from 7.30 pm. Sign up in advance via Poetry Soc, or sign up on the night. Bar One Sheffield Students' Union Western Bank Sheffield S10 2TG Bar One aims to be back in October! *** Note the 20th October date is not confirmed *** 20 Oct 2026 Click to visit Bar One Poetry's webpage PUBLISHED Click to visit Bar One Poetry's webpage Poetry Workshop Online By Rachael Hill Fun and friendly online creative writing workshops every month in 2026 These workshops are an invitation to pause and make time to play with poetry, write and connect with other writers, and nourish and expand your creative practice. Join me on the 3rd Tuesday of each month for an hour and a half of exploratory writing fun. Each workshop will be themed and we’ll look at three poems on that theme by poets we love, and have a go at some our own writing in response. Each one will open with a short freewrite, followed by our first poem, a short discussion, and an associated writing exercise, our second poem, discussion, and writing exercise, and our third poem, discussion, and writing exercise. I’ll be writing along with you and there’ll be an optional sharing circle at the end for us to read out anything we’ve written, or share any other thoughts. You’ll finish each workshop with three drafts to take away and work on, and some fresh ideas and inspiration. 6.30 pm to 8 pm Online event 20 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Workshops Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Workshops Eventbrite page The Trades Open Mic Hosted by Sarah Courtney. Everyone is welcome, including unaccompanied singers, wordsmiths and all musical styles. Arrive 7pm to sign up for a slot. Or just come to listen! Free Admission Doors open 7.30pm | Arrive 7pm to sign up for a slot 14+ seated event Trades Club Holme Street Hebden Bridge HX7 8EE 21 Oct 2026 Click to go to The Trade Club's website PUBLISHED Click to go to The Trade Club's website Gobsh!te Hello you beauties! 🎉 We’re very happy to announce our next event, will take place October 21st upstairs at the Golden Lion. As always, we’re looking forward to hearing from our wonderful troupe of open mic performers and our supportive audience members. As always, arrive between 7:00 pm – 7:15 pm if you’d like to sign up for a 4–5 minute set (time slots will depend on numbers). See you there!! Upstairs @ The Golden Lion Fielden Square Todmorden OL14 6LZ 21 Oct 2026 Click to Golden Lion's event page PUBLISHED Click to Golden Lion's event page Other Poets The next meeting of Other Poets will be on Thursday 22 October at our new venue of Shadow Brewing, Boroughgate, with a 7.30pm start. This month we will be reading and discussing Anne Carson's long poem, The Glass Essay. Free 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm Shadow Brewing Boroughgate Otley LS21 1AE 22 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Facebook Event page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Facebook Event page The Poetry Edit Got a poem that’s almost working but not quite there, or maybe that just needs some polishing? Bring it along to The Poetry Edit Got a poem that’s almost working but not quite there, or maybe that just needs some polishing? Bring it along to The Poetry Edit at Manchester Cathedral to sculpt, cut and hone your work while learning helpful tips about editing and redrafting. We will be running two sessions in August, and spaces are limited to 10 in each group: Please register on Eventbrite. Please email your poem in advance to tom.branfoot@manchestercathedral.org This event is part of The Sun Inn Poets project, follow us on Instagram @thesuninnpoets to find out more. Free 10 am to 12 pm Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street Manchester M3 1SX 22 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page Say Owt Showcase Say Owt Showcase is an evening of poetry, music and comedy that veers from the comical to the raucous to the sincere and back again, brought to you by the same gobby gang that have been proudly packing out York venues for years. Veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe, and Highly Commended in the York Culture Awards, let Hannah Davies, Stu Freestone, Jarmouse and Henry Raby entertain you! Say Owt have been bringing you the biggest names and the best new talent from across the poetry and spoken word scene for more than 10 years. The artists behind this York institution shine the spotlight on themselves, so expect some special top quality shenanigans you won’t see at a typical Say Owt gig. Part of the Old Paint Shop programme. £15-00 Doors 7.30 pm, show starts 8 pm York Theatre Royal St. Leonard's Place York YO1 7HD 23 Oct 2026 Click to go to Say Owt Website PUBLISHED Click to go to Say Owt Website Jackanory Jackanory will be returning for the 13th year anniversary on Saturday 5th September, 2026. Guests: Oz Hardwick Matthew Paul Al Wilkinson Nabeela Ahmed plus open mic 2 pm - 4 pm CoActive Maker Space The Ridings Almhouse Lane Wakefield WF1 1DS Halima Mayat Founder of Jackanory, a spoken word and story telling event. Facebook: Jackanory For Adults Email:jackanory12 @ myyahoo.com Youtube: @halimamayat6508 24 Oct 2026 Click to visit Jackanory's ko-fi page PUBLISHED Click to visit Jackanory's ko-fi page Ebor Poets 📢Introducing EBOR POETS ✍🏼💡☀️ a brand new poetry group Founded in York in 2026 by Peter Burgham and Aimée Donnell. We are a collective of local poets, writing and performing contemporary poetry. We welcome newcomers from beginners to bards to our supportive environment. SIGN UP LOVELIES🌸🤍🩷 Free 12 pm - 2 pm The Artful Dodger 47 Micklegate York North Yorkshire YO1 6LJ 24 Oct 2026 Click to see Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to see Instagram page Verbal Gerbil Verbal Gerbil is a spoken word night with live improvised jazz. We’re next back at Hagglers on the 25th with Surf Jaz and @warburtonjack providing musical backing. To sign up for the open mic please email verbalgerbil1@gmail.com or complete this online form (Click link below) Pay what you feel 7.45 pm start Hagglers Corner Cookes 586 Queens Road Sheffield S2 4DU (Poster is for previous month) 25 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Event Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Event Facebook page Becky's Writing Hour (Online) A generative online poetry workshop in which we'll look at a variety of poems as a stepping off point to create our own. Want to set aside time for your writing? Becky’s writing hours, held online twice a month on the second Tuesday and last Sunday of the month, are designed to do just that. Write at your desk, from your sofa, tucked up in bed – whatever works. The format is simple: I’ll bring a warm up exercise and a series of poems and prompts so that you can dedicate as much of the hour to writing as possible. This is a generative workshop so you’ll leave with a notebook full of seeds that you can take away with you to water and grow. Feel free to come as often or as little as you’d like. So price isn’t a barrier I am offering two options - general admission & concessions (for over 60s, students and those on benefits). Hope to see you soon! 7 pm to 8 pm Online Please click the link to find out more details. 25 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page to book PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page to book URM - Unrehearsed Mayhem in performance Musical improvisation with added poetry Featuring: Elliott Pelucci Graham Rhodes Bryn Andrews Free entry 7 pm to 9 pm Craft Bar 7 Northway Scarborough YO11 1JH 25 Oct 2026 Click to go to Craft Bar's Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Craft Bar's Facebook page Odd Open Mic Poetry There'll be plenty of space on the Open Mic, plus some poetry games and hi-jinks, quizzes, a raffle and a guest appearance by Lindur lashes of Rabbiting On fame, promoting her new collection - Hot Mess in a Posh Dress. Hosted by Mike O'Brien of 60 Odd Poets Free 3 pm to 6 pm Fox Gallery St Leger Homes of Doncaster Limited, College Road, Mexborough, S64 9JP 25 Oct 2026 Click to go to Facebook event page PUBLISHED Click to go to Facebook event page Cardigan Arms Open Mic Every second and fourth Monday of the month. Hosted by a rotating roster of local songwriters, the Open Mic at the Cardigan Arms is a welcoming and inclusive space for performers looking to try something new, old, borrowed or blue or none of the above. All performance types welcome. Free half pint for all performers. Performance slots can be booked in advance via events@cardiganarms.co.uk . There will also always be space for those turning up on the door - just make sure you get down for 7:30pm if you'd like to secure your preferred time slot! (Though this is primarily a music open mic, spoken word is welcome, too - Bob.) 7.30 pm Cardigan Arms 364 Kirkstall Rd, Burley, Leeds LS4 2HQ 26 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Facebook page Spread the Word Poetry Writing Session with Ray Hearne Join us in our creative writing sessions dedicated to nurturing and celebrating stories through listening, writing and sharing. Each of the sessions will include a space to talk to each other as well as some really gentle creative writing exercises to help us put pen to paper. You may write a few words, you may write a full poem or even a paragraph describing something important to you. We can allow some time and space to share our writing if we choose to and share how it is to be in a space sharing our stories and writing on the page. Adults Free. No ticket necessary, just turn up! All abilities are welcome. Come and join us as we get creative with thoughts, words and a whole lot of good humour. 2 pm - 4 pm Swinton Library Station St Mexborough S64 8PZ 27 Oct 2026 Click to go to Spread the Word website PUBLISHED Click to go to Spread the Word website Word Up! WORD UP NO FILTER> NO APOLOGIES. Alternative Spoken Word Night Special Guest Open mic slots on the night. Poetry with bite Music with meaning Voices that don't stay quiet Hosted by Sheffield's own Darren Pickering (aka Goodnight D) 8 pm to 11 pm Every last Tuesday of the month Crookes Club Mulehouse Road Sheffield S10 1TD (Date to be confirmed) 27 Oct 2026 Click to go to Crookes Club website PUBLISHED Click to go to Crookes Club website Word Central Presented by Flapjack Press & Manchester Libraries Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word Host Tony Curry. Celebrating Black History Month with special guest Chanje Kunda Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 13th October via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer - it is essential that you stay within this timeframe Performance slots are allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis from the stated booking time If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list A free event 6.00 pm - 7.45 pm (doors open 5.45 pm) Ground Floor Performance Space Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester M2 5PD 27 Oct 2026 Click to go to Word Central's web page PUBLISHED Click to go to Word Central's web page Writing Hours @ Manchester Cathedral Need a quiet space to write? Come and write alongside others each month in a serene and historical environment! Need a quiet space to write for a few hours? Manchester Cathedral is opening up its library once a month in the evening for self-guided writing hours for writers in the city. Come and write alongside others in a serene and historical environment! Free, check availability on the Eventbrite page (see below) 6 pm to 8 pm Manchester Cathedral Victoria Street Manchester M3 1SX 27 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page The York Howlers Spoken Word Open Mic. Sign up on the night. We will be at the Blue Boar on the 2nd and 4th TUESDAY of the month. Can't wait to see you all there, Happy Howling Sign up on arrival. 7.30 pm The Blue Boar 5 Castlegate, York YO1 9RN 27 Oct 2026 Click to go to Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go to Instagram page Rhymes and Vibes Poetry Open Mic Night Hosted by Omole Eroje at Art Bomb. Bring Poetry or short stories to read aloud at this poetry open mic event. Every 4th Wednesday £3 on the door 7.30 pm to 9 pm Back room of Doncaster Unitarian Church 60 Hall Gate Doncaster DN1 3PB (Under the Archway) Poster is for last month's event 28 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Art Bomb website PUBLISHED Click to go to the Art Bomb website Northern Voices - Poetry at the Roadhouse Roadhouse & Bar presents: Poetry at the Roundhouse Open Mic Raise Your Northern Voices Storytellers Spoken Word Prose Poetry ALL WELCOME. - wether you're performing or simply listening. New performers welcome. "It's better than watching sh*ton the telly" Last Wednesday in the month Free Entry. from 7.30 pm to 10 pm Roadhouse Bar & Bottles 25 Laughton Road Dinnington S25 2PN (The poster is for last month's event) Date to be confirmed 28 Oct 2026 Click to go to Roadhouse Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Roadhouse Facebook page The Space Poetic Writing Club Join us for some fun and focused writing before The Space Poetic open mic :) Space Poetic Writing Club. Part of The Space Poetic's mission is building community, and what better way to do that amongst poets than spend a fun and relaxed hour writing with friends. I'll bring some poems I love, and a few prompts you can use if you need something to get you started. Your welcome to bring something you're already working on, or a fresh page waiting to be filled with new ideas. There'll be the option to chat, or to just get your head down - the room is big enough that we can split into small groups if chatty/less chatty people want. Doesn't matter if you've been writing since you could first hold a pen, or never written at all, this is a safe space to come hang out and enjoy being creative together. And if you're feeling brave you can share your piece (or any piece!) in The Space Poetic open mic afterwards! 6 to 7 pm Terrace NQ 43 Thomas Street Manchester M4 1NA 28 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Writers Club Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Writers Club Eventbrite page Rhubarb at The Triangle Rhubarb #96 Wednesday 28th October 2026 Guest: Elvire Roberts + open mic Rhubarb welcomes poetry & prose readers on an open mic in the first half, followed by a headline set from an invited guest. If you want to read on the open mic, please book with us when you arrive. We generally offer 10 open mic slots of up to 4 minutes (squeezing in a few extras when we can). As always, listeners are also very welcome Pay-as-you-feel. 7 pm for 7.30 pm start. The Triangle, 47 Bradford Rd Shipley BD18 3DS 28 Oct 2026 Click to see Rhubarb's Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to see Rhubarb's Facebook page The Space Poetic The Space Poetic is a monthly poetry gallery and open mic, held on the last Wednesday of the month at Terrace in Manchester's Northern Quarter. And there's a Space Poetic writing club that meets for an hour to write together before the event (6-7 pm). 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm Terrace NQ 43 Thomas Street Manchester M4 1NA 28 Oct 2026 Click to go the Open Mic Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go the Open Mic Instagram page Poets Inc - Tongues of the World Poetry night, curated by Poet in Residence Nabeela Ahmed, special Poets Inc Feature 12 poets in 12 languages Poets Inc is back, with a 'Tongues of the World' special! Curated by PPP Poet in Residence Nabeela Ahmed this special Poets Inc Feature 12 poets in 12 languages (all with English translations) plus music from Si Atherley. As with all Poet’s Inc, nights, audiences members will also be invited to make a print on the People Powered Press, featuring words from the night, to take away for free. The line up: Agnieszka Stachura (Polish), Jaz Oldham (Punjabi), Michael Farren (Italian), Mike Baynham (French), Pervaiz Haidar (Urdu), Emmanuel Ndubuisi (Igbo), Amir Ali Khan (Pashto), Karina Ulloa (Spanish), Nabeela Ahmed (Pahari), Mycall Isrell (Patwah), Zainab Abdlesalam (Arabic) & Anthony John Rutherford (Irish) This event is PAYF on the night, with all proceeds going towards the running of the People Powered Press 7.30 pm Salts Works 202 Saltaire Road Saltaire BD18 3JF 29 Oct 2026 Click to go to Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to Eventbrite page Pen Power! Creative Writing Workshops Overview Unlock your voice with artist D3. A cozy writing workshop for all levels. 15 spots max—grab the 2-for-1 Buddy Deal today! Ready to stop staring at the blank page and start flowing? Whether you’re a secret poet, a bathroom singer of words, or just someone who wants to find more confidence in how they speak and write—this is for you. Led by D3, a professional working artist who lives and breathes the craft, this workshop isn't about "perfect" grammar; it's about finding your unique voice. Join a small, supportive group (we cap it at 15!) for a session of creative exploration, inspiration, and real-world writing techniques. From £8.83 to £15 6.30 pm - 8 pm The Wardrobe, 6 St. Peters Square, Leeds. LS9 26th Feb 29 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page The Living Room Sessions - Poetry Open Mic Keiron Higgins and Toria Garbutt present “The Living Room Sessions” a night of poetry open to all styles and identities, seasoned or just starting out. Even if you don't write, just turn to hear some great poets entice you with the words they weave. Last Thursday of the month Free 7 pm The Grayston Unity 8 Horton Street Halifax HX1 1PU (Note: put this address in the satnav as the place name may take you to a former address) 29 Oct 2026 Click to go to The Grayson Unity Website PUBLISHED Click to go to The Grayson Unity Website SisterVerse Open Mic 2026 We are back!!! 2026 Are you ready to share your poetry? To plant your new seeds. A female-only open mic space to share your voice, your poetry. The vibe is just awesome. Join us in person for the SisterVerse Open Mic a chill space where creativity flows and stories come alive. Whether you’re a poet, singer, spoken word artist or storyteller, this is your moment to shine. Join us, in a supportive, local welcoming space. Come and experience the magic up poetry. We bring snacks and drinks, feel free to bring a contribution too. (6.45 pm doors open) 7 pm to 9 pm City Library Bradford 9 Aldermanbury Centenary Square Bradford BD1 1SD 30 Oct 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page First Draughts: Poetry & Spoken Word Monthly at Hop Hideout Introducing: First Draughts Whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or someone who’s been scribbling in a journal and waiting for the right moment to share, this is for you. First Draughts is all about community, craft (beer and verse!), and creating a space that is genuinely open, friendly, and supportive. No judgment—just good vibes and great lines. • Where: Hop Hideout • Guest Host: tbc How to Get Involved 🎟️ Want the mic? 🎤 To secure your spot on stage, slide into the DMs of @HopHideout Or send an email (contact on our Instagram). Whether it’s a poem, spoken word, a short story, or a rhythmic rant, we want to hear it. Want to listen? 🍻 Audience tickets are FREE, but space is limited! Please grab your ticket via Eventbrite (click below) so we can keep track of numbers. We've also added a donation option if you feel you would like to support. Any donations raised will go to the event itself, for example, in the future we'd like to book a headline slot and make that paid. Open mic slots are available now. 8 pm to 10 pm Hop Hideout #G11 22 Cambridge Street Leah’s Yard Sheffield City Centre S1 4HP 30 Oct 2026 Click to go to Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to Eventbrite page Book launch of 'Hymns of Occasional Bravery' by Tim Brookes plus open mic Come and join us at the book launch of Hymns of Occasional Bravery a new collection of poetry written by Tim Brookes and published by Yaffle Press. Tim Brookes came to poetry late, and the hard way. A former teacher who has spent most of his life in West Yorkshire, he had to learn to write again in a hospital bed after a series of strokes, and found on the far side of that a voice worth listening to. Hymns of Occasional Bravery is that voice at full stretch: poems that sing the praises of the small, unshowy courage it takes to get up, show up and keep going. Warm, wry and clear-eyed, Brookes writes as someone who knows that bravery is rarely constant. It comes and goes, and the trick is to honour it when it turns up. Following his debut pamphlet Keep Taking 6 Away from 100, this is a collection for anyone who has ever surprised themselves by carrying on. Also featuring readings by Matt Nicholson, Faye Marshall & Jennifer A McGowan and an Open Mic Free 2 pm Heart Assembly Bar + Kitchen, Headingley Arts Centre 9 Bennett Road Leeds LS6 3HN 31 Oct 2026 Click to go to the event Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to the event Facebook page Talking Zebras on Zoom Do you enjoy Poetry / Prose / Short Stories / The Spoken Word? Do you like Listening / Reading / Performing? Then why not join our friendly, regular group ... Talking Zebras Jim is likely to organise two Zoom meetings in August: Every month when there is a fifth Saturday the group, which usually meets in Bobbin Carrier, Cleckheaton, meet in an online Zoom group. Please go to the Talking Zebras website and email for the link. It usually happens around 7pm, but the exact time is to be confirmed. Note: the October date is not yet confirmed. 31 Oct 2026 Click to visit Talking Zebras website PUBLISHED Click to visit Talking Zebras website Harrogate Monthly Poetry Night Bring your poems to read and share. Bring your friends to come and listen. 7.30 pm to 10 pm Admission free In the upstairs room of The Empress 10 Church Square, Harrogate. HG1 4SP Poster is for last month's event. Note date not confirmed, please contact the event. 2 Nov 2026 Click to go to Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Facebook page Batley Poets Open Mic Join us to share your poetry, favourite poems, or just listen and have a wonderful evening! Do you want to share your poetry, your favourite poem, or just have an enjoyable evening? Join our poetry open mic night at Batley Library. Everyone's welcome, whether it's your first time or your fifty-first time. We've always said 'Everyone's a Batley Poet', and we haven't been proven wrong yet. Come along to perform a poem you've written, one you like, or just sit back and enjoy a cuppa and meet some new friends. Free 7 pm to 9 pm Batley Library 14 Market Place Batley WF17 5DA 3 Nov 2026 Click to go to Batley Poets' Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to Batley Poets' Eventbrite page Poet's Nest Wring Club By Rachael Hill A friendly space to write together We meet on the first Tuesday of the month to chat, share, hang out, and maybe get some writing done; you'll find us upstairs at Saison. Come join our friendly circle for some relaxed yet focused writing time; nurture your practice, meet new writers and friends, and enjoy spending time doing something you love with likeminded creatives. While we have a bent towards poetry we also welcome writers of all styles, genres, and experience. The sessions will start with a short chat, then there'll be plenty of time to get your head down and work, and at the end there'll always be an optional sharing circle. There'll be several poetry collections, anthologies, and/or pamphlets available for you to look through, some pens and paper in case you didn't bring yours, and a few writing prompts in case you need a little inspiration to get you started. Feel free to work on an existing project, or come ready to start something new. 6 pm to 7.30 pm £5 Saison 236 Burton Road West Didsbury M20 2LW 3 Nov 2026 Click to go to Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to Eventbrite page Away With Words Away With Words is the longest running and finest spoken word night in town. Away With Words was featured on the 2017 Sky TV documentary about Philip Larkin and the Sean McAlister film "A Northern Soul". Our monthly open mic night takes place at its spiritual home the wonderful Union Mash Up. Come down and perform your stuff - spoken word, poetry, comedy, monologues, sketches - anything goes. Hosted by the almost legendary Jim Higo, the event welcomes all performers whatever your talent or experience. No preferential treatment, no favourites, no hosts hogging the limelight - the night is all about you! Message the hosts or post on the event to book your slot Union Mash Up 22-24 Princes Ave Hull HU5 3QA 3 Nov 2026 Click to go to Away With Words Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Away With Words Facebook page WordSpace Open Mic On the first Wednesday of every month our back room come alive with the power of words. An open mic night for prose, poetry, comedy, music & much more. Plus a special guest speaker! Starting at 7pm and completely free entry, come down and let your words flow. 7 pm to 9 pm The Horsforth Brewery and Taproom 143 New Side Road Leeds LS18 4QD 4 Nov 2026 Click to visit the WordSpace Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to visit the WordSpace Facebook page Bradford Open Mic Breathtakingly brilliant bunch of incredible poets at the #Bradford Open Mic. It truly is a wonderful friendly space with incredible verse that explores language and emotions without holding anything back. Beginners welcome in a very supportive atmosphere. Take Part in the Timed Poetry Challenge write a poem of 30 seconds or 60 seconds and perform it on the night with a chance to win. This meeting's challenge theme 'Workplace'! City Library Bradford 9 Aldermanbury The Broadway Bradford BD1 1SD 4 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Bradford Open Mic Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to visit the Bradford Open Mic Facebook page Brave Words: Write Club Creative prompts to get you writing in a supportive creative writing group led by a professional poet and playwright. Open to all levels of experience! First Wednesday of the month, 6 pm to 7 pm Online via Zoom Pay what you can Brave Words 4 Nov 2026 Click to go to the ticket source website PUBLISHED Click to go to the ticket source website Storytelling @ Terminus (Meanwood Brewery) Our storytelling nights aren’t about well-honed, perfect performances. You don’t need to be a performer at all to share authentic experiences from your life. We set a loose theme and create a relaxed, conversational space to chat, share stories and laugh together. By the end of the night you’ll have travelled through tales, empathy and connection to feel like a group of friends in someone’s living room. This month’s theme is: Fired Up and Burning Bright! We're looking for your stories about unusual happenings and surprising events; the mysteries you've never solved and the ones that turned out to be mundane. The bizarre moments you've shared with complete strangers, and celebrations of the people who have drifted in (and out) of your life. Who knows - maybe we'll even find time for some paranormal or spooky stories - whether they're true or not! All stories are welcome - from personal memories to folk tales passed down through generations. Our storytelling nights are pay-what-you-can. 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm Terminus Tap Room and Bottle Shop (The Meanwood Brewery) Leeds LS6 4HY 4 Nov 2026 Click to go to the Brave Words Ticketsource page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Brave Words Ticketsource page Otley Poets Live Guest poet: Antony Dunn plus open mic We will have our usual open-mic too, sign up on arrival - first come, first served - and the event is Pay As You Feel. Otley Poets Live events will be permanently at Otley Labour Rooms now with a 7:30pm start. Pop the dates in your diary now - more details will follow nearer to each event. 7.45 pm to 9.45 pm Otley and Yeadon Labour Party Nelson Street Otley LS21 1EZ 5 Nov 2026 Click to go to Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Facebook page Speak Easy Spoken Word @ Dulcimer, Chorlton. First Thursday of the month. Free, friendly and supportive. Poetry, fiction, performance. First-timers encouraged! 6.00 pm - 7.45 pm (doors open 5.40 pm) Dulcimer 567 Wilbraham Rd Chorlton, Manchester M21 0AE 5 Nov 2026 Click to go to Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Facebook page House of Stanzas House of Stanzas is a community-focused creative arts organisation, supporting, nurturing and inspiring creatives in a safe space to thrive. Our brand new poetry night sits in the heart of Leeds at Hope House on first Thursday of each month! Whether you're seeking inspiration, looking to connect with fellow poets, or simply want to spend an evening surrounded by poetry, House of Stanzas is the place to be! This is a 'not for profit' event, profits are donated to MAP charity to support the important work they do providing a vital educational provision for young people who struggle to access mainstream school settings £6 via Skiddle 6.30 pm 9.30 pm The Courtyard 65 Mabgate Leeds LS9 7DR 5 Nov 2026 Click to go to House of Stanza Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go to House of Stanza Instagram page Spread the Word Poetry Writing Session with Jodie Platts Perfect for beginners, those wanting to have a go or reignite that spark! Bring your curiosity, notebook and pen! Preschool children and babies are welcome to come with their grown-ups. 16+ Next events 5th November and 3rd December, 2026 1:30pm - 3pm Kimberworth Library 125 Church St Rotherham S61 1HA Picture taken by James Mulkeen. 5 Nov 2026 Click to go to the Spread the Word website PUBLISHED Click to go to the Spread the Word website Beehive Poets Join Beehive Poets for the visit of a poetry guest. Hosted by Mike Farren and Christina Wilson First Friday of the Month. 7 pm to 9 pm City Library Bradford, 9 Aldermanbury, The Broadway, Bradford, BD1 1SD 6 Nov 2026 Click to go to Beehive Poets Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Beehive Poets Facebook page Poets Talking Bollocks Poets Talking Bollocks hosted by local poet Keith Fenton since February 2024, has developed its own growing and vibrant community, and given rise to connections and collaborations across the northern poetry scene and, thanks to a policy of bringing showcasers through from within the community, has been a springboard for developing poets across the region. Open mic spots must be booked in advance by contacting Keith by email at keithfenton32@hotmail.com or via the Instagram @poets_talking_bollocks (See link below) Despite its raucous, "bear-pit" vibe, it boasts a knowing, welcoming and poetry-daft crowd which combines irreverent Northern humour with real support and compassion for readers who are at their most vulnerable. Free Monthly, second Sunday of the month, 2.15 pm to 5.15 pm The Chemic Tavern, (Woodhouse) 9, Johnson Street Leeds LS6 2NG 8 Nov 2026 Click to go to the Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Instagram page Grand Plans Open mic Spoken Word - poetry, prose, creative non-fiction, travel & music writing, plays, comedy, etc... Guest poet. Hosted by Sarah L Dixon Pay as you feel. Spots 10 x 4 minutes 6.15 pm to 8 pm 139 Lane Top, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, United Kingdom, HD7 5SG (The date is confirmed, new poster to follow) 8 Nov 2026 Click to visit Grand Plans Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to visit Grand Plans Facebook page Soundbites SOUNDBITES – Monthly Poetry Open Mic Live in the Assembly Bar + Kitchen! Readings by a different local published poet each month. This month we're delighted to welcome SUSAN DARLINGTON OPEN MIC - We supply the mic – you supply the poetry Put your name down for a 4 minute slot (first come, first served) or just come along and listen. Bring your poem (1 per person) about Leeds to read and share. First timers or experienced, all are welcome. Everyone welcome. Free (donation appreciated) Open mic name listing from 6.30 pm Event begins with guest poet at 7.00 pm Heart Assembly Bar + Kitchen, Headingley Arts Centre 9 Bennett Road Leeds LS6 3HN 9 Nov 2026 Click to visit Soundbites' Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to visit Soundbites' Facebook page Spread the Word Poetry Session with Vic Leeson Join us in our creative writing sessions dedicated to nurturing and celebrating stories through listening, writing and sharing. Each of the sessions will include a space to talk to each other as well as some really gentle creative writing exercises to help us put pen to paper. You may write a few words, you may write a full poem or even a paragraph describing something important to you. We can allow some time and space to share our writing if we choose to and we can also share how it is to be in a space sharing our stories and writing on the page. This session regularly takes places at Mowbray Gardens Library during the winter months. However in the warmer weather, we're exploring sites across Rotherham! No ticket necessary, just turn up! If you can't make this session, check out our what's on page for future dates. Free 10 am to 12 pm Mowbray Gardens Community Library Herringthorpes Valley Road Rotherham S65 2UH Note: Photograph by James Mulkeen. 10 Nov 2026 Click to go to their website PUBLISHED Click to go to their website Under the Lobby Lights Don’t forget to email for an open mic 🎤 slot underthelobbylights@gmail.com Spoken Word Night. Open Mic. plus readings from: Anne Caldwell Joe Spivey Dean Wilson From 7.30 pm The Lobby 1867, Westgate Wakefield WF1 1EP (Opposite the Theatre Royal) 11 Nov 2026 Click to visit Under the Lobby Lights Insta page PUBLISHED Click to visit Under the Lobby Lights Insta page Hinterland Poets Open Mic + Guest Poets Join us for a evening of open mic poetry hosted by Dominic Berry with a different Guest Poet each month! Welcome to the Hinterland Poetry Night! Join us for an evening filled with beautiful words, creative minds, and good vibes. Whether you're a seasoned poet or just looking to enjoy some spoken word, this event is for you. Our poetry nights will take place on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Come early to grab a seat, order a drink, and get ready to be inspired by the talented guest and local poets taking the stage. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with the local poetry community, share your own work, or simply sit back and enjoy the magic of words. Open Mic will operate on a first come, first signed up basis. Slots will be 3 minutes. 7 pm to 9.30 pm Hinterland Alcohol-Free Bar and Café 16-20 Turner Street Manchester M4 1DZ 12 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Hinterland Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to visit the Hinterland Eventbrite page Well Spoken Event by Doncaster Brewery & Tap and Mick Jenkinson Well Spoken is our monthly spoken word evening where you have the opportunity to read something of your own, or by a favourite author or you can just come along and listen. As always you can also enjoy some fine real ale and real cider. Start time: 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm Doncaster Brewery 7 Young Street Doncaster DN1 3EL 12 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Well Spoken website PUBLISHED Click to visit the Well Spoken website The Barnsley Word Circle The Barnsley Word Circle Guest Poet: Lee Pollard Poems, Story Bites Whether you write, read, or simply enjoy good words, you'll be very welcome. No experience needed - just come and enjoy. A relaxed open mic for poems and 4 minute story bites. Hosted by Mac McKenzie 7 pm to 9.30 pm Friendly, supportive and alcohol free. Tea, coffee, and biscuits available. Staincross Christian Fellowship Church Hall 21 Sparks Lane Staincross S75 8AA 13 Nov 2026 Click to go to their Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to their Facebook page The Poetic Off-Licence A space for poetry & live music in Leeds Next event Monday 16th November, 2026 and every other Monday after! No step free access 18+ Contact: thepoeticofflicence@gmail.com Alternating Mondays. No entry fee From 6 pm to 10 pm Holding Patterns 2A Albion Place, LS1 6JL 16 Nov 2026 Click to go to Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to go to Instagram page Happy House Poetry Night Bring a poem or two - your own or your favourites Share them with your fellow poets & poetry lovers We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Happy House, Masham If you’d like you can bring something to drink (we’re not licensed) This is a smallish room which can only hold 10 people so this ticket only admits ONE 7.30 pm to 9 pm The Gallery 24 Market Place Masham HG4 4EB 17 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Happy House Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to visit the Happy House Eventbrite page Albert Poets The Albert Poets . Readers: Tom Branfoot Neil Clarkson Keith Fenton and Clare Shaw. 7.30 pm onwards The Rat And Ratchet, 40, Chapel Hill, Huddersfield, HD1 3EB 18 Nov 2026 Click to visit Albert Poets website PUBLISHED Click to visit Albert Poets website Spread the Word Poetry Open Mic - Wath Tap Open Mic No ticket necessary, just turn up! All abilities are welcome, and everyone is invited to share or simply listen in. Spread The Word is a poetry project that creates a safe space to share. We share our, and each other's, stories through talking, listening and writing. Free. 8 pm to 10 pm Wath Tap Pub 49 High St Rotherham S63 7QB Picture taken by James Mulkeen. 24 Nov 2026 Click to go to Spread the Word website PUBLISHED Click to go to Spread the Word website The Sun Inn Poets – Reading & Open Mic An evening of poetry and performance, showcasing writing by the Sun Inn Poets and any local writers who wish to take part. An evening of poetry and performance, showcasing writing by the Sun Inn Poets and any local writers who wish to take part. If you would like to read, please contact tom.branfoot@manchestercathedral.org and specify whether you would prefer a 5 or 10 minute slot to perform your poetry in this awe-inspiring venue. Please be aware that there are a limited number of slots, first come first served. Free 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm Manchester Cathedral Victoria Street Manchester M3 1SX 26 Nov 2026 Click to go to the Eventbrite page PUBLISHED Click to go to the Eventbrite page The Words Are Coming Our next open mic is on Thursday 26th November @ 7pm. We’ve got 12 slots (with a very loose 5 minutes each) available so if anyone fancies popping down and having a go email openmic@srws.org.uk 7 pm Showroom Cinema 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre Sheffield S1 2BX 26 Nov 2026 Click to go the Showroom website PUBLISHED Click to go the Showroom website Cloth and Coal Poetry and spoken word 8 pm onwards Morley Live 1 Beryl Burton Gardens Morley LS27 9FN (Picture is from the last event) 26 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Cloth and Coal Instagram page PUBLISHED Click to visit the Cloth and Coal Instagram page Busy Corner Cabaret Music, poetry, theatre, cheap beer and more! Can there be more? There’s only one way to find out. Come and perform on our open mic. Enjoy the guest acts. Meet interesting people. Hosted by Jimmy Andrex! PAYF 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm Brook House WMC 221 Barnsley Road Wakefield WF1 5NU (Date not confirmed) 26 Nov 2026 Click to go to Facebook page PUBLISHED Click to go to Facebook page Chemistry Chemistry #28 returns to the Chemic on Friday 27th November with another night of poetry and spoken word, two brilliant headliners and our usual amazing open mic. The headliners are Antony Dunn and Tom Weir. The always optional theme is Ni for Nickel. The events are themed on the elements of the periodic table. If you dare attempt the theme, it's Nickel. The theme is entirely optional, but we hope you might use it as a creative prompt to come up with some new work to reveal on the night. If you want to sign up for the open mic, just ask host Joe Williams for a slot when you arrive. Open mic readers are drawn in a random order from the Box of Mystery, and we’ll keep going till the box is empty. We welcome everyone from first-timers to veteran performers, so if you want to give it a go, please do. Please stick to the time limit of 3 minutes (which includes any introductions and other waffle). Entry is on a pay-as-you-feel basis. If you don’t feel able to pay anything, that’s fine. The guest poets will also have books for sale. No need to book a ticket, just turn up. Doors at 7.15 pm for a 7.45 pm start. I hope you can join us! The Chemic Tavern 9 Johnston Street Leeds LS6 2NG 27 Nov 2026 Click to visit the Chemistry webpage PUBLISHED Click to visit the Chemistry webpage Soul Shed Soul Shed returns with another showcase of a variety of talent, both homegrown and nationally known. From poetry to music to comedy, there's something for everyone. Hosted by Faye Marshall (Cloth and Coal, Morley) and Tim Brookes (Under the Lobby Lights, Wakefield) this night will have you nodding, swaying, laughing and wondering when you can do it all again. Performers to be announced Free Doors Open: 7pm - Performance Starts: 7.30pm - End Time: 10:30 pm WX Wakefield Exchange Union Street Wakefield WF1 3AD 3 Dec 2026 Click to go to the WX website PUBLISHED Click to go to the WX website More Song Big More Song event for December with Harriet Tarlo, Judith Wilson , Ian Humphreys, Ágnes Lehóczky, JLM Morton. Message for an open mic slot 🎤 How: £3 tickets / PWYC 7 pm to 9 pm The 1 in 12 Club Library 21-23 Albion Street Bradford West Yorkshire BD1 2LY Poster by @ben_brumpton 🖋️ (Poster from the last event) 3 Dec 2026 Click to visit the More Song website PUBLISHED Click to visit the More Song website Click to see Events A to Z Click to see the Events Map Please Read If you would like to see your open mic or any poetry or spoken word event listed on this page please do get in touch. Equally if you would like me to remove the information please do get in touch. If you spot any inaccuracies, please get in touch and I will put them right. This page is run purely for the love of poetry so all listings are free with no strings attached. Please note this website has no direct link to any of the events included, so you attend at your own risk. This said you might see me at one of them, if so, please do say, 'hello'! If the event does not take place there really is nothing I can do about it (sorry!). I recommend that you attempt to contact the event via the direct link on the night if possible. Most recent update: 5th October, 2026

Leeds Stanza February 2025 choice : June Jordan 'Haruko/Love Poems' 'Haruko/Love Poems' by June Jordan The story of this book begins with me ordering a copy that was almost full price and sold as 'very good' but the condition was awful. I wrote to the company that I bought it from and demanded a rebate. In the mean time I thought I'd better get on and read it, or I wouldn't get it read in time for February's feedback. Truth is, I did not enjoy it at first. I found the poems so personal, but not universal. I mean fine if this poem had be written for me, as I would get the references and would love the attention. so, I began to consider the poems solipsistic, and only available in the book because of the reputation of the author, whom I have no doubt deserves her reputation, but her love poetry, really? There is nothing complicated about the language, there were no words to look up, but truthfully I just didn't get it. In the mean time the company who mis-sold me the book, were bartering with me saying they would return 30%, and I was thinking but my book is tatty, I'm not enjoying it, give me all the money back so I can get a new copy! It was water damaged, stained and had dints in the cover. I was hating the experience. Then, I read 'Poem For Mark' with its reference to the UK and its quaint 1950s Cockney language, and I smiled and I had a reference point. It occurred to me that I was not really getting into the mind of the author, and I needed to work harder at doing this. When 'Free Flight' came along she gives us the very workings of her mind at the moment the thoughts occurred to her. Then I understood all the poems more. I believe what we have is very raw poetry, not overly filtered and highly emotional, which on the one hand is the reason that, as a bloke, I'm not immediately going to get it, and I'm always going to have to work harder at love poetry. Then something else twigged. I love writing this sort of poetry myself, was I a little jealous that someone else had got there first, was getting published writing in a style that in fact I utterly relate to? I believe the poetry is much better read out aloud, it makes much more sense of the immediate simple rhymes, the illogical line breaks, and the easy language. She is in the poetry moment, somewhere closer to slam than Tennyson. It reads better out loud than read on the page. For me, anyway. I haven't tested this with watching videos of June Jordan reading her poetry, it just made sense to me as I progressed though the book. Then I got to my favourite poem, 'I Must Become a Menace to My Enemies', which uses powerful repetition and challenges you to not accept the horrors going on around you without letting others know that you do not accept it. This message is never irrelevant, but with the wars of Russia/Ukraine and Palestine/Israel so large in the news, and Donald Trump lording himself over the lot of it, I realise how little I dare to take sides in case I upset one or other of my friends at the expense of my own ideals. So by the time I got to the final epic poem 'Roman Poem Number Five' I was starting to feel the vibe. June Jordan is turning her inner experience into tangible poetry expression, and my biggest mistake is that I'm not doing the same. I went round the Cathedral of Barcelona recently, how come I didn't write a poem about my experience of it? In fact I will answer that. 1) I'm intrinsically lazy, and 2) I didn't know how. Read the book in front of you, Bob, this is how. Enter the moment and express it. This is what June Jordan is doing and I love her for it. So once I got to the final page, she had converted me. I was I love with her honesty and emotion and the whole book felt real. Then I thought, how can I get rid of this copy? How could I send it back? This very print, paper and glue got me right into the mind of another human being, and I want to savour that. I love my copy. Why exchange a lived-in book with damages that must have stories I need to invent and tell, with a starchy, dull, soulless brand new copy? I wrote to the sellers, and thanked them for the offer which had now been upped to a full refund, and said I was scared they would throw my copy away, and we should never throw anything away for simply not being perfect, after all, who of us is perfect? So I have kept my copy, and I will treasure the imperfect scruffy friend that helped me understand the wonderful June Jordan a little better.

'Read Me A Poem a Day' 9th April 2021 'Read Me A Poem a Day for the National Year of Reading.' Chosen by Gaby Morgan, pp 278-283. OK so why is a serious reader of poetry like me reading what looks like a children's book of daily poems. Well the answer is simple and quite clever. It is my doorway into starting reading. Some days, like today, I am just itching to read my next fill of Fran Lock poetry, but often I don't know where to begin, so I have my starter daily books. I began reading this book (and the Shakespeare) on 1 November 2020, which represents the first day of my retirement (two years earlier) . Every year I task myself with doing a certain number of hours of reading and I start the clock on this day. This book has been wonderful. In today's batch there was poems by Carol Ann Duffy, Grace Nichols, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jackie Kay, Langston Hughes, sat alongside a regular Anon. I had 6 days to catch up, as I had concentrated so much on writing the brand new website! That said, it only took a few minutes. I did a lot of poetry reading and listening from 2010 to 2014 (-ish), before deciding to knock it on the head to complete my pension. I have returned to reading now I am retired. Lockdown was awful, obviously. My father died from Covid-19 in March 2020 right at the beginning of it all. On the other hand, it helped me to concentrate my mind. As there was nowhere to go, I have found a place to be by reading poetry again. During that last poetry phase (there have been many but 2010-2014 was especially enjoyable) I got to see both Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay. That's the wonderful thing about poetry compared with say, football or rock music, it is still relatively easy to not only see your heroes but also to go up and have a few words of chat with them afterwards! Jackie Kay's poem here is called 'Divorce' and in the wrong hands reads as a very dark tale of divorcing your parents. I am fairly certain Jackie Kay loved her adoptive parents, so perhaps this is intended as a cathartic tale where children can agree in their anger when reading the poem before bed at night only to wake up in the morning refreshed! 'Father, your breath smells like a camel's and it gives me the hump!' Seeing the Anons in this collection I always grieve for the lost name. How sad for the person that their immortalised words have become mortally detached. Here Anon is talking about an apple... 'It's nice to think, though many an eye Has seen the ruddy skin, Mine is the very first to spy The five brown pips within.'

The commission is an unusual beast, someone asks for a poem on a subject, the poet goes away and thinks about it and comes up with the goods. Today I heard Ian McMillan's poem for 'The Front Page' BBC Radio 4 programme. Asked to write about a poem for the Euro 2020 final the week before England played Italy, and lost on penalties, then delivering it week after. The poem is never going to T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland , but it did its job. I also understood it, and got it in one, unlike T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland , which I have heard many times, but in truth need academics to point out to me why it is good. In the poem, McMillan refers to Eliot, and as a reader it would enhance the experience if I knew the reference. (I didn't.). McMillan is a decent chap, he is not going to condemn me for not picking it up, but I should I condemn myself? There is so much poetry about, how can I know it all? As it so goes I have read a good deal of it, but when I am sat in a reading, am I supposed to bring my poetry history with me or simply enjoy the moment, are there two opposites, or have I constructed this myself? If I don't know my poetry history then I am freed from the challenge of acknowledging it? I know my music better, so in my world I would say - should a young rapper know the songs of Elvis and the Beatles, should they even know the history of the song the rapper may have sampled, or is it enough to know your own genre well, or even, then just live in the moment and enjoy the song? I find, a little like Classical music, there is an inbuilt elitism in poetry that is hard to shake off, even if the poet themselves tells you to shake it off. (And by Classical music I mean Mozart, Beethoven and that crowd, not Led Zep and Black Sabbath, which is how I hear the word being used now! Though, actually that has its elitism, too!) In spite of all this I can tell that McMillan's poem is no The Wasteland , so there is a difference, and getting back to the beginning commissions make for a very different, more accessible poetry. I guess this is because in this circumstance the poet is writing for the audience and not themselves. When I read Simon Armitage's Sandettie Light Vessel Automatic, a book filled with commissioned poetry I enjoyed it greatly, but ultimately it did leave me a little bit hollow by the end. What Armitage is so good at is writing in a poetic voice that is both authentic, and poetic, it feels like if you had sat down long enough thinking about it with a pen in your hand, you could have written it, too. This is a wonderful deception. As Poet Laurette, suddenly everything he writes feels like it is a commission, almost by the nature of the job. I have read his Lockdown Poem and watched the Lockdown film on television, both wonderful pieces of works, that describe explain Lockdown better than any documentary ever could. Poetry gets behind the mere facts and emphases the emotional, and though we believe we are a religion-less society, it speak in the language of our spiritual being, too. I notice, though that when presented to the World on the internet, the Lockdown poem is presented with a backbeat, and acted out images, and I wonder at the reason for this. Am I being elitist for noticing it, am I rejecting it? Or am I pleased that Armitage is doing his bit to bring poetry to the World in a populist way, surely another of the possible unwritten role of the Laureate's job. The film which intermingles poetry with talking heads, is perfect time capsule for the future. The individual stories of people affected by Covid-19, are emotional in themselves, woven into the overall arc of a poem provided by Armitage, they become a part of the poetic piece, and the emotion is turned up to 11 (a cultural reference I expect you to get, but if you don't it feels like I thought of the joke!). To help the watcher along two ethereal dancers interpret the parts where Armitage is talking as if to emphasise we are talking in poetry language now. A good trick, but once I spotted it I started to laugh at the thought that every time Armitage gives a reading in the real world two dancers would suddenly appear in the wings. Today I watched a poem which came to me via Facebook I believe, and I notice that the poet has put a backdrop of old film footage to enhance the film. I always wonder at this, it is almost as if the poet is concerned that the poem will not be entertaining enough in its own right, that there is an alternative show going on in case you don't want to listen to what's being said enough. It's a tremendous piece, as authentic as you get written by person from Glasgow, about what that experience is like. Such a great feat. Sadly no BBC4 commissions await for the poet, so we create our own film to be in. The commission as income, that's what it is there for and quite right. There is so much poetry about yet so few professional poets, it seems all wrong to the likes of me that love poetry, but look at me I prefer the free readings to the paid for ones, and I am a generous person.