Ledbury Poetry

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Ledbury Poetry

The UK’s biggest poetry festival, set over 10 days every summer amidst the beautiful and historic backdrop of ancient market town and rolling hills.

The UK's longest and largest poetry festival with ten days packed with poetry readings, slams, family activities, poetry workshops, conversations, events and celebrations. Ledbury is a market town in rural Herefordshire, nestling under the Malvern ridge in some of England's finest countryside. Our 2020 summer festival has sadly been cancelled, but you can still take part online in our poetry readi

ngs, salons and workshops and archive audio recordings. We're looking forward to seeing you all in 2021 for our 25th anniversary celebrations! Beyond the festival, our work throughout the year includes:

› Ledbury Poetry Competition
› Ledbury Emerging Poetry Critics Scheme
› Ledbury Poetry Salons
› Community & Schools Programme
› Voice Coaching for New and Emerging Writers

19/06/2026

Closing the 2026 festival this year, we have radio DJ, author, and television presenter, Stuart Maconie, talking to Chair Jonathon Davidson (Director, Writing West Midlands) about the poems that have shaped, inspired, and moved him.

Fun Fact - Stuart Maconie is widely credited with being the first person to use the term "Britpop" to describe iconic 90s bands like Oasis and Blur.

Get your ticket before this one sells out!

This event is kindly sponsored by Forrest Optical & Butler Sweetman, Ledbury, Herefordshire

18/06/2026

One stage. Three powerhouse poets. One unforgettable night.

Joelle Taylor, Nikita Gill and Salena Godden come together for a rare festival event packed with fierce lyricism, myth, memory and extraordinary storytelling.

From Mount Olympus to London’s q***r nightlife, expect poetry that crackles with energy, passion and imagination.

Joelle Taylor - Raw, fearless and unforgettable, one of the most electrifying voices in contemporary poetry.

Nikita Gill - a global poetry phenomenon whose myth-inspired poems and storytelling first captivated millions on social media before becoming bestselling books.

Salena Godden - a force of nature on stage, bringing wit, passion and fierce lyricism to every performance.

Community Hall, Ledbury
Saturday 27 June, 7.00pm - 8.30pm

Book now, we don’t want you to miss out!
https://ledburypoetry.org.uk/home/whats-on/

16/06/2026

New Heaney. New discoveries.

To celebrate the publication of The Poems of Seamus Heaney - the definitive edition featuring illuminating critical notes, a wealth of uncollected poems and a selection of works never before published - join editors Bernard O'Donoghue and Christopher Reid, alongside poets Maura Dooley and Andrew McNeillie, for a unique exploration of Heaney's life and legacy.

For poetry lovers, this is one not to miss!

Kindly sponsored by White Heron Estate, Tours & Drinks.

15/06/2026

"Do I dare to eat a…?" Leave answer 👇

Know your T.S Eliot from your George Eliot? Then grab a pen and come along for our poetry-ish quiz night.

Words, wit, and general knowledge collide. You don’t have to be a poetry expert – this quiz is for everyone. There will be wine, too. Oh, and a poets' table. No pressure….

Proceeds will go towards our year-round education and engagement work with young people. Last year alone, we worked with nearly 3,000 young people across Herefordshire in over 20 schools and alternative provision.

You can book as a team of 6, or we can match you to a team. The evening is kindly sponsored by with raffle prizes donated by The Beefy Boys Hus & Hem …plus more

11/06/2026

The WONDERFUL Georgie Jones is joining us on Thursday 2nd July, at 8pm in the Market Theatre.

Human, warm, funny and oh-so-relatable, spend an evening with Georgie as she shares her brilliant debut collection And The World Spins Anyway. This is one of those events that will appeal as much to the poetry lovers as to those who just enjoy spending an evening in the best company, with someone who really gets human-kind.

This event is kindly sponsored by Goodwin FRICS

10/06/2026

Summer called, and our friends answered.

As part of our partnership with European poetry platform Versopolis, every summer we host two incredible, international poets here in Ledbury. This year, we welcome Claire Lajus (France) and Nisrine Mbarki Ben Ayad (The Netherlands).

Claire Lajus is a poet, a translator of Turkish, and the founder and leader of the online review Ayna that promotes contemporary Tuquish poetry. Poetry writing stems from necessity for Lajus; her poems acting as a compass in her life, helping her to know the world and herself better.

Nisrine Mbarki, the Poet Laureate of the Netherlands (2026–2027), is an Amsterdam-based Dutch Moroccan multilingual poet, writer, literary translator, and programmer. Her work spans poetry, fiction, theatre, and translation. Rooted in Dutch, Arabic, and Tamazight, and fluent in English and French, she operates across multiple literary contexts. As a literary translator, she primarily translates female voices from Arabic and English into Dutch.

03/06/2026

Founded in 2017 by Sandeep Parmar and Sarah Howe in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, the Ledbury Poetry Critics is a pioneering programme changing the representation of diversity among published poetry critics. Since launching almost 10 years ago, the percentage of poetry criticism by reviewers of colour in the UK has more than doubled, in no small part because of the game-changing work of the Ledbury Poetry Critics.

Catch Ledbury Poetry Critic co-founder Sarah Howe, along with LPC alumni Dzifa Benson, Stephanie Sy-Quia and Hasti at the festival this year.

🎫Tickets available at www.ledburypoetry.org.uk

20/05/2026

🖋The 2026 International Poetry Competition is now open, judged by Andrew McMillan.

🏆First Prize: £1000 cash and a week’s poetry course with Arvon
Second Prize: £500
Third Prize: £250
Winners will be invited to perform their work at Ledbury Poetry Festival 2027.

⏰The closing date is Monday 27th July 2026 at 23:59 (BST).
The competition is international and open to poets writing in the English language.
You must be 18 years of age or over to enter.
£6 per entry.

For full terms and conditions and to enter please go to:
https://ledburypoetry.org.uk/home/ledbury-poetry-competition-2026/

08/05/2026

General ticket sales are now open!

Head to our website to book now or catch us in-person in Ledbury when our physical box office opens on 20th May

07/05/2026

New event klaxon!! 📢

Head to our website to bag tickets to these (and all other festival events) when general sales go live at midday tomorrow 🎉

If you’re a Friend you can use your priority booking access early tickets until 11:59am on 8th May!

https://ledburypoetry.org.uk/

Address

Ledbury
Ledbury
HR82DX

Website

http://www.ledburypoetry.org.uk/

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