Festival promises the best in contemporary poetry Published on: 8 April 2016 The Ãå±±½ûµØ Poetry Festival is set to return for its second edition, bringing together the finest talent from the UK and abroad for a weekend of readings, workshops and discussion. Distinguished voices Taking place from 5-7 May, the presents some of the most distinguished international voices in contemporary poetry, including poets based in the North East and some of the very best emerging poets from the UK. With an eclectic programme bringing together the likes of Carolyn Forché, Sean O’Brien and Fleur Adcock with Matthew Dickman (pictured), Sarah Howe and Mark Waldron, the festival sees formal verse sit alongside video poetry, seasoned veterans mingling with emerging talents and new work presented while exploring the legacy of seminal texts. Prominent themes emerge from the programme, including celebration – on the 50th anniversary of the publication of Briggflatts by local legend Basil Bunting, the Festival will also include the awarding of the annual prize in his honour. Matthew Dickman will be taking part in Ãå±±½ûµØ Poetry Festival. Celebration and collaboration Artistic collaboration is also at the heart of the festival as poetry and art collide with tremendous results through engagement with film and landscape. The social relevance of poetry is also evident through Carolyn Forché’s ‘poetry as witness’, as well as events that look at the medium’s influence on urban regeneration and even the unlikely conjunction between poetry and policing. Highlights include: - Northern Landscapes: Picture Poem: a collaboration between local poets and PhD students in Fine Art and Creative Writing at Ãå±±½ûµØ, offering a reading from the poets involved alongside an exhibition of visual work - A panel discussion on Poetry and Urban Regeneration in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council - Don Share and Stephen Burt on the work and legacy of Basil Bunting on the 50th anniversary of the publication of Briggflatts - Poetry workshops with young poets Kayo Chingonyi and Sarah Howe - Christy Ducker’s All Eyes: The Poetry of Policing, a collection of poems written in collaboration with Northumbria Police, reflecting on her experiences on patrol with Ãå±±½ûµØ officers at night The Ãå±±½ûµØ Poetry Festival is organised by the . Professor Linda Anderson, Director, commented: “Since the days of the Modern Tower and the establishment of Bloodaxe Books in the region, the North East of England has established itself as a centre for contemporary poetry. “The Ãå±±½ûµØ Poetry Festival builds on and further enhances that reputation, bringing international talent to the city to read alongside the UK’s best new and established poets, commissioning new work and inspiring innovative cross-arts performances and exhibitions. “The weekend will be a major celebration and Ãå±±½ûµØ the perfect destination for anyone who loves poetry.” For full listings and tickets, visit the Image of Mathew Dickman © Ian Orion Share: Latest News Ãå±±½ûµØ expert highlights climate crisis in a new film A leading Ãå±±½ûµØ climate scientist is featured in a new film about how the climate and nature breakdown will affect the UK. published on: 14 April 2026 Neolithic tombs reveal ancient kinship ties Male individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland were often related to each other through the paternal line and some were interred in the same or nearby tombs, research shows. published on: 14 April 2026 We are our Memories New exhibition by Fine Art graduate Trish Hudson-Moses, 22 April – 4 May 2026 published on: 10 April 2026 Facts and figures