Poetry NI - News

Free bookmarking workshop with Belfast Print Workshop before Purely Poetry this Friday!

3/10/2017

As part of Belfast Print Workshop's 40th anniversary celebrations, Poetry NI has collaborated with them and artist Raquel Amat for a specially designed one-off book, featuring new work from Emma McKervey, Tory Campbell, as well as Purely Poetry hosts Geraldine O'Kane and Colin Dardis.

Come along to the Crescent Arts Centre gallery space (first floor) at 7:30pm to take part in a FREE BOOKMAKING WORKSHOP with Raquel before Purely Poetry starts at 8.30pm, where the book will also be on display. If you want to participate, just turn up on the night!

BPW will also be hosting their 40³ Exhibition at the Crescent Arts Centre Gallery, from Friday 6th October to Sunday 29th October, 10am - 7pm. A special opening event will take place on Sunday 8th October, 3-6pm. A comprehensive exhibition and series of participatory events highlighting the extraordinary range of technique, imagery and vision of both past and current printmaking community. 40 Years, 40 Prints, 40 Printmakers is a testament to BPW’s printmaking facilities, showcasing the legacy and spirit of a thriving network of artists.

Aspects Festival Poetry Slam

1/9/2017

Poetry NI presents: The North Down Heat of the All Ulster Poetry Slam
Saturday 16th September, 7pm, The Space, SERC Theatre, Bangor

Bring your poems from page to stage and enter our poetry slam, returning once again to Aspects Festival. Just register at the start of the night if you want to enter. Names will be drawn out from the hat at random to read. You will have three minutes to compete in, and our judges will score who goes through to the next round. The outright winner will be crowned ‘Aspects Poetry Slam Champion’!

This is a first stage event in selecting Ulster’s top eight poets for the All Ireland Poetry Slam. The top two poets will join winners from other regional heats across the country in an All-Ulster final (Sat 7th October, 5.45pm – Enniskillen - Blakes of the Hollow)

Rules:
• Any poet that goes over the three minute time limit will be eliminated
• No props
• No musical equipment
• All poems must be your own work
• All poems must be read on your own i.e. no duets / group pieces
• Any breaking of the rules leads to disqualification!

Good luck everyone!

Facebook event page

Three great events coming up in August

3/8/2017

We have three great events coming up over the next two weeks, and we would love YOU to be a part of them!

This Friday 4th August is our regular Purely Poetry Open Mic Night at Crescent Arts Centre.

Purely Poetry welcome readers of all styles and experiences, from first timers to old pros. We foster an open, laid back and encouraging atmosphere for people to read their work, and to listen in comfort. Quite simply, we want your poems, and we want you to enjoy the experience of reading them to us! To take part, just sign up at the start of the night, and each person has seven minutes max to read. Sign-up for readers 8.10pm, Start 8.30pm.

Then on Monday 7th at 8pm, as part of the Eastside Art Festival, we're co-hosting a special showcase event with Galway's Over The Edge.

Poets Colin Dardis, Susan Millar DuMars and Geraldine O'Kane will each share some of their best work.. .and then it’s your turn! Host Kevin Higgins invites Open Mic participants to take to the stage for five minutes each to read their own poems, or a favourite published poem. (Poems about Belfast preferred, but other subjects welcome.) Just arrive at 7:40pm to sign up, and you can get in on the act!

Finally on Saturday 12th, from 2-4pm, at Seamus Heaney HomePlace, we have a family-friendly creative writing workshop, Family Rhymes!

Join poets Colin Dardis and Geraldine O’Kane for this fun, family friendly poetry workshop which will focus on the theme of ‘home’. Learn some basic creative writing and poetry skills and create your very own poem all about your 'HomePlace'. Pre-booking required.

David Braziel wins the Belfast Book Festival Poetry Slam

10/6/2017

We had a wonderful night at our Belfast Book Festival poetry slam last night, with a packed audience there to enjoy some excellent live poetry and honour the memory of a Belfast poetry pioneer, Brian Bailey.

After three high-quality and close scoring rounds, one person emerged victorious... congratulations to David Braziel, our Slam Champion 2017 and inaugural winner of the Brian Bailey Memorial Cup!

David saw off fierce competition in the final round from Patricia Devlin-Hill, Nathan Armstrong and Anthony Ferguson, who each put in a brilliant display over the three rounds.

A big thank you to our receptive and loving audience, our guest judges Peter Francis Fahy, Charmain J Porter and Bill Jeffrey, along with Jane Bailey and Fred Van't Sand for their moving tributes to Brian on the night. Many thanks also to the amazing, hard-working festival team at Crescent Arts Centre for all their support and assistance!

Poetry Slam update

4/6/2017

The Belfast Book Festival is almost upon us, and once again, Poetry NI is presenting the annual Book Festival Poetry Slam.

This year, in addition to being crowned Slam Champion and receiving the inaugural Brain Bailey Memorial Cup, we are delighted to announced that Poetry NI will also consider a pamphlet-length manuscript by the winning poet to be released by our publishing wing, Pen Points Press. So that's just one more reason to book your ticket and enter!

In additional, many thanks to everyone who attended our workshop and showcase reading for the NI Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Poet Peter Adair, who read at the event, has done a recap of the readings for Lagan Online.

Poetry NI presents Belfast Book Festival Poetry Slam

29/5/2017

Poetry NI proudly presents The Belfast Book Festival Poetry Slam
Friday 9th June, Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast, 9pm (£4 entry)

Open to all poets, we invite you to take the mic and enter our annual poetry slam competition. Share your work in front of a lively and appreciative audience, with new readers always welcome.

To enter, just register at the start of the night; names will be drawn out at random, with each poet invited onstage to read, competing to become Slam Champion 2017!

This year, the winner will receive the inaugural Brian Bailey Memorial Cup, in tribute to the much missed poet and pioneer of the Belfast live poetry scene. Poems in tribute to Brian will also be read out on the night.

For full rules, click here.

Check out our Facebook event page, book tickets via the Crescent Box Office or purchase on the night.

Purely Poetry May '17 Review

6/5/2017

Many thanks to all our readers and listeners who came down to our open mic on a sunny May evening!

In orderof names drawn out of the hat, our readers were:
Linda McKenna, Mark Brownlee, Daryl Fletcher, Helen Hastings, Patrick Taggart. Thomas Elliott, Ross Thompson, Peter Adair, Joe Neal, Siobhán McCafferty, Ray Givans, Anthony Haughey, Geraldine O'Kane, Nathan Elout-Armstrong, Carla McG, Gareth Osborne, Samantha Patrick, and Sean Fitzsimmons

Our next event is the Belfast Book Festival Poetry Slam on Friday 9th June at 9pm, the winner of which will receive the inaugural Brian Bailey Memorial Cup. More details soon...