More Festival info: POETRY

Warwick Words Festival: 2-5 October 2008

We have a feast of poetry for you at this year’s festival including JOOLZ DENBY, JO SHAPCOTT, JANE HOLLAND, FELIX DENNIS,and BRIAN PATTEN.

Tickets are now available from the Box Office: 01926 776438
For further information please see our web site www.warwickwords.co.uk

JOOLZ DENBY
Masterclass – Thursday 2 October from 2.00pm – 5.00pm at the Friends Meeting House
In Conversation with Joolz Denby – Thursday 2 October at 7.30pm at the Lord Leycester Hospital

JO SHAPCOTT
Imaginative Logic workshop – Friday 3 October from 2,00pm – 5.00pm in Northgate Church Hall

FELIX DENNIS
An event not to be missed! – Friday 3 October at 8.00pm in the Bridge House Theatre
Lots of free wine included (over 18’s)!

BRIAN PATTEN
Gargling with Jelly – Poetry Reading for kids and parents – Saturday 4 October at 3.00pm in the Bridge House Theatre

Growing up Before Your Very Eyes- Saturday 4 October at 7.30pm at the Bridge House Theatre

POETRY CAFÉ with JANE HOLLAND (that's me!)
Thursday 2 and Friday 3 October from 11.00am – 4.00pm in Thomas Oken Tea Rooms, just off Jury Street, Warwick

JANE HOLLAND (and that's me again!)
Warwick Poetry with the Laureate – Sunday 5 October from 2.00pm in the Coach House, Warwick Castle.

This is a book launch event - launching "On Warwick" from Nine Arches Press, a year's worth of poetry written for the Laureateship by Jane Holland, including her long poem "On Warwick Castle".

Warwick Words Festival ... Coming Soon!

Don't forget to visit the Warwick Words Festival site as soon as possible and book tickets for your favourite events.

During the long weekend of October 2nd - 5th, there will be plenty of outstanding performances, stimulating talks and interactive workshops to choose from in central Warwick including:

Literary Lunches
Afternoon Teas
Guided Walks
Children’s Festival
Poetry and Photography Exhibition
plus my very own Laureate-led Poetry Cafe
and much more!

Special guests this year include: Jo Shapcott, Felix Dennis, Alexander McCall Smith, Frances Fyfield, Louis de Berineres, Gerald Scarfe, Celia Rees, Brian Patten, Andrew Davies, Tony de Saulles, Catherine O’Flynn, Jane Wenham-Jones and others.

Now where did I put that crown?

Warwick Words is on the search for Warwick Poet Laureate 2008/2009!

Jane Holland, 2007/08 Poet Laureate will hand over her literary crown to the new Laureate at the Festival Launch event at Warwick Castle on Wednesday 1 October 2008.

The position of Warwick Poet Laureate is an honorary one, for which there is no payment. Candidates must be from Warwickshire and capable of writing good poetry and willing and able to perform their own work. The Laureate must be willing to get involved in key events and activities throughout the year and will be commissioned to write poems about Warwick. To apply, visit the Warwick Words website for more details.

Warwick Words, one of the country's newest literary festivals is taking place in various venues around the historic town between 2 – 5 October and promises to be a lively and entertaining weekend with something for everyone. During the weekend there will be lots of performances, talks and workshops to choose from including; a Literary Lunch, Afternoon Teas, Children's Book Festival, Poetry Café and much more!

Special Guests include: Felix Dennis, Alexander McCall Smith, Frances Fyfield, Louis de Bernieres, Gerald Scarfe, Celia Rees, Brian Patten, Tony Hawks, Andrew Davies, Tony de Saulles, Catherine O'Flynn, Jane Wenham-Jones, Jo Shapcott plus lots of other guests.

Warwick Words Festival Poetry Cafe 2008

The Festival Poetry Cafe
Thomas Oken Tea Rooms
20 Castle Street (Off Jury Street)
Warwick
11am - 4pm
Thursday & Friday, 3rd & 4th October


As part of my Laureate duties, the exciting task falls to me this year to organise the annual Poetry Cafe during the Warwick Words Festival. What that basically entails is roping and steering together some 30 or 40 poets and poetry-lovers in one continual wild extravaganza of poetry reading and - I have no doubt - discussion. Tea and cakes will also be consumed in large quantities, as the event itself is traditionally held at Warwick's excellent Thomas Oken Tea Rooms near the Castle and this year will be no exception.

For 2008, I will be asking poets to stay at least an hour where possible, so that we have plenty of listeners as well as readers, and also to bring a poem or two with them which is by someone else - as well as their own, if they write poetry - so that we can all enjoy as wide a selection of poetry as possible.

Interested in listening to some great poetry?
Just turn up whenever you like, order some tea, and grab a comfy chair.

Want to perform?
If you're a poet with work to share, or feel able to read some favourite poetry aloud to a room of appreciative scone-devourers, email me on j.holland442@btinternet.com to arrange a suitable time slot.

The Poetry Cafe takes place from 11am to 4pm on both Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th October, kicking off this year's Literary Festival in poetic style.

Warwick Words Writers Group: Wednesday 18th June

I shall be reading and discussing my work, plus leading a poetry workshop, at the next meeting of the Warwick Words Writers Group. Here are the details:
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Wednesday 18 June
The Meeting Room at The Social Centre, St Mary’s Immaculate RC Church,
West Street, Warwick
7.30 – 9.30pm.

WORKSHOP: Writing Poetry
(delivered by Jane Holland – current Warwick Poet Laureate)
Facilitator: Pauline Brooks
Free refreshments.
£2 per person (to cover venue costs).

Connected to the annual Warwick Words festival of literature and spoken word, this dynamic and friendly group meet in Warwick once a month to share their work, discuss ideas and to develop their creative writing skills. The format of the monthly sessions is determined by the group itself, with the emphasis on creating an informal, yet supportive and productive network.

What members say about the Warwick Words Writers Group:
“refreshing”, “stimulating” and “enjoyable”, “fabulously organised” and that it “attracts a wide range of people with different levels of writing skills and styles”.

Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you think might be interested.

Literary Quiz and Fish Supper with reading by Jane Holland

I'm pleased to say I'll be doing a reading next Friday in the town of Warwick itself, as Poet Laureate, and getting a few answers wrong in the literary quiz. If you live in the area and fancy a fun night out, with delicious fish and chip supper, grab yourself a few tickets and get down to ye olde Lord Leycester Hospital.

Literary Quiz in association with Warwick Words
We have a fundraiser events for Warwick Words next Friday, May 9th, at the superb 'Lord Leycester Hospital' in Warwick.

Test your knowledge of all things literary! A fun evening including a fish and chip supper, prizes and a guest appearance by the Warwick Poet Laureate, Jane Holland.

Enter a team of up to 6 people. Book individually or as a couple and we will add you to a team if required.

Licensed bar.

All proceeds got towards Warwick Words 2008

Friday May 9th
7.30pm
Lord Leycester Hospital
High Street, Warwick

Tickets: £12.50 each
(£10 for Festival Friends & Volunteers)

Tickets available from:
Warwick Books
Warwick Library
Warwick Words on 01926 427056
info@warwickwords.co.uk

Time for another poetry pub crawl?

I was trawling poetry sites the other day and came across this fun blog post by another local writer and poet, Oliver: Poetry Pub Crawl in Warwick.

Warning: I can't be responsible for colourful language on other sites, so please be aware that you may encounter some by clicking the link above.

Some great photos to enjoy on Oliver's blog, and it certainly looked like a fun night out for the poets ... but all took place about a year and a half ago!

Time for another poetry pub crawl in Warwick, methinks ... perhaps I should check what's going on at this year's Warwick Words Festival and get back to you about that.

Crowned Warwick Poet Laureate!

Earlier this month, I was delighted to be at the launch of the Warwick Words Festival where I was crowned Poet Laureate for Warwick. It's all been a bit of a whirl since then, and there's plenty to discuss on this new Laureate blog, but first I thought it might be interesting to talk about how the Laureateship came about and what the post actually entails.

Firstly, the Laureateship is decided on the basis of a poetry competition run in conjunction with the annual Warwick Words Literary Festival. In past years, there was only one judge, and only one poem was chosen as overall winner, with the Warwick Laureateship awarded to that poet. Last year's winner was Helen Yendall with her excellent poem 'Kettle'.

For 2007 though, it was decided to make life more difficult for the would-be Laureates. The committee decided that four poems should be submitted. One had to be on the National Poetry Day theme of 'Dreams', and the whole entry had to be accompanied by a Statement of Interest.

Furthermore, the competition was judged by three judges this year: one female, two males. In spite of that slight gender bias - and acknowledging that all entries are judged anonymously - the three top prize-winners were all women!

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Anyway, I was delighted to have been chosen as the overall winner, and I'm looking forward to writing poems about Warwick (and Warwickshire) over the coming months.

There will also be community poetry projects for me to arrange or oversee, perhaps some more interviews - the local papers have already been on the phone - and some projects which are either brand-new or entirely connected to my own work as an individual poet.

Launching this special Warwick Laureate blog is my first official task. The blog is designed to provide an online space for people to make contact with me, find out more about contemporary poetry, or touch base with my activities as Warwick Poet Laureate.

So if you have any comments or Warwick-related suggestions for poems or poetic activities, please do drop me an email, leave a comment on this blog, or contact the Warwick Words Festival via their website. Although I often twist commissioned subjects to suit my own individual approach to writing poems, I'm always open to good ideas!