Ripon Poetry Festival 2021

Poetry for Everyone

In our fourth year we'll be welcoming nationally well-known and brilliant local poets over a weekend of readings, discussions, workshops and book launches. 

This year Yorkshire's Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, heads the line-up.

During the 4 days of the festival we work with different local groups (like Evolve, Jennyruth and The Walled Garden) to help them find their poetry voices, as well as children at the library.

Our competition attracts often unknown local talent whose best poems are printed in an anthology launched and sold during the festival. It's amazing how many folk in our area, of all ages, write poetry.

And then there are the readings and book launches and discussions as well as a poetry writing workshop offered by the Sansoms - the Guardian calls them the best poetry teachers in the UK.

Where does our money come from?

We are funded through ticket sales, individual donations and small grants. 

We keep some events free to welcome everyone. The festival does not make a profit.

We think it's important to pay the professional poets who work with us proper rates and to use community venues. We have decided to live-stream some events this year to increase access. 

But money is tight

But this year’s uncertainties mean that money is tight. We need your help to cover increased insurance, the live-streaming of some events and the cost of venues. (If we make more money than we expect then any unused funds will be put in the pot to make next year's festival even better.) 

This year's line-up

This year’s line-up includes the current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage; well-known poets Helen Mort, Mike Crowley and Paul Mills; events at Evolve, The Walled Garden and Jennyruth Workshops; a writing-workshop with Ann and Peter Sansom; readings by Ripon Writers Group and Vane Women; book-launches by Olivia Mulligan, George Jowett, Sylvia Bräunig, Sheila Whitfield and Shari Pfleeger; a poetry-workshop for children; a debate about poetry and music; the launch of this year’s festival anthology; a talk about Ted Hughes’s Yorkshire; and pop-up poetry readings all over the city-centre.

Find out more

To find out more about the festival, to join our mailing list or to become a Friend of the Ripon Poetry Festival contact Andy Croft (01765 658917), Paul Mills (01765 603633) or ask at the Little Ripon Bookshop.

Follow the Festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and feel free to live-post during events.

Crowdfunder is waiving its platform fees for community and charity crowdfunding projects during the coronavirus crisis. The Covid-19 epidemic could affect millions of people in the next few weeks.

These are unprecedented times but together, we are stronger, and the response is coming from communities across the country.

Volunteer groups are springing up to tackle the logistical problems faced in our communities – but they need urgent support. That's where we come in.