Events Featuring DIY Poets
Nottingham Poetry Festival Loads of events feat and being hosted by DIY Poets
Details to emerge 4 - 14th June Various venues Nottingham Poetry Festival
This year, Nottingham Poetry Festival celebrates local, national and internationally acclaimed artists that align with our community values.
We warmly invite you to join us for the array of performances, workshops, debates, and all the other poetry-related activity we’ve proudly programmed together with the local creative community.
DIY Poets will of course be part of it all.
get into the grove of the fest
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Speech Therapy
Open Mic poetry
Hosted by Keith Ford - DIY Poet Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival Fri 5th June 7 - 11 pm Fisher Gate Point, Nottingham
Speech Therapy is Nottingham’s longest running, often rambling, never still, somehow still standing, spoken word night.
As we edge nearer to our third decade of regular monthly nights we have moved to a new fully accessible home in Fisher Gate Point.
The vibes remain rock n roll, the featured artistes are our present to the world, the list of open mic regulars grows by the month, and the raffle remains sadly full of rammel.
Click here for details
top of the page
Sharewords
Open Mic poetry
Hosted by Andrew Martin "Prince of Puns" - DIY Poet Part Sherwood Arts Week Saturday 6th June 7 - 9 pm Drinkery, Haydn Road, Sherwood, Nottingham
Calling all poets, performers, wordsmiths, and lovers of language! Join us for a magical evening of spoken word, creativity, and community.
Hosted by Andrew “The Prince of Puns”
Free Entry — All Are Welcome!
Step up to the mic or simply sit back and enjoy an enchanting night of poetry in a cozy, woodland-inspired atmosphere. Bring your words, your voice, and your friends!
Sherwood Arts Week Calendar
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European Poetry Festival
Feat. Hongwei Bao - DIY Poet
Plus others Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival Saturday 6th June 7 pm Nottingham Contemporary
The 2026 European Poetry Festival visits Nottingham for the first time! In partnership with Nottingham City of Literature, we present an evening celebrating poetry, performance and the potentials of collaboration. Pairing some of the most dynamic and innovative poets of the thriving Nottingham poetry scene alongside writers from Czechia, Norway, Austria, Slovakia, Poland and all across Europe, over a dozen poets will present new works made for the night, spanning languages, literatures and the European continent.
click here
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Four Violins Meet One Day
Lytisha Tunbridge Part Sherwood Arts Week
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 7th June 2-3 pm The Place Activity Centre 2A Melrose St, Sherwood
Join us to hear a mix of poetry and music played on the unique Kintsugi violins created at The Secret Violin Shop, Nottingham.
Lytisha will be performing Four Violins Meet One Day, a commissioned poem, alongside four of Nottingham’s finest violin players, Beth Danks, Belinda Burnard, Martin Gallimore, and Rob Jourdain, all playing these uniquely restored violins. There will be a chance to talk to the violin restorer, Mike Sutton, as well as the players and the poet, after the performance.
Click here to Book
The violins and related artworks will be displayed throughout Sherwood Art Week.
Lytisha is a Nottingham, UK based poet, performer, VR creator, film maker, editor and educator will be performing a new poem based on the life of 4 violins repaired by Pioneering violin expert Mike Sutton.
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Poetry is Shit! (until it saves your life)
Feat. Diane Horsley and Sue Allen
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 7th June 6:30 pm Fisher Gate Point, Nottingham
Join local poets Diane Horsley and Sue Allen (Diane’s mentor and chief heckler) as Diane leads you on her journey from poetry hater, sceptic to poet scribbler. Her aim is to entertain you with her encounters with poetry and the events that led her to rethink (some of ) her thoughts on poetry and what led to her taking up a pencil and standing in front of a mic.
This event is for all whether you love, loathe, or are indifferent to poetry. And it’s especially for people where poetry saved or changed your life.
Click here
top of the page
Gig at the Grove DIY Poets
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival
Open Mic poetry
Monday 8th June 7:30 - 9:30 pm The Grove, Sneinton Market, Nottingham
DIY Poets are celebrating Nottingham Poetry Festival by having a Gig at The Grove, the fabulous live music venue in Sneinton Market.
Join us for the 3 minute open mic slots and have the opportunity to perform on the stage or via Zoom on the big screen. Sign up at the event.
Click here for detail
top of the page
Write Into Nature A Heartwood Poetry Writing Event
with Gail Webb - DIY Poet Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival
10th June 11 - 1 pm Nottingham Central Library
A relaxed creative writing session inspired by the outdoors – whether it is a grass verge by the roadside, weeds in pavements, your local park, gardens, walks by the river or wilderness adventures. Come to a friendly, informal workshop to write, share, connect. ,
Gail Webb is a poet and founder of Heartwood Poetry, a bi-monthly nature and eco-poetry night. Participants on this workshop will be invited to share work at that open-mic night, if they wish to.
Click here for detail
top of the page
Tall Tales in Small Spaces Hosted by Guy Jones
Part of Sherwood Arts Week 12th June
7:30 - 9:30 pm The Place Activity Centre 2A Melrose St, Sherwood
Join us for a night of tall tales, flash fiction, poems and micro fringe theatre.
Bring your yarns to share on the open mic...
a bottle of something special...
or just yourself and your good humour!
Hothouse Theatre is bringing its delightful approach to storytelling in from the cold, and presenting it at this summer's Sherwood Arts Week.
We will be doing some micro fringe theatre, as well as opening up the mic to all comers, for short yarns, poems and other forms of spoken word.
This is a pay-what-you-can-bring-a-bottle event.
Book here
top of the page
BBC Upload x We, The Poets
Feat. Leanne Moden - DIY Poet
Plus others Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 13th June 12 - 5 pm Rough Trade, Nottingham
In collaboration with We, The Poets, BBC Upload and Dean Jackson, join us for an afternoon of panel chats, podcasting, performance and jolly good fun.
BBC Upload is the BBC’s talent discovery platform for emerging creatives, offering poets and spoken word artists a route to share their work with a wider audience. By submitting recordings directly to their local BBC radio station, artists have the chance to be broadcast, featured, and supported by producers, helping amplify new voices and connect grassroots poetry scenes to national platforms. Come and meet the team and find out how to get your poetry broadcast on national radio!
click here
top of the page
Hot Pot 火鍋
by Hongwei Bao (DIY Poet)
Auka Productions
25th June Performing Arts Studio, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham 25th June
7:30 pm
In this tale of friendship, love, and authenticity, four Chinese friends reunite at a hot pot restaurant after the Covid pandemic.
As they reminisce and boast of their achievements, idealism fades into pragmatism. Will their friendships endure? Can old flames reignite? Amidst a queer-unfriendly environment, will they find the courage to discuss gay sexuality openly?
A Q&A discussion will follow the performance, providing a platform to explore East Asian LGBTQ+ narratives and their representation in the UK and the Western world. The discussion will be chaired by Dr Xing Huang, a Chinese queer studies scholar from the University of Nottingham.
Click here
If you are having problems with the e-link to buy tickets you can purchase them over the phone using the Lakesdie box office number 0115 846 7777
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Gateway to South Festival
Feat. Several DIY Poets
Plus poetry Slam 2nd - 5th July THE GATE TO SOUTHWELL FESTIVAL website
Once again, DIY Poets will be descending on the Gateway To South Festival.
On Saturday, they will be performing with several DIYers taking to the stage to amaze you all!
Then on the Sunday, DIY Poets will be hosting, and no doubt taking part in, a Poetry Slam!
If you’ve never been to, let alone entered a Poetry Slam, why not make this one your first!
top of the page
August Showcase
DIY poets Quarterley Showcase Feat. Lytisha Tunbridge Plus 10 Diyers and Open Mic
Thursday 20th August 7:30 - 9:30 pm Pay-what-you-can Bakersfield Community Centre, Bakersfield, Nottingham
Lytisha is a Nottingham, UK based poet, performer, VR creator, film maker, editor and educator. Artistic director of Poetry Aloud presents: delivering hybrid in-venue and via Zoom curated stages and workshops for all ages.
The evening will also feature 10 DIY Poets, plus open mic Pay-what-you-can on the door You can join us on Zoom!
top of the page
Nottingham Poetry Festival Loads of events feat and being hosted by DIY Poets
Details to emerge 4 - 14th June Various venues Nottingham Poetry Festival
This year, Nottingham Poetry Festival celebrates local, national and internationally acclaimed artists that align with our community values.
We warmly invite you to join us for the array of performances, workshops, debates, and all the other poetry-related activity we’ve proudly programmed together with the local creative community.
DIY Poets will of course be part of it all.
get into the grove of the fest
Speech Therapy
Open Mic poetry
Hosted by Keith Ford - DIY Poet Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival Fri 5th June 7 - 11 pm Fisher Gate Point, Nottingham
Speech Therapy is Nottingham’s longest running, often rambling, never still, somehow still standing, spoken word night.
As we edge nearer to our third decade of regular monthly nights we have moved to a new fully accessible home in Fisher Gate Point.
The vibes remain rock n roll, the featured artistes are our present to the world, the list of open mic regulars grows by the month, and the raffle remains sadly full of rammel.
Click here for details
Sharewords
Open Mic poetry
Hosted by Andrew Martin "Prince of Puns" - DIY Poet Part Sherwood Arts Week Saturday 6th June 7 - 9 pm Drinkery, Haydn Road, Sherwood, Nottingham
Calling all poets, performers, wordsmiths, and lovers of language! Join us for a magical evening of spoken word, creativity, and community.
Hosted by Andrew “The Prince of Puns”
Free Entry — All Are Welcome!
Step up to the mic or simply sit back and enjoy an enchanting night of poetry in a cozy, woodland-inspired atmosphere. Bring your words, your voice, and your friends!
Sherwood Arts Week Calendar
European Poetry Festival
Feat. Hongwei Bao - DIY Poet
Plus others Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival Saturday 6th June 7 pm Nottingham Contemporary
The 2026 European Poetry Festival visits Nottingham for the first time! In partnership with Nottingham City of Literature, we present an evening celebrating poetry, performance and the potentials of collaboration. Pairing some of the most dynamic and innovative poets of the thriving Nottingham poetry scene alongside writers from Czechia, Norway, Austria, Slovakia, Poland and all across Europe, over a dozen poets will present new works made for the night, spanning languages, literatures and the European continent.
click here
Four Violins Meet One Day
Lytisha Tunbridge Part Sherwood Arts Week
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 7th June 2-3 pm The Place Activity Centre 2A Melrose St, Sherwood
Join us to hear a mix of poetry and music played on the unique Kintsugi violins created at The Secret Violin Shop, Nottingham.
Lytisha will be performing Four Violins Meet One Day, a commissioned poem, alongside four of Nottingham’s finest violin players, Beth Danks, Belinda Burnard, Martin Gallimore, and Rob Jourdain, all playing these uniquely restored violins. There will be a chance to talk to the violin restorer, Mike Sutton, as well as the players and the poet, after the performance.
Click here to Book
The violins and related artworks will be displayed throughout Sherwood Art Week.
Lytisha is a Nottingham, UK based poet, performer, VR creator, film maker, editor and educator will be performing a new poem based on the life of 4 violins repaired by Pioneering violin expert Mike Sutton.
Poetry is Shit! (until it saves your life)
Feat. Diane Horsley and Sue Allen
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 7th June 6:30 pm Fisher Gate Point, Nottingham
Join local poets Diane Horsley and Sue Allen (Diane’s mentor and chief heckler) as Diane leads you on her journey from poetry hater, sceptic to poet scribbler. Her aim is to entertain you with her encounters with poetry and the events that led her to rethink (some of ) her thoughts on poetry and what led to her taking up a pencil and standing in front of a mic.
This event is for all whether you love, loathe, or are indifferent to poetry. And it’s especially for people where poetry saved or changed your life.
Click here
Gig at the Grove DIY Poets
Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival
Open Mic poetry
Monday 8th June 7:30 - 9:30 pm The Grove, Sneinton Market, Nottingham
DIY Poets are celebrating Nottingham Poetry Festival by having a Gig at The Grove, the fabulous live music venue in Sneinton Market.
Join us for the 3 minute open mic slots and have the opportunity to perform on the stage or via Zoom on the big screen. Sign up at the event.
Click here for detail
top of the page
Write Into Nature A Heartwood Poetry Writing Event
with Gail Webb - DIY Poet Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival
10th June 11 - 1 pm Nottingham Central Library
A relaxed creative writing session inspired by the outdoors – whether it is a grass verge by the roadside, weeds in pavements, your local park, gardens, walks by the river or wilderness adventures. Come to a friendly, informal workshop to write, share, connect. ,
Gail Webb is a poet and founder of Heartwood Poetry, a bi-monthly nature and eco-poetry night. Participants on this workshop will be invited to share work at that open-mic night, if they wish to.
Click here for detail
top of the page
Tall Tales in Small Spaces Hosted by Guy Jones
Part of Sherwood Arts Week 12th June
7:30 - 9:30 pm The Place Activity Centre 2A Melrose St, Sherwood
Join us for a night of tall tales, flash fiction, poems and micro fringe theatre.
Bring your yarns to share on the open mic...
a bottle of something special...
or just yourself and your good humour!
Hothouse Theatre is bringing its delightful approach to storytelling in from the cold, and presenting it at this summer's Sherwood Arts Week.
We will be doing some micro fringe theatre, as well as opening up the mic to all comers, for short yarns, poems and other forms of spoken word.
This is a pay-what-you-can-bring-a-bottle event.
Book here
BBC Upload x We, The Poets
Feat. Leanne Moden - DIY Poet
Plus others Part of Nottingham Poetry Festival 13th June 12 - 5 pm Rough Trade, Nottingham
In collaboration with We, The Poets, BBC Upload and Dean Jackson, join us for an afternoon of panel chats, podcasting, performance and jolly good fun.
BBC Upload is the BBC’s talent discovery platform for emerging creatives, offering poets and spoken word artists a route to share their work with a wider audience. By submitting recordings directly to their local BBC radio station, artists have the chance to be broadcast, featured, and supported by producers, helping amplify new voices and connect grassroots poetry scenes to national platforms. Come and meet the team and find out how to get your poetry broadcast on national radio!
click here
Hot Pot 火鍋
by Hongwei Bao (DIY Poet)
Auka Productions
25th June Performing Arts Studio, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham 25th June
7:30 pm
In this tale of friendship, love, and authenticity, four Chinese friends reunite at a hot pot restaurant after the Covid pandemic.
As they reminisce and boast of their achievements, idealism fades into pragmatism. Will their friendships endure? Can old flames reignite? Amidst a queer-unfriendly environment, will they find the courage to discuss gay sexuality openly?
A Q&A discussion will follow the performance, providing a platform to explore East Asian LGBTQ+ narratives and their representation in the UK and the Western world. The discussion will be chaired by Dr Xing Huang, a Chinese queer studies scholar from the University of Nottingham.
Click here
If you are having problems with the e-link to buy tickets you can purchase them over the phone using the Lakesdie box office number 0115 846 7777
Gateway to South Festival
Feat. Several DIY Poets
Plus poetry Slam 2nd - 5th July THE GATE TO SOUTHWELL FESTIVAL website
Once again, DIY Poets will be descending on the Gateway To South Festival.
On Saturday, they will be performing with several DIYers taking to the stage to amaze you all!
Then on the Sunday, DIY Poets will be hosting, and no doubt taking part in, a Poetry Slam!
If you’ve never been to, let alone entered a Poetry Slam, why not make this one your first!
August Showcase
DIY poets Quarterley Showcase Feat. Lytisha Tunbridge Plus 10 Diyers and Open Mic
Thursday 20th August 7:30 - 9:30 pm Pay-what-you-can Bakersfield Community Centre, Bakersfield, Nottingham
Lytisha is a Nottingham, UK based poet, performer, VR creator, film maker, editor and educator. Artistic director of Poetry Aloud presents: delivering hybrid in-venue and via Zoom curated stages and workshops for all ages.
The evening will also feature 10 DIY Poets, plus open mic Pay-what-you-can on the door You can join us on Zoom!
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What's going on in the writing world in Nottingham
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Open Mic poetry events
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Follow us of facebook
Click here Poetry in Nottingham facebook
A hub for all things Poetic in the great city of Nottingham.
Click here On My Nottz Events listing for Nottingham
Click here
What's going on in the writing world in Nottingham
Click here
Open Mic poetry events
Click here
