Poetry Is For Everyone
This year we are running free Creative Writing workshops for young people aged 14-18.
These will run from 2-4pm on Sunday May 8th, May 22nd and June 5th. These are hybrid workshops which will take place at Space2Create in Kendal and online. Inspired by Clae Eastgate’s groundbreaking Painting the Poets exhibition, we’ll explore how poetry helps us to express ourselves, and to represent the people we love and admire.
Poetry Really Is For Everyone
It’s an article of faith for Kendal Poetry Festival. We believe that the connection, the expression, the passion and the sheer good fun of poetry is something that everyone should be able to try. But we also know that there are lots of things that get in our way. Sometimes those things are practical – like childcare, money, travel – sometimes emotional. Sometimes we feel like poetry just isn’t for “people like us”.
Last year’s online festival attracted more people to poetry than EVER before. Many came for the first time - people who had previously been unable, or felt too unsure, or anxious, to travel to a festival in the real world. One of the reasons we’re running our first hybrid festival this year is because we’re determined not to give up on that accessibility – to slam that door shut again.
We know that poetry is for everyone, but we recognize that some groups were still underrepresented in the festival audience. Despite showcasing the work of young writers throughout the Festival, young people weren’t coming to readings and workshops in the numbers that we’d like. So, we’ve taken action. We’ll continue to place young people’s poetry, music and performance at the heart of the festival, and to offer free tickets to most events for young people under the age of 21. And this year we’re piloting our Children’s Strand, with Kendal school children attending amazing poetry events across Kendal on Thursday 23rd.
And we have our series of free creative writing workshops for teenagers between the ages of 14-18 running throughout May and June. These workshops will be facilitated by Clare Shaw, Co-Director of Kendal Poetry Festival.
Tickets are free, but please book in advance
Please pass on this information to anyone who might like to attend, in person or online. Let’s make sure that poetry really is for everyone.
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