Introducing our Young Poet-in-Residence Elizabeth Reid The Young Poet-in-Residence post is a vital part of Kendal Poetry Festival. It’s an opportunity for us to showcase the work of one of the many talented young poets that co-director Kim Moore works…
Open the Door – What the Pandemic Taught Us
by Kim Moore MAY 26TH, 7.30PM-9.30PMOnline Event Celebrate the launch of our new free resource with an online evening of open mic, guided writing, film, and chat! The pandemic changed everything – including the poetry community. In “Open the Door”…
Free Zoom Workshops!
Free Zoom Workshops! The last ten months have been a crash course in online connection. Workshops, courses, church services, gigs – and now, of course, the Kendal Poetry Festival – are all conducted on Zoom. But a year ago, most…
The Original Dove Cottage Young Poets
If you’re been coming to Kendal Poetry Festival for the past three years, you may have noticed the ever changing faces of those within Dove Cottage Young Poets. So what happened to these previous members? Find out below. Chim…
COME TO MY EVENT, PLEASE
By Jonathan Davidson Sometimes you just have to say what you mean. This blogpost is designed expressly to tempt the many tens of thousands, millions really, probably billions, who have not signed up to come to my talk and discussion…
Poetry is Eternal: Pandemic Life and Poetry
I was watching an episode of Torchwood last night in which death no longer existed. On learning this Gwen Cooper said “well, we can’t have that. What’ll the poets write about?” While broody death poems are a staple I think…
HOW NOT TO GIVE A READING AT KENDAL POETRY FESTIVAL
BY ALISON BRACKENBURY How would you prepare to give a reading at one of your favourite festivals? Imagine that you have been asked to take part in the very first Kendal Poetry Festival, back in the days of freedom,…
The Guerilla Poetry Project
Lockdown is hitting young people hard In troubled times, without school and a social life, it’s easy for young people to feel down to feel anxious and alone. Nowhere is this effect more obvious than in our empty schools and…
Black Lives Matter Statement and Open Mic
A Statement From Kendal Poetry Festival ‘Change is going to come’ Poetry is one of the most human of art forms. It asks us to look closely, to think carefully, to feel deeply. It asks us to be open and…
Five Minute Interview with Liz Berry
Welcome back to the return of Kendal Poetry Festival’s Five Minute With series. Our Young Blogger-in-Residence Hannah Hodgson interviewed the fantastic Liz Berry, who will be reading on the 9th September at 4.30-6.30pm with David Harsent. You can get…