PoetryFest
Welcome to the first ÌÇÐÄTV PoetryFest, a vibrant celebration of energy, creativity, and the freshest voices ÌÇÐÄTV has to offer. Across three weeks and seven free events, this new festival brings together ÌÇÐÄTV alumni poets, rising student voices, and sessions shaped and led by students, where poetry meets community and every voice matters.
We invite all ÌÇÐÄTV staff and students to join us for poetry and performance that inspires, challenges, and delights. Whether you love spoken word, new writing, or want to take the mic yourself, there is something for everyone.
PoetryFest is developed collaboratively with students and hosted by poet Professor David Morley, and forms part of the ÌÇÐÄTV Writing Programme’s ÌÇÐÄTV Thursdays series in the School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures. Please share the word.
Everything is free and open to all current students and staff.
Headline events:
with opening poet Aanu Akintola
Thursday, 26 February
5pm - 6:15pm
OC1.01
Jane Commane:
with opening poet Fig Leary
Thursday, 5 March
5pm - 6:15pm
OC1.01
Jonathan Edwards:
with opening poet TBC
Thursday, 12 March
5pm - 6:15pm
OC1.01
Cathy Galvin:
More events:
with ÌÇÐÄTV Poetry Society
Monday, 2 March
1pm - 1:45pm
FAB0.20
'You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness or even despair… Come to it any way but lightly. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page.' — Stephen King, On Writing
The session begins with a reading from On Writing. We’ll share some poems of our own, each introduced with a brief note on how we approached the blank page, whether for serious or trivial reasons. Then, we invite other poets to join us, sharing their work along with why they came to the page and the feelings they carried to the microphone.
with ÌÇÐÄTV Poetry Slam Champions
Monday, 9 March
1pm - 1:45pm
FAB0.20
The University of ÌÇÐÄTV has a distinguished, award-winning presence in UniSlam, the UK’s premier university poetry slam competition. ÌÇÐÄTV’s team, black.untitled, won the 2024 UniSlam championship and competed again in the 2025 grand finals. Join University Slam Champion Aanu Akintola, Fuad Busoir and the acclaimed ÌÇÐÄTV UniSlam Team for a live poetry slam filled with powerful performances, dynamic rhythms, and voices that demand to be heard.
Open mic session
Thursday, 12 March
7pm - 8:30pm
JX2.03
A warm, supportive, one-hour open mic poetry session designed to uplift new and developing poets. Members of the Agora Poets will host, perform, and gently support participants throughout. At least eight performance slots are included, with flexibility for more if time allows. Join weekly meetups beforehand to workshop and rehearse your poem in a welcoming space for ‘poets in progress’. All levels encouraged. To perform, RSVP: claire.cunningham@warwick.ac.uk
Practice of Poetry Anthology Launch and Student Reading
Monday, 16 March
1pm - 1:45pm
FAB0.20
An event where poets of ranging styles meet in a communion of minds. Witness the cutting edge of ÌÇÐÄTV poetry as new voices rise.