We’re shining a spotlight on Southend’s coastal stories as part of A Poet in Every Port – a national initiative celebrating the UK’s diverse dialects and languages, marking Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary. We’re partnering with Southbank Centre as one of 11 coastal hosts welcoming the mobile National Poetry Library! On 27–28 June, Chalkwell Hall will come alive with poetry and creativity.
Local artist and poet Maddi Crease, selected as part of the New Poets Collective, will be helping us celebrate local stories and showcasing how poetry is for everyone.
What can you expect?
The mobile poetry library will be parked in Chalkwell Park, outside of Chalkwell Hall where Essex Writers House will also be taking place, on Saturday 27 – Sunday 28 June. Across the weekend, as well as exploring the poetry bus, you can get involved in free workshops and poetry readings. See the timings and details below.
- 10am – 12pm: Workshops with specially selected community groups
- 12pm – 1pm: Workshops for all (open to the general public)
- 1pm – 2pm: Lunchtime performance slot (local writers and members of the public invited to read their poem)
- 2pm – 5pm: Workshops for all (open to the general public)
- 7pm – 9pm: Poet Social: Evening event inside Chalkwell Hall, curated by Maddi Crease
Book your free ticket for the Poet Social HERE
- 10am – 12pm: Workshops with specially selected community groups
- 12pm – 1pm: Workshops for all (open to the general public)
- 1pm – 2pm: Lunchtime performance slot (local writers and members of the public invited to read their poem)
- 2pm – 4pm: Workshops for all (open to the general public)
- 4pm – 5pm: Final performance slot (local writers and members of the public invited to read their poems)
You can learn more about the full A Poet in Every Port initiative here.
New Poets Collective: 75th Anniversary Edition (2025-2027)
To mark their 75th anniversary, Southbank Centre is launching a special edition of their national programme for emerging poets: the New Poets Collective. It’s all happening in conjunction with A Poet in Every Port, an incredible initiative from the National Poetry Library that will take a mobile poetry library on tour to ten coastal locations across the UK.
Starting in October 2025, this new collective will be mentored by Vanessa Kisuule and Will Harris. They’ll guide poets in developing their confidence and honing their writing, performance, and facilitation skills through intensive writing retreats and both virtual and in-person workshops. Poets will also have fantastic opportunities to perform at the Southbank Centre and in their home regions with their A Poet in Every Port partners.
