Arts Derbyshire x Derby Poetry Festival: A New Spoken Word Partnership for Festivity

We’re delighted to announce a new creative partnership with Derby Poetry Festival, who will be curating a vibrant programme of Spoken Word performances as part of Festivity, our summer-long celebration of Derbyshire’s artistic talent.

Derby Poetry Festival is known for championing bold, diverse voices and creating platforms for both emerging and established poets. Their involvement will bring an exciting new energy to Festivity, with a dynamic line-up of Spoken Word artists set to perform across the series of events.

From powerful poetry and lyrical storytelling to thought-provoking monologues and live readings, this strand of Festivity will offer audiences the chance to experience the immediacy and emotion of live spoken word in an accessible, welcoming setting.

Stephen Munn, Director of Arts Derbyshire, said:
“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Derby Poetry Festival. Their work to support and spotlight writers in the region aligns beautifully with the goals of Festivity to celebrate local creativity and bring people together through the arts.”

Aoife O’Connor & Dan Webber Co-Directors of Derby Poetry Festival CIC said:
“We’re really excited to be curating a line-up of poets for the Festivity celebrations. We have worked across the city and the region over the past 8 years and selected some of the talented people we’re worked with in this time. We’re delighted to also be able to showcase some of the Young Writers we have been working with as part of Derby Young Writers Group in partnership with Writing East Midlands, and the emerging writers and Shadow Writers who have supported delivery. Every poet programmed brings a different style and unique quality which guarantees very exciting performances.”

The full line up of Spoken Word artists curated by Derby Poetry Festival is:

Bolsover Castle & Arts Festival 

May 31^st: Katie Stevens & Aoife O’Connor

June1st: Rob Stamper

King George V Park, Staveley

June 21^st: Jeremy Nelson & Tilly Wiggins

June 22^nd: Eva Toland & Priya Gill

Erewash Museum 

July 5^th: Jack Washingdale

July 6^th: Conor Perrott

Tapton Lock Chesterfield 

Sept 6^th: Camille McCawley

Sept 7^th: Camille McCawley

Melbourne Festival 

Sept 20^th:  Sonia Burns

Sept 21^st: Dan Webber & Aoife O’Connor

🥳 We can’t wait to welcome these powerful voices to Festivity this summer.

• Bolsover Castle, 31 May to 1 June
• King George V Park, Staveley, 21 to 22 June
• Erewash Museum, 5 to 6 July
• Tapton Lock, 6 to 7 September
• Melbourne Festival, 20 to 21 September