Wise Words is not a traditional festival constrained within the walls of its venue but is instead an event during which the streets of Canterbury become the canvas for the celebration. Wise Words brings the community, authors, poets, dancers, digital, performance and visual artists together through an innovative programme of events that celebrate and explore wise words. click on the above title to see the map

8th & 9th Sept. | 10am – 5pm | Sarah, the Canterbury Laureate, together with the ReAuthoring project, will create 'Home Grown', a poetry trail that will guide people around the gardens of Canterbury. 'Home Grown' will open up "the secret doors through which it is possible to enter another world". Discover 'Home Grown' in Solleys Orchard, Greyfriars, Westgate and Dane John Gardens. Supported by Canterbury City Partnerships.

8th & 9th Sept. | Various Times see programme for details | John Siddique returns to Canterbury for the third year. He will be reading his new poem for the city which you can also see on display in the Beaney - transformed by artist Andy Malone into a beautiful sculptural book. John will be giving readings of his poems throughout the festival. He is the bestselling author of Full Blood, Recital – An Almanac, Poems From A Northern Soul, and The Prize.

8th Sept. | 3pm | Marlowe Studio | Free | Lemn Sissay Shares Words of Wisdom. The Big Issue described Lemn as "Fierce, funny, serious, satirical, streetwise and tender". He is the first poet to write for the Olympics 2012 and received an MBE for Services to Literature. He is associate artist at the Southbank Centre & his poem Gilt of Cain was unveiled by Bishop Desmond Tutu. Click event title above for tickets.

9th Sept. | 10am -5pm | Brown Coffee House | Fiona has been exploring wise words by undertaking a survey of friendship in the city. Through observation and conversation, she is inviting people to help her gather and record moments of friendship past and present. As part of the survey, she is exploring the idea of poem as friend, seeking out and recording poems that have been just that and bringing these to The Listening Corner in Browns.

8th Sept. 11am - 6pm | Poets Subhadassi & Fiona Lesley Bennett are exploring wise words through renga, a shared writing process. Renga is a Japanese poetic form that is 1,000 years old. Subhadassi is an award-winning writer and experienced renga master. His first poetry collection 'Peeled' received a Special Commendation in the 2004/5 Forward Prize for Poetry. He and Fiona will lead an invited group to renga in Greyfriars, gathering their thoughts & words through the wisdom of the form.

8th & 9th Sept. | 11am - 5pm | Free | There will be a teepee in Dane John Gardens that will provide a small, informal and intimate space in which you will be able to hear your favourite authors or poets talk about the themes that inspired their work. Alongside an inspiring programme of talks for adults there will be storytelling & poetry for children of all ages. See following slides for details…

8th Sept. | 11:00 | Free | Take a lickety-split world tour with storyteller Xanthe Gresham. On this journey to here, there, and anywhere else, you can encounter strange creatures, mighty warriors, brave princesses and still be back in time for tea…you won’t need your passport, but be sure to pack your sense of adventure and polish up your imagination. For children & parents. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on the event title for tickets.

8th Sept. | 12:30 | Free | 'John Siddique is a powerful, arresting and provocative poetic voice, on the page, and off it. His work is visceral, sensuous, searing, playful, and deeply moving.’ Gavin Wallace, Scottish Arts Council. Here he will read a selection of his poetry. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on the event title for tickets.

8th Sept. | 13:30 | Free | Delving deep into the rich culture and epic mythology of Persia, Xanthe Gresham performs sections of The Shahnameh – the Book of Kings."Xanthe Gresham is a truly great storyteller who unwraps each story like the petals of a lotus flower" British Theatre Guide. For adults & teenagers. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on the event title above for tickets.

8th Sept | 16:00 | Free | John Siddique reads from his bestselling book 'Don’t Wear It On Your Head'. This book is a celebration of who we are, the good stuff, our amazing senses, language, love, gossip and cheese. For children of all ages. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on event title above for tickets.

8th & 9th | 10:30 – 17:00 | Free | Emily Parrish performs myths, legends, folktales, fairytales and epics. Come and enjoy magical stories, meet new heroes, discover new lands and be back in time for tea. For children of all ages. Punts leave throughout the day – See poster at Canterbury Punting Company for details

As you enter the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge you will be surrounded by words of wisdom. It may be wise words from Bob Geldof, an inspirational short story contributed by a buddhist monk or words of advice given by your next door neighbour. There will be fun ways for you to share your thoughts or if you prefer, just hear those of others…

8th & 9th Sept. | 10am - 5:30pm | Street Slam is a series of micro-poetry slam competitions. Host Dan Simpson presents a rotating roster of six brilliant performance poets who will fight it out to win your applause and appreciation on the streets and stages of Canterbury! Each session features performances from top-quality spoken word artists, culminating in a Poet vs. Poet verbal battle where the winner is decided by the audience.

8th Sept | 10:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:00 | StevensonThompson and satellite companies Moving Memory and Mixing The Move weave words, wisdoms and witticisms to create MOVE, a ‘flash poem’ celebrating the poetry of the moving body, gesture and sign, with the simple intention to make the whole world MOVE. Put on your dancing shoes and join in!

Tony Cooper is a teller of tales from Kent & far far beyond. For all ages.

8th & 9th Sept. 11am - 5pm | The Living Library is a mobile library set up as a space for dialogue and interaction. Visitors to a Living Library are given the opportunity to speak informally with “people on loan” and exchange words of wisdom over tea and cake. We are currently in the process of sourcing books for the library and titles will be announced as they hit the shelves.

8th Sept. | 16:30 | Free | Jane Gardam will read from her forthcoming novel. Jane is a novelist, writer of short stories and author of children's books. Over her long and successful career, Jane Gardam has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize and for the Booker Prize and is the only writer to have been twice awarded the prize for Whitbread Novel of the Year. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on event title above for tickets.

8th Sept. | 18:00 | Free | An evening of conversation between poets Lemn Sissay, John Siddique & Sarah Salway chaired by Peggy Riley. This event is dedicated to the late Charles Lambie and we will be collecting donations on the door. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on event title below for tickets.

8th Sept. | 7:00pm - 8:30pm | free | an evening of conversation between poets Lemn Sissay, John Siddique & Sarah Salway that will continue on the river. Join the three poets for a trip along the river by lantern light. Click on the event title to book tickets.

We Are Poets' presents a moving & inspirational story of youth, art & freedom of expression, as a remarkable team of six British teenagers are chosen to represent the UK at Brave New Voices: the most prestigious Poetry Slam in the world. From their inner city lives to a stage in front of the White House in Washington DC, the young poets explosively lay bare the concerns of a generation as they take on the world and prepare for a transformational journey of a lifetime. (12A)

9th Sept. | 11:00 | Free | George Chittenden was born and bred in Kent, and is the youngest of six children from a working class family. As a child he idolised the character Tintin and spent many summers dreaming of adventures in faraway lands. Here he will talk about his book The Boy Who Led Them. For Adults & Teenagers. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click the event title above for tickets.

9th Sept. | 13:00 | Free | Andrea Porter reads poems from 'a season of small insanities' and other poems that tackle the big questions in life like sudden and traumatic loss and the smaller ones such as what would a real angel make of an angel emblazoned mouse mat and why the entry in a holiday cottage's visitors book sum up stoicism in the face of disaster. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on the event title for tickets.

9th Sept. | 12:00 | Free | A Valerie Bloom reading is an uplifting experience, one that can coax even a shy British poetry audience into joyful participation. At last count, her poetry had been printed in over 250 anthologies, as well as appearing frequently on television, stage and radio. For Children. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on the event title above for tickets.

9th Sept. | 14:30 | Free | Emily Parrish performs myths, legends, folktales, fairytales and epics. Come and enjoy stories by a magical storyteller in a teepee. For children of all ages. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on event title for tickets.

9th Sept | 16:00 | Free | Valerie Bloom has performed widely throughout the UK and abroad. At last count, her poetry had been printed in over 250 anthologies, as well as appearing frequently on television, stage and radio. Here she will read extracts from her poetry collections. Her work is described as a combination of lyrical beauty and playful patois. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click event title above for tickets.

9th Sept. | 14:00 | Free | Mark Swain will share with us the experiences captured in his recent book 'Long Road Hard Lessons' when aged 50 he left his slippers by the fire and set off with his son on a cycle expedition from Ireland to Japan. Places are limited so booking is advisable. Click on event title above for tickets.

9th Sept. | 6:00pm | Free | Katy Evans-Bush is a freelance writer, poet and blogger on literature and culture. She will share with us her political views, her comic tales, her poetry and her critical perspectives on poetry.

8th Sept. | 7:30pm | Free | Road to Peace follows the Dalai Lama as he travels around the UK, sharing his spiritual & humanitarian message. For the first time ever on film, this unique portrait captures the simple, human & humorous side of him & reveals his personal and powerful legacy for future generations. Hear from the film creator Leon Stuparich & pedal to power the screening! A late screening of 'What About Me?' will follow. Click event title above for tickets.

If you stumble upon a book that looks like it may not have an owner the likelihood is that it now belongs to you…. Read it (if you wish) and then return it to place you found it for someone else to enjoy.

Don't be surprised if you see birdhouses, suitcases, or hatboxes full of books popping up around the city. These micro libraries aim to encourage a sharing of books and ideas and will contain books people have made or written themselves as well as books you have read and loved that you would like someone else to enjoy. Please feel free to take any book you wish. All we ask is that you add one in return. Produced by Sarah Salway and supported by Jane Gardem and Bookshelf.

One hundred beautifully crafted hand-made journals will be released into the world (50 in Canterbury & 50 internationally). Each book will invite those that find it to contribute words of wisdom. These can be drawn, collaged, written, poetic, torn or included in any other form. The person who writes on the last page will be tasked with sending the journal back to the Beaney Gallery where it will find its permanent home. Click on the title above for more information about the 100 Journals.