festival programme

Local poets will perform on buses around the city.

Stories told on benches, altered signs and the chance to write to a lost love are some of the playful ideas to be found in four Canterbury parks – Dane John, Westgate, Greyfriars, and Solley’s Orchard – based on original writing by Canterbury Laureate Sarah Salway working with artist Wendy Daws and The ReAuthoring Project.

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!

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!

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!

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!

Emily Parrish performs myths, legends, folktales, fairytales and epics. Come and enjoy stories by a magical storyteller while drifting along in a punt. Punts leave throughout the day. For children of all ages.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

Local poets will be working together on a Renga - a collective poem.

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. This package tour of stories is for big and little people alike – in fact anyone aged 6 to 106.

John Siddique is the bestselling author of Full Blood, Recital – An Almanac, Poems From A Northern Soul, and The Prize. His poetry collection Don’t Wear It On Your Head is a perennial favourite with younger readers. John will read his poetry

"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 & Young People".

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.

Poems by women of many cultures through the centuries, read by poets of our times. Magical words in a magical setting. Produced by Andrea Porter.

Olympic poet Lemn Sissay shares words of wisdom. Lemn has been described as "Fierce, funny, serious, satirical, streetwise and tender". Lemn is a poet and playright. He is associate artist at the Southbank Centre and was the first poet to be commissioned to write for the 2012 Olympics. Lemn has received an MBE for services to literature.

This is a ticketed event which is 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.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury!

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.

Join our three poets for a trip along the river by lantern light.

This is a ticketed event which is free.

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. Rated 12A

Fiona Lesley Bennett will explore Wise Words by undertaking a survey of friendship in the city. As part of the survey, she will explore the idea of poem as friend, seeking out and recording poems that have been just that. Find out how the Friendship Survey is going at The Listening Corner in Browns.

Local poet perform on the buses throughout the city.

Stories told on benches, altered garden signs and the chance to write to a lost love are some of the playful ideas to be found in four Canterbury parks – Dane John, Westgate, Greyfriars, and Solley’s Orchard – based on original writing by Canterbury Laureate Sarah Salway working with artist Wendy Daws and The ReAuthoring Project.

Emily Parrish performs myths, legends, folktales, fairytales and epics. Come and enjoy stories by a magical storyteller while drifting along in a punt. Punts leave throughout the day. For children of all ages.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

The Living Library is a couple of comfy chairs 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. Come & chose from our exciting collection of living books.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

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.

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.

Andrea Porter is a member of the Joy of Six Poetry Ensemble that performs both nationaly and internationally. She will read from her art/poetry book House of the Deaf Man. A sequence of 16 poems about Goya's Black paintings that he painted on the walls of his house as an old man (1819 to 1825).

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.

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.

What About Me? is the culmination of 4 years' work by Duncan Bridgeman and Jamie Catto. They visited 50 global locations collecting wisdom and musical jewels. Then lovingly pieced them together into this series of documentaries that captured how they made the film. The film What About Me? will be shown at GreyFriars later in the day.

Top-quality spoken word as some of the finest performance poets verbally battle it out on the streets of Canterbury! - Featuring a rotating roster of poets and hosted by Dan Simpson.

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.

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.

If you are attending our Pedal Powered Cinema - fill your tummy with yummy delights first!

"In the tranquil surroundings of The Franciscan gardens at Greyfriars the Wheely Groovy Pedal Powered Cinema will be showing 'Road to Peace' & 'What about Me?'.

Road to Peace follows the Dalai Lama as he travels around Great Britain, sharing his spiritual and humanitarian message with the West. For the first time ever on film, this unique portrait captures the simple, human and humorous side of the Dalai Lama and reveals his personal and powerful legacy for future generations. This is a unique opportunity to hear from the films Producer & Director Leon Stupperich and help pedal to power the screening! This will be followed by late night screening of 'What About Me?'. This event is free but booking is advised.

If it rains heavily this event will take place at The Picture House "