It’s thirty years since first I visited Canterbury and read poems at Rutherford College. A lecturer called Fred D’Aguiar who is now a lecturer at Yale University in USA invited me and the first time I performed for wise words festival was in July 2012. I’ve performed every year since then and I’ve been lucky […]
On Monday and Tuesday this week Canterbury’s Laureate Lemn Sissay will be out and about ‘inspiring and being inspired by the city. A Masterclass As part of his Laureateship, Lemn will be writing a poem inspired by both the city’s rich cultural heritage and his exploration of the city today. On Monday Morning Lemn will be facilitating a masterclass at […]
Grant 3 Wishes for the Care Leavers of Canterbury this Christmas - without even leaving our sofa! Christmas can be a magical time when families come together, but for the hundreds of young adults in Kent who are forced to live independently as early as aged 18, it can be a time when they feel most alone. This […]
Christmas, says Lemn, divides the world into two sorts of people. One group gathers around the domestic hearth: all jocularity and teasing, memories and traditions. The other group is, as in the Victorian cliche, outside the window looking in. They have never felt the warmth of the homely festive glow. Most of us have families who, even if […]
Opportunity: Getting a letter or a postcard is on of the great joys in life but in today’s digital age, we just don’t send as much post as we used to. Part of growing up means most of the letters we receive are bills or junk mail. So we want to surprise and delight our Festival Friends with a beautiful, inspiring hand-written postcard that will drop […]
Hi there, I’m Henry; a Shropshire lad by birth, a Canterbury poet by choice and now ladies and gentleman I present myself to you as intrepid explorer. Recently I have been given a fantastic opportunity (and no before you stop reading I’m not trying to ensnare you a in dodgy pyramid scheme…then again that’s exactly […]
With the festival so close, we decided to catch up with some of the artists performing at Wise Words. Whilst she was off in distant lands, we asked Debris Stevenson some questions about what makes her heart sing, her heart sink, and her views on love. This is what she had to say. What makes […]
There is a magical quality to these ancient gardens; the eels in the river, the river weeds that stretch out like mermaid hair, the books hanging from trees, as if mid-flight. Here is the recipe that we use to cook up a storm at Wise Words festival: A Box of Book Birds Set Free Walking […]
With the Wise Words festival only a few days away, we thought it would be nice to tell you a little about the fantastic brewers down at Boutilliers, who this year are bringing their scrumptious seasonal ales to the wonder that is the Wise Words festival. Boutilliers was set up by Rich and Phil in […]
Well, you happen to have stumbled across our Secret Sets page. Each year at the festival we offer the biggest artists the opportunity to play Secret Sets in the most stunning and intimate spaces. These are events that are only released to the public 3o minutes before they happen and it’s the first people who […]
Wise Words offers you the chance to rediscover the city… Canterbury may be a small city but there is no question that it boasts a sense of history and culture far greater than its physical size. People travel from all over the country and across the world to marvel at the inescapable beauty of the […]
What makes your heart sing? Creating, collaborating with others to make things better. Whether it’s at the studio or the local council I love to work with others to solve problems. What makes your heart sink? Missed opportunities for sure; we can’t grab on to every single thing that comes our way, which makes our […]
Wise Words is delighted to welcome Shane Koyczan, best known for opening the Canadian Winter Olympics and his spoken word video To This Day that has reached 20 million views. The Wise Words Festival will be the first stop on his European tour. Shane Koyczan, a new set of lungs in a world that has forgotten how […]
Canterbury with its rich and diverse literary heritage, provides an inspirational setting for writers and lovers of poetry and literature, to explore and develop their passion and skills. Across the ten-days of the Festival there will be workshops and events for those who love to write either professionally or for enjoyment. The heart of the festival lies in Canterbury’s Secret […]
A message to little ones… We would love you to come to the festival in the wildest outfits, with your longest tails (& tales) and sharpest teeth (& wits). Dream up the wildest of wild things that you you can possibly imagine and ask a big person to help your sew, stitch and glue a costume for […]
Many of you know that we are lucky enough to call the stunning Cowshed Studios our home - a beautiful barn in Bridge from where we run a small artist community. Quinn Estates have been our neighbours on the farm since the beginning and have recently also become our friend and a principle sponsor of the Festival. […]
Fee: £130 Duration: Between 10 - 30 minutes When: Sat 6th May (must be available from 19:00 – 01:00) | Must also be available for a day of planning on the 8th April. Where: Canterbury, as part of the Wise Words Midnight Run Performance / Demonstration / workshop We are looking for three local artists, makers, or activists, […]
Makers and Creative Volunteers Those of you who know our festival will recognise our passion for creating beautiful and often quirky installations that enhance the natural beauty of the site. In the weeks leading up to the festival we meet for coffee, conversation and cake and together make miles of bunting, book birds, installations, paint signs, […]
Lemn Sissay is an author of a series of books of poetry alongside articles, records, broadcasts, public art, commissions and plays. You may have come across Lemn’s landmark poem ‘Spark Catchers’ within the Olympic site, as he was the first poet commissioned to write for the London Olympics. Through his performances Lemn explores themes of […]