I’m very pleased to be involved with the following gig.
The Poet Laureate presents ‘Poetry Cuts’
in support of the Poetry Book Society
Friday 3 June 2011; 7.00pm The Logan Hall, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL
Minimum donation of £10 at the door (cash or cheques if possible please).
The Poetry Book Society has recently heard that its funding will be withdrawn entirely by the Arts Council. The Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy has invited 30 fellow poets to take part in an evening celebrating the best of contemporary British poetry to benefit the Poetry Book Society.
“At the time of the ACE cuts to the PBS and to several much-loved festivals and important publishers of poetry, many poets and readers felt a sense of anger and grief. This event is intended to put a spotlight on the passionate support there is in the UK for our poetry institutions and to share, through poetry and audience, our love for our national art” – Carol Ann Duffy
The PBS’s loss of funding has outraged many poets, publishers and readers. 100 poets and more than 40 publishers have written to the chair of ACE asking her to reconsider their decision. This follows the letter by several of our most distinguished poets published in The Times and a separate letter from the President and Chair of the Royal Society of Literature published in the TLS. More than 1,000 people signed a petition submitted to ACE. Two of ACE’s poetry assessors have resigned because they were most unhappy with ACE’s decisions related to poetry publishing.
Readers at the benefit will include: Carol Ann Duffy, Elaine Feinstein, David Harsent, George Szirtes, Gillian Clarke, Imtiaz Dharker, Daljit Nagra, Rosie Bailey reading for U A Fanthorpe, Ruth Fainlight, Clare Shaw, Carol Rumens, Patience Agbabi, Annie Freud, Christopher Reid, Mimi Khalvati, Fiona Sampson, Caroline Bird, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Jane Draycott, John Agard, Michael Symmons Roberts, Jacob Sam La-Rose, Luke Wright, Pascale Petit, Ann Gray, Grace Nichols, Martha Kapos, Penny Shuttle, Jane Duran and Fleur Adcock.
Organised by the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, and the Poetry Book Society.
For more information please contact Chris Holifield, PBS Director (chris@poetrybooks.co.uk) or Dave Isaac (david_isaac@poetrybooks.co.uk), 020 7831 7468.