The date of the next Carlisle Poetry Symposium has had to change. The new date will be on Saturday 1st October. Please put this in your diaries! The day will be organised in a very similar way to the last one. A workshop to start. Then Featured Writers and open mic slots. The other news … More Symposium Date Change

The evening in memory of Tony Hendry happened this week and I was very lucky to read his poem ‘Mellbreak’ at the event. It’s a poem I’d always liked and I will always remember him reading it at Foxes. I left the evening reflective, as you might expect. After thoughts of Tony I thought a … More June Review

So, we’re two (Post-Symposium) workshops through our programme. And I have thoroughly enjoyed them both. You never REALLY know how a workshop has gone. Unless someone demands their fee back straight away. Or unless someone is driven to denouncing your paltry skills of planning and organisation. Neither of these things has happened yet. I suppose … More Two Down. Two to Go.

From our Kirkbampton gig last month.

I won’t get in the way here with unnecessary words, but I will say another big ‘thank you’ to Josephine Dickinson for being so supportive of the Symposium – and another brilliant reading. I’ll also say that this really is something that rewards rewatching (so thanks to Phil H. for his help in filming it … More Josephine Dickinson reads at Carlisle Poetry Symposium

I am at the point now, a couple of days after the Carlisle Poetry Symposium of gathering my thoughts and wanting to say thank you. Firstly, thank you to Richard Morewood who opened up proceedings, reading from (amongst other things) his book-length poem Towton Field. Thanks also to Ilse Pedler who not only ran the … More I Would Like To Say Thank You

I owe everyone huge thanks for coming to the Symposium on Saturday. You make it happen and you make it special. Thank you so much. If you’d like to keep the inspiration flowing, I am doing a series of workshops at Tullie House. You can find the details here: https://andyhopkinspoet.wordpress.com/workshops/.

I know I am. I would be posting today and yesterday, and tomorrow all about it – but the school I work at has some visitors from an organisation that starts with O. I will post up everything I know/have/feel on Thursday. And I look forward to seeing you all at the Symposium at Tullie … More Looking forward to the Symposium?

Photograph by Stephen Benson. Live with nightjrrs, 16.04.22.

We have a rescheduled Symposium date. Please put it in your diary! The next Symposium will be on Saturday May 14th. The day will be the same: it will start out with a workshop with Ilse Pedler; if you wish to be part of that workshop there is a £10 charge. If you have already … More Rescheduled Symposium Date: May 14th.