Poetry&Words

The Poetry&Words stage is the only stage dedicated to poetry at Glastonbury Festival and I am proud to be its Stage Manager.  We are based in the Theatre and Circus area of the site.  For news, photos and banter, our Facebook page is here.  You can read our blogs on WordPress here.  Finally, videos of some Poetry&Words performances can be viewed on our YouTube channel. 

2024

Our 2023 line-up featured: Roger McGough, Gecko, John Hegley, Degna Stone, Luke Wright, the 2024 BSL Poet Laureate - Ismael Mansoor, Dominic Berry, Culain Wood, AFLO. the poet, Lauren McNamara, the 2023 Glastonbury Poetry Slam Champ - Talitha Wing, Glastonbury Festival Poet in Residence - Sally Jenkinson, RJ Hunter, Kayleigh Jayshree, Otamere Guobadia, Molly Walker, Ellerose the Unicorn, Imogen Stirling, Iona Lee, Princess Arinola Adegbite AKA P.A.Bitez, Kate Ireland, Joe Sellman-Leava ('It's the Economy, Stupid!'), Sophia and Heleana Blackwell ('Wife Material'), Black Liver ('Miss Nobodies'), Sam Danson (Bi-Topia'), and Naomi Wood ('Gobbess'). Our comperes were Rosy Carrick and Jonny Fluffypunk

2023

Our 2023 line-up featured: Joelle Taylor, Travis Alabanza, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, John Hegley, Murray Lachlan-Young, Luke Wright, Kate Fox, Gecko, Griot Gabriel, Rebecca Cooney, Dan Webber, Leyla Josephine, Sami Rhymes, Drea Chuma, John Osborne, Iona Lee, Deanna Rodger, Eleanor Dillon-Reams, Mark Gallie, Kevin Mclean, Sally Jenkinson, Torrey Shine and Katie Ailes. with shows from Sarah Grant ('Spark') and Lia Burge ('Crying Into Bins'). Our comperes were Rosy Carrick and Jonny Fluffypunk

2022

Our 2022 line-up featured: Tony Walsh, John Hegley, Imelda May, Elvis McGonagall, Murray Lachlan-Young, Luke Wright, Travis Alabanza, Goblin Market Music, Desree, Gecko, Mark Gallie, Kevin Mclean, Afrodita Nikolova, Scott Tyrrell, Lisa Goodwin, Dominic Berry, Harry Baker, Kid Anansi, Demi Anter, Ben Norris, Arielle Cottingham, Poet RS, Culain Wood, and shows from Joe Sellman-Leava ('Fanboy') and Lauren McNamara ('Hello, I'm Single'). Our comperes were Rosy Carrick and Bohdan Piasecki.

2020 & 2021

Sadly, as with other events, Glastonbury Festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  As part of the online celebrations, however, we created a fantastic poetry playlist, available here.

2019

Our 2019 line-up featured: John Hegley, Lemn Sissay, Joe Sellman-Leava, Tony Walsh, Luke Wright, Murray Lachlan Young, The Antipoet, Courtney Conrad, Toby Campion, Desree, Demi Anter, Liv Torc, Ana Paz, Thunderclap Murphy, Paula Varjack, Brian McMahon Gallagher, Erin Fornoff, Eve Piper Jonny Fluffypunk, Scott Tyrrell, Fay Roberts, Gecko, Vanessa Kisuule, Jackie Juno and Shama Rahman, with comperes: Rosy Carrick and Dominic Berry

2018

There was no festival in 2018, so we had a well-earned rest!

2017

Our 2017 line-up featured: John Hegley, Joe Sellman-Leava (Labels), Porky the Poet, The Antipoet, Murray Lachlan Young, Luke Wright, Elvis McGonagall, Emily Harrison, Roy Hutchins and Doctor Blue, Kieren King, Jasmine Gardosi, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Laurie Bolger, Andy Craven-Griffiths, Koko Brown, Maddie Godfrey, Debris Stevenson, Erin Fornoff, Anna Freeman, Toria Garbutt, Jemima Foxtrot, Paula Varjack, Jonny Fluffypunk, Rowan McCabe, Scott Tyrrell, Dominic Berry, Emily Hammond, Winston Plowes and The Bristol Art Library, with comperes Dreadlockalien and Rosy Carrick

2016

Our 2016 line-up featured: Buddy Wakefield, John Hegley, Luke Wright, Murray Lachlan Young, Tanya Evanson, Attila the Stockbroker, Jodi Ann Bickley, The Antipoet, Kevin P. Gilday, Dominic Berry, Brenda Ray, Scott Tyrrell, J J Bola, Megan Beech, Toby Campion, Iona Lee, Sophia Blackwell, Michelle Madsen, Keisha Thompson, Sara Hirsch, Elvis McGonagall, Zohab Kahn, Jess Green and the Mischief Thieves, Jemima Foxtrot, Rory Jones, and Poetry Can F**k Off, plus comperes Dreadlockalien and Sally Jenkinson 

2015

Our 2015 line-up featured: John Hegley; Porky the Poet (aka Phill Jupitus); Joaquín Zihuatanejo; Anna Freeman; Murray Lachlan Young; Pete the Temp; Attila the Stockbroker; Vanessa Kisuule; Megan Beech; MC Gramski; Dreadlockalien; Carrick; Dan Simpson; Paula Varjack; MiKo Berry; Luke Wright; Antosh Wojcik; Carly Brown; Harry Baker; Antipoet; Rachel Rose Reid;  Wil Grenway;  Jess Green and The Mischief Thieves; Sara Hirsch; Erin Bolens; Scott Tyrrell; Carlotte Higgins; and Kayo Chingonyi.

2014

Our line-up for 2014 featured: Attila the Stockbroker; Porky the Poet; John Hegley; The Fugitives; Michael Rosen; Marcus Moore; Sara-Jane Arbury; Rob Auton; Deanna Rodger; Victoria Shineman; Scott Tyrrell; Sally Jenkinson; Kevin P. Gilday; Antosh Wojcik; Jess Green; Molly Case; Jonny Fluffypunk; Aisling Fahey; Andy Craven-Griffiths; Abe Nouk; Raymond Antrobus; Chris Redmond; The Antipoet; Stephen James Smith; Helen Gregory; Paula Varjack; Dreadlockalien; and Benita Johnson.

2013

Our line-up for 2013 featured: Joelle Taylor; Dreadlockalien; Benita Johnson; Anna Freeman; Indigo Williams; Aindrias de Staic; The Antipoet; Luke Wright; Erin Fornoff; Dan Simpson; Ian Keteku; Spoz; Longfella (AKA Tony Walsh); Toby Thompson; Adam Kammerling; Kate Tempest; Deanna Rodger; CR Avery; Stephanie Dogfoot; Ali Gadema; Attila the Stockbroker; John Hegley; Dizraeli; Bohdan Piasecki; John Osborne; Kate Fox (Official Website Poet in Residence); Hollie McNish; Yaffle; and Keisha Thompson.

Photo by Gary Death (2009)

If you want to be involved, you might like to know that applications for poets to perform open in January each year and close around March time; you can e-mail us after that date here.