Newcastle Poetry Festival 2023:

This dual event showcases work by Newcastle University students and winners of the ‘Dear Neighbour’ commissions. Curated by John Challis, we will first hear poems written by Newcastle University Creative Writing and Fine Art Students in response to the exhibition of paintings by the artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Paths to Abstraction at the Hatton Gallery.

We are also pleased to present the ‘Dear Neighbour’ commissions. In February 2023, we invited UK creative practitioners to explore the theme of ‘Dear Neighbour’ in original, specially-created performances across poetry, music, art and film. We are pleased to announce the following performers: Jack Arthurs, who will be performing a solo acoustic set including a new song written specially for the Festival; Ilisha Thiru Purcell, who has created a spoken-word piece that explores the unsung ways that neighbours support each other; Emma Holliday, who will be showcasing a specially-created artwork; and Mary-Jane Holmes and Steve Kendall, who will be performing a Renga (a Japanese collaborative poem) inspired by the theme of Dear Neighbour.

This event is in partnership with the Newcastle Institute of Creative Practice.

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