“The Ledbury Poetry Festival is the best in the country.”
Andrew Motion

“The Ledbury Poetry Festival has real claims to be the best of its kind in England. Without compromise or flashiness, it provides a rare and genuine joining of place, poetry and people.”
Carol Ann Duffy

“The programming is skilful and highly adventurous ... I have seldom come across a poetry audience with such attentiveness, warmth and intelligence.”
David Morley

“Ledbury Poetry Festival offers ten days each summer when the air is thick with declaration and rumination, whispers and shouts of joy.”
Joan Bakewell


Welcome to the UK’s liveliest international poetry festival.
The Ledbury Poetry Festival brings the world’s best poetry to Herefordshire’s glorious countryside.
In 2011 the programmers are Jo Bell (National Poetry Day) and Jonathan Davidson (Writing West Midlands).
With festival manager Vic Patch the Ledbury Poetry Festival brings you a constellation of big names and new stars.
There is laughter and philosophy, archaeology and modern love; fine wit, low humour, spoken word and a few wild cards.
From Malvern to Zimbabwe, from Birmingham to Syria – in photographs, films and on the stage, the Ledbury Poetry Festival offers you the living art of poetry.



Festival calendar - 2011

Friday 1 July 2011
1. Carol Ann Duffy & John Sampson
7.30pm – 9pm, 1 July. Community Hall. £10

2. Tony Walsh & Hollie McNish
9.30pm - 10.30pm, 1 July. Burgage Hall. £8



Saturday 2 July 2011

3. Performance poetry workshop with Tony Walsh
10.30am - 12.30pm. 2 July. The Old Cottage Hospital. £15

4. Troubadours Performance
11.30am - 12.30pm, 2 July. Burgage Hall. £8

5. New Order: Hungarian Poets with George Szirtes, Anna T Szabó and András Gerevich
1.15pm - 2.15pm, 2 July. Burgage Hall. £8

6. Adrian Johnson - Poetry on Film
1.30pm - 1.50pm , 2 July. Common Room. Free

Festival Commission

7. Basant Lahore! Fetch Theatre Company
2pm - 3.30pm, 2 July. The Market Theatre. £5

8. Jonny Duddle Children's Event
3pm - 4pm, 2 July. Ledbury Children's Centre. £1

9. Foyle Young Poets
3pm - 4pm, 2 July. Burgage Hall. £8.

10. Derek Adams Exhibition and Talk
3.15pm - 3.45pm, 2 July. Ice Bytes Café . Free

11. Joel Lane
3.15pm - 3.35pm, 2 July. Common Room. Free

12. Neil Astley & Penelope Shuttle
4.45pm - 5.45pm, 2 July. Burgage Halll. £8

13. Mohan Rana & Bernard O'Donoghue
6.30pm - 7.30pm, 2 July. Burgage Hall. £8

14. The Wraiths Music
6.45pm - 7.45pm, 2 July. The Baptist Church. £8

15. Brian Turner & Matthew Sweeney
8.15pm - 9.15pm, 2 July. Burgage Hall. £9

16. Poetry Slam
8.30pm – 10.30pm, 2 July. Market Theatre. £8



Sunday 3 July 2011

Sunday Food Market - In association with Rachel Hicks
11am - 5pm, 3 July. High Street. Free

17. Brian Turner Workshop
10.30am – 12.30pm, 3 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

18. John Masefield Walk
9.30am - 12 noon, 3 July. Meet at John Masefield High School Carpark. £8

19. James Geary
10.45am - 11.45am, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £8

20. Nick Alexander
11am - 11.45am, 3 July. Tinsmiths. Free

21. National Poetry Competition
12.30pm - 1.30pm, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £8
22. 20 mins with ...
12.45pm - 1.05pm, 3 July. Common Room. Free

23. Poetry Connections India: Translation Discussion 2.15pm - 3.15pm, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £8

24. Nick Alexander
2.30pm - 3.15pm, 3 July. Tinsmiths. Free

25. 20 mins with ... Jacqui Rowe
2.30pm - 2.50pm, 3 July. Common Room. Free

26. Dean Parkin
3.45pm - 4.45pm, 3 July. Market Theatre. £8

27. Maram al-Massri & Penelope Shuttle
4pm - 5pm, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £8

28. Gwyneth Lewis & Patience Agbabi
5.45pm - 6.45pm, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £9

29. John Hegley Family Event
5.30pm-6.45pm, 3 July. Market Theatre. £5

30. Poetry Connections: India (includes buffet supper)
7.30pm - 10pm, 3 July. Hellens. £20

31. Flash!
7.30pm - 8.30pm, 3 July. Market Theatre. £9

32. Festival Open Mic (BYO wine)
9pm - 10.30pm, 3 July. Burgage Hall. £5



Monday 4 July 2011

33. Exploring Poetry 1: workshop with Richard Willmott
10.15am - 1pm, (registration at 10am) 4 July. Burgage Hall. £8 (£28 for all 4)

34. Ian Duhig Workshop
2pm - 4pm, 4 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

35. John Killick
3pm - 4pm, 4 July. Burgage Hall. £8

36. Geology Poetry Competition
5.00pm - 6pm, 4 July. Ice Bytes. Free (just turn up)

37. Alasdair Paterson & Tony Williams
6.15pm – 7.15pm, 4 July. Burgage Hall. £8

38. Esther Jansma & Thomas Möhlmann
8pm - 9pm, 4 July. Burgage Hall. £8

39. Howl Film. 84 mins (15)
8.30pm, 4 July. Market Theatre. £6



Tuesday 5 July 2011

40. Exploring Poetry 2: workshop with Richard Willmott
10.15pm - 1pm, (registration at 10am), 5 July. Burgage Hall. £8 per session (£28 for all 4)

41. Ian Duhig Workshop
2pm- 4pm, 5 July. The Old Cottage Hospital. £15

42. Allison McVety & Adam Horovitz
6pm - 7pm, 5 July. Burgage Hall. £8

43. Poetic Licence to Kill - Interactive Murder Mystery
7.30pm - 10pm, 5 July. Market Theatre. £8

44. Homend Poets
6.30pm – 8.30pm, 6 July. Ice Bytes Cafe. Free

45. Michael Horovitz, Peter Lemer, Annie Whitehead Jazz and Poetry
7.45pm - 10pm. Burgage Hall. £9



Wednesday 6 July 2011

46. Exploring Poetry 3: workshop with Thomas Roderick
10.15pm - 1pm (registration at 10am), 6 July. Burgage Hall. £8 per session (£28 for all 4)

47. Ian Duhig Workshop
2pm - 4pm, 6 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

48. Malvern Writer’s Circle
6.30pm – 10.30pm, 6 July. Seven Stars. Free

49. Eric Gregory Awards 2011
6.45pm – 7.45pm, 6 July. Burgage Hall. £8

50. Ledbury Lyricists
8pm - 11pm, 6 July. Prince of Wales. Free

51. Ann Atkinson and Charlotte Walker
8.30pm – 9.30pm, 6 July. Burgage Hall. £9



Thursday 7 July 2011

52. Exploring Poetry 3: Workshop with Thomas Roderick (part two)
10.15pm - 1pm (registration at 10am), 7 July. Burgage Hall. £8 per session (£28 for all 4)

53. A Day In the Orchard - Workshop, Walk and a Dragon Orchard Lunch.
10.30am - 4.30pm, 7 July. Dragon Orchard, Putley. £20

54. Bodhan Piasecki - Workshop
10.30am – 12.30pm, 7 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

55. Matthew Hollis
6.45pm – 7.45pm, 7 July. Burgage Hall. £8

56. Peter Didsbury & Katrina Porteous
8.30pm – 9.30pm, 7 July. Burgage Hall. £8



Friday 8 July 2011

57. Ian Duhig workshop
10.30am - 12.30pm, 8 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

58. Zimbabwean New Generation Poets
1pm – 2pm, 8 July. Burgage Hall. £8

59. Paul Eccentric - Workshop
2.15pm - 4.15pm, 8 July. The Talbot Inn. £15

60. Magma Poetry Showcase
2.45pm - 3.45pm, 8 July. Burgage Hall. £8

61. Tim Dee - The Poetry of Birds
4.30pm - 5.30pm, 8 July. Burgage Hall. £8

62. Luke Wright
6.15pm - 7.15pm, 8 July. Burgage Hall. £8

63. Ledbury Choral Society
7pm - 8pm, 8 July. Community Hall. £8

64. Matt Harvey & The Antipoet Cabaret
8pm - 10pm, 8 July. Burgage Hall. £9



Saturday 9 July 2011

65. Tim Dee & Angela France - Workshop and Walk
5.30am - 7.30am, 9 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

66. Ann Sansom - Workshop
10.30 am – 12.30pm, 9 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

67. Mandy Ross - Family Writing Workshop
10.45am – 12.15pm, 9 July. Inner Space. £20 per couple

68. The Future of Poetry
11.am –12noon, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £8

69. Under The Cranes - Film
11am – 12.30pm, 9 July. Market Theatre. Free (tickets required)

70. Ledbury Poetry Festival Readings
12.45pm – 1.45pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £8

71. 20 mins with ... Angela France
1pm – 1.20pm, 9 July. Common Room. Free

72. Michael Rosen - Family Performance
2.15pm – 3.15pm, 9 July. Market Theatre. £5

73. Peter Sansom & Caroline Bird
2.30pm – 3.30pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £8

74. 20 mins with ... Deborah Tyler-Bennett
2.45pm – 3.05pm, 9 July. Common Room. Free

75. Birds: Ledbury Youth Theatre
4pm – 5pm, 9 July. Market Theatre. Free (tickets required)

76. Anthony Thwaite & Ian Duhig
4.15pm – 5.15pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £8

77. 20 mins with ... Max Wallis and Helen Ivory
4.30pm – 4.50pm, 9 July. Common Room. Free

78. Stuart Maconie's Poetry Playlist
6pm – 7pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £8

79. Modern Tunisian Poetry - Tahar Beckri, Amina Saïd and Marilyn Hacker (includes buffet supper)
7.30pm - 10pm, 9 July. Hellens. £20

80. Jo Shapcott & Anne Caldwell
7.45pm – 8.45pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £9

81. Jean 'Binta' Breeze
9.30pm – 10.30pm, 9 July. Burgage Hall. £9



Sunday 10 July 2011

82. Poetry Breakfast - Breakfast and Poetry
9.30am – 10.30am, 10 July. Under the Market House. £5

83. Karen McCarthy Woolf - Workshop
10.30am – 12.30pm, 10 July. Old Cottage Hospital. £15

84. Helen Ivory & Shamshad Kahn
10.45am – 11.45am, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £8

85. Andrew Forster & Helen Mort
12.30pm – 1.30pm, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £8

86. 20 mins with ... Nick Pearson
12.45pm – 1.05pm, 10 July. Common Room. Free

87. Ten: Karen McCarthy Woolf & Rowyda Amin
2.15pm - 3.15pm, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £8

88. 20 mins with ... Caleb Klaces
2.30pm - 2.50pm, 10 July. Common Room. Free

89. Lorraine Mariner & Annie Freud
4pm - 5pm, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £8

90. 20 mins with ... Gail Ashton
4.15pm – 4.35pm, 10 July. Common Room. Free

91. Jackie Kay & Cliff Yates
5.45pm - 6.45pm, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £9

92. The Joy of Six
7.30pm – 9pm, 10 July. Burgage Hall. £8



One to Ones with Ian Duhig

Sat 2 July, 2.30pm - 4.30pm

Mon 4 July, 10.30am - 12.30pm

Thurs 7 July, 10.30am - 12.30pm and 2.30pm - 4.30pm

Fri 8 July, 2pm - 4pm.

£20 per hour (only one per customer)

Book by ringing festival box office



One to ones with Arc Publications

Fri 8 July 2pm - 4pm. £12.50 per 30 mins. (only one per customer)

Book by ringing festival box office



Poetry on Film

A Selection of Short Poetry Films.

Homend Baptist Church.

Sat 9 July, noon - 1pm

Sun 10 July, 3pm - 4pm



Derek Adams: Photography

A collection of black and white portraits of contemporary poets coupled with poems exploring aspects of photography.

Icebytes Cafe.

1 - 10 July