Out Loud!
This new Children’s Festival of Poetry and Song is packed with entertaining performances, workshops, quests and loads of FREE activities, including an Olympic Singathon.
With the games in mind, don’t miss our gala evening, Going for Gold! World Poetry and Music.
If you want to compete, there is always the Festival Slam. And if you don’t, come and hear poetry spoken, sung, whispered and shouted in halls, castles, pubs, gardens, cafes and galleries.
Look out for the Festival anthology illustrated by artists, in partnership with the Shell House Gallery.
The theme is childhood. Many of the poems have not been published before. Profits will go towards our emerging poet programme and a similar scheme for artists at Shell House Gallery.


This year's programme includes Owen Sheers, Simon Armitage, Jane Hirshfield, Paul Muldoon, Helen Dunmore, Andrew Motion, Sean O'Brien, Esther Morgan and Sophie Hannah.
Poets making their first appearances at the Festival include Paul Munden, Damian Gorman, Dave Lordan and Billy Ramsell.