Poets of Leeds are coming together to show solidarity with the people of Palestine. We refuse to be silent, or silenced, in the face of genocide and an assault on the people, culture, heritage and history of Palestinine. We will be sharing original spoken word pieces and the poetry of Palestinians.

This event is a fundraiser for Palestinians living in Leeds whose families are trapped in Gaza, and Nejma Collective CIC supporting Palestinian prisoners.
Expect an evening celebrating culture and resilience: mixing joy, grief, anger and hope through the power of poetry.

Live in the Assembly Bar + Kitchen!

Readings by a different local published poet each month. This month we’re delighted to welcome BILL FITZSIMONS.

Bill is a Dublin born poet and has lived in England for the past 67 years. He began writing poetry in his late 50s and has had poems published in various poetry magazines, including Dream Catcher, Algebra of Owls, Dawn Treader and Electrifying Women. His pamphlet WRITTEN ON THE SKIN was published in 2016 by Otley Word Press. He has also been published by Yaffle Press in their anthology Whirlagust 2. and appeared onlocal radio.

Chemistry is back on Friday 31 May, with another night of poetry and spoken word, two brilliant headliners and our amazing open mic. This time round our headliners are Barbara Hickson and Martin Figura, both with new books to bring us!

The events are themed on the elements of the periodic table, so this time it’s element number 13, which is Al for Aluminium. The theme is entirely optional, but we hope you might use it as a creative prompt to come up with some new work to reveal on the night.

Come and read a book aloud with other volunteer readers in Chapel FM’s beautiful radio theatre. 

Stay for some or all of the night, see the dawn rise in our stained glass windows then dig into a hearty Book-Lover’s Breakfast. 

The book will be a secret until the week before and copies will be provided on the night. No experience required for this informal celebration of the joys of reading aloud and listening to a good story. 

Live broadcast on East Leeds Community Radio.

8pm - 6am.

Join us for a night of electric spoken word poetry, as the powerhouse that is Salena Godden reads from her brand-new collection! 

Salena is a globally-renowned superstar on the poetry scene and will be performing in Leeds for the first time in over 2 years. She'll be supported on the night by some of the region's finest emerging talent, in an event to transform your preconceptions around poetry forever.

Come and revel in poems and oratory with one of the UK's most sought after authors, John Agard.  

His love of language stemmed from listening to cricket commentaries on the radio as well as books and magazines and his writing has been on the GCSE curriculum for decades which means that 1000's of adults and their children have grown up with his work and words.  

Join poets and fellow Dream Catcher editors Hannah Stone and Joe Williams in conversation on Hannah's most recent collection, The Invisible Worm (Indigo Dreams Publishing, 2023). 

'Part threnody, part celebration of friendship’, these poems celebrate Hannah’s friendship with Rosemary Mitchell, and explore how we face end of life.

Hannah is Poet-Theologian to Leeds Church Institute, and convenes poetry/music collaborations. Last year she featured in the Guardian’s Poem of the Week, and won the David Oluwale Memorial Association Writing competition.

‘STRIKE’, published by Stairwell Books in January 2024, is the latest book by award-winning Leeds/Doncaster poet Sarah Wimbush. It is an exploration of both famous and previously unseen photographs of the 1984 miners’ strike, through the lens of poetry.

2024 is the 40th anniversary of the start of the 1984-1985 miners’ strike, one of the longest industrial disputes in British history. In conversation with poet Joe Williams, himself born in the north east colliery town Ashington, Sarah will discuss the process of writing the book and her personal experiences of the strike.

An unmissable reading from two Leeds-based poets with debut collections from the mighty Peepal Tree Press. 

Emily Zobel Marshall’s Bath of Herbs explores the complexity of mixed-race, hybrid identities and relationships to the English and Welsh mountains, fells, rivers and shorelines from an ‘othered’, unmappable, positionality. 

Adam Lowe’s Patterflash is a PBS Recommendation, receiving acclaim from The Big Issue and featuring on BBC radio. Find them at peepaltreepress.com

A unique evening of poetry and music in the historic surroundings of the Leeds Library, featuring Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and the band LYR. A poetry performance by Simon will be followed by a live performance by the band, comprising Simon, singer-songwriter Richard Walters and multi-instrumentalist and producer Patrick Pearson.