The Festival's competition is now closed. All entries will now be passed over to the judge, Gregory Leadbetter. We will be announcing the results of the competition in January 2026. They will be published on our website: cheltenhampoetryfestival.co.uk , on this page and on other social media.

Online sales for this evening's event are now closed. There will be 5 tickets available for purchase at St Andrew's from 6.30pm. The online box office is open for other non-Slam Festival events at www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo... Slam tickets from: cheltplayhouse.org.uk/CheltPlayhou...

The Festival begins tomorrow with an event in which Ruth Padel, Pat Edwards & Lucy Heuschen share work that explores the representation of women and girls in myth, legend and history. Just 4 tickets left from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Getting closer! I’ll be reading at @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social’s emerging showcase in a beautiful @uniofglos.bsky.social chapel on Sat 17th May. If you’re free & haven’t got a ticket yet, come & see Tess Biddington & I and hear some great university voices: www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/onl...

Join me at @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social for a workshop that celebrates the beauty of restraint. Learn to craft concise, powerful poems with precise details and effectively use white space. May 27, 7pm online. Read more and book www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

There's just 1 ticket left for the talk Walking Gloucestershire with Ivor Gurney by Eleanor Rawling You need to act fast if you want to come: www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

The line-up for this year's Cheltenham Poetry Festival Slam has to be the best yet - with slam champs from across the county (together with some locally sourced talents) going head-to-head in this feast of spoken word! Get your tickets from Cheltenham Playhouse: cheltplayhouse.org.uk/CheltPlayhou...

We are so excited about our next online lounge! It has long been a dream of ours to host Fran Lock and she reads for us next Tuesday -29th April 7pm with Tom Branfoot. If you like startling, fierce, and incredibly original poetry grab your ticket from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

On the 8th May we welcome to the Festival one of our greatest living poets and the author of eight collections, Michael Symmons Roberts. Tickets from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo... Joining him will by @annasaund.bsky.social and JLM Morton

At the opening event of the Festival (7th May) Ruth Padel will be reading from her dazzling new book Girl, in which she takes a fresh and questioning look at girlhood and its icons, unraveling millennia of myth woven around girls. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

As Anna Saunders says please join us for exquisite poetry from Sean Borodale on May 10th. Tickets for all events from www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampoetryfestival

Two tickets have come available for this previously soldout workshop with prize-winning poet Vanessa Lampert. Explore what happens when you l let go of your expectations about where you think your poems should go and by what means. Tickets from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

We are thrilled to have @robinince.bsky.social join us at @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social this year! Robin will be performing some of his astonishing # science-inspired poems and chatting to Jo Durrant . @zoebrooks.bsky.social You can read more and book here - www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

We will be celebrating the life and work of Ivor Daniel at this year's Festival. Ivor was due to read at Poetry and Pythagoras on May 10, and we have now adapted the event so it will include readings of his work by poetry friends. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Here's another of our amazing slammers - Samuel L Cohen, WOMAD slam 2023 champion, high-octane lyrical raconteur of the hilarious, the unbelievable and the downright outrageous. Get your ticket from: cheltplayhouse.org.uk/CheltPlayhou....

Two tickets have become available for each of the May Festival workshops. These workshops - a Slight Emergency of the Senses with Sean Borodale and Freeing Your Verse with Vanessa Lampert - had sold out quickly. So if you want to come, head over to www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo....

It is with great sorrow that we have learned of the untimely death of Ivor Daniel. Ivor was a tremendous friend of the Festival and of the wider Gloucestershire poetry scene. More importantly he was a really lovely man, who will be sorely missed. Our heartfelt condolences go to his family.

Don't miss this showcase of spoken word and poetry from University of Gloucestershire’s Creative Writing Programme and special guests: Chris Campbell & Tess Biddington (winner 2000 Forward Poetry Prize for Best Single Poem) www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampoetryfestival

Slaminal Farm ! The 15th Cheltenham Poetry Festival Slam Saturday 17th May 2025 Get ready for the bardic battle of the year when 15 of the UK’s most exciting spoken-word artists go head-to-head for the coveted title of 2025 Slam Champion. cheltplayhouse.org.uk/CheltPlayhou...

#BBC Head of History Robert Seatter joins us this year to talk about The House of Words which brings to life Kelmscott’s fascinating history - setting for the tormented triangular relationship between William, and Jane Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Here's the list of events! @ruthpadel.bsky.social opens the festival. Among the many highlights are @robinince.bsky.social, Michael Simmons Roberts, Robert Seatter, @josephpconlon.bsky.social, Sean Borodale, Fiona Benson, & the 15th Festival Slam. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

The programme for the fabulous Cheltenham Poetry Festival is now available online. Talks, workshops and performances are open for booking, also lots of 'local' poetry pals (including me!). Get booking! cheltenhampoetryfestival.co.uk @annasaund.bsky.social @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social

I’m delighted to be returning to @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social in May, hosting 2 in conversation events with @robinince.bsky.social and Joseph Conlon, all about science and poetry! Tickets are now on sale, you won’t want to miss these!

It's tonight - the poetry party of the year - please join us from 7pm. In a world of devalued language and hatred, let some beauty, and wisdom in through poetry and community.

Well, what splendors we have lined- up for our online lounges. We hope these dazzling, inspiring poets will carry you through until spring and offer some light in the darker days. This truly is an all-star program. Join us, from your own homes. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Work with poet @annasaund.bsky.social at this workshop on line breaks. Suitable for experienced poets. This class will take you a little deeper into the subject and craft of lineation. Read more and book www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Niall's work is an absolute delight - witty, wry and often - very affecting. Niall is reads at our eagery awaiting poetry party next week - as part of a poet's dozen😄 - i.e 7 superb, critically acclaimed writers.

Fran Lock reads with Tom Branfoot - this spring and it's never too early to book. We are thrilled to have such a ground breaking poet join us, and Fran is paired by an exciting, emerging voice. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Incredibly excited to have Fran Lock join us online on April 29. She is fiercely original, her poems set fire to the page. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

Well, what splendors we have lined- up for our online lounges. We hope these dazzling, inspiring poets will carry you through until spring and offer some light in the darker days. This truly is an all-star program. Join us, from your own homes. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

A stunning book - the music is unremitting. Magical.

Show 2025 you mean bardic business & book now for an inspiring and informative masterclass on line breaks with fest director and widely published poet @annasaund.bsky.social Anna's first two sessions sold out quickly so don't leave it too late to book if you'd like to learn more about lineation.

It's never too early to snap up your tickets for our legendary, warm and inclusive and star studded on-line lounges. Our March event is going to be stunning with a set from #Samatarelmi who shares poems from his rich and electric new collection @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @zoebrooks.bsky.social

Absolute joy of a Saturday morning mentoring session with my inspirational pal @jessmookherjee.bsky.social 😍. Go rush and buy her re-issued first collection ‘Flood’ out now with @ninearchespress.bsky.social (she also has poetry with @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social)

2025 is looking good for poetry -we have some very exciting names lined up at our lounges for Feb and March - and kicking of the year - a party to celebrate 5 years of on-line events.. and look at the line up on this 😍 Thank you @zoebrooks.bsky.social www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

As you can see @zoebrooks.bsky.social - who leads on our on-line programming has rich and wide taste in poetry...

Christmas Day book haul! Books by @ellafrears.bsky.social @victoriachang.bsky.social @joyellemcsweeney.bsky.social Billy Collins, Marina Warner, Scott McKendry & Ishion Hutchinson. @philipwilkinson.bsky.social knows what I like

Wishing you all a happy festive season - whatever that entails. We hope poetry offers you a little solace and joy as the year draws to its close. Thank you all for being part of the poetry festival community and sharing your beautiful words with us ! Extract from A Winter's Tale, #DylanThomas

Fanfare time.. the result are now out for the @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social International Single Poem competition and we're thrilled to see poets from near and far placed! Congratulations to our winners #JerrodYam @benverrinder @juliesheridan.bsky.social cheltenhampoetryfestival.co.uk/poetry-compe...

Pets, pests and other poets

We would just like to apologise to anyone who has booked for @annasaund.bsky.social latest workshop hoping they would work with 'other pets'. This should read 'poets'. There will be no cats, dogs, goats, fish or other creatures present. Unless you bring your own. @zoebrooks.bsky.social

Would you like to reach a literary, book loving, cultured demographic AND support the arts - if so please consider adverting in the directory in our glossy @cheltenhampoetryfestival brochure. Rates start at £50!

We are excited to have our winners for the @Cheltpoetfest International Single Poem Competition. Huge thanks to our judge rmcfarlane63 and administrator @zoebrooks.bsky.social for their hard work. The results will be on our website and social media from Monday 16th Dec.

@cheltpoetfest.bsky.social always organise such brilliant events! I already have @alicestainer.bsky.social’s gorgeous pamphlet and will definitely be adding @dzifabenson.bsky.social’s book to my list! ❤️

“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.” ― Leonardo da Vinci, 1452-1519 🙏🏼🌍🕊️

We are honoured and excited to have @dzifabenson.bsky.social read tonight at @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social on-line open lounge. @zoebrooks.bsky.social @alicestainer.bsky.social reads from her beautiful prize winning-pamphlet too. Please join us. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

We have an incredible line up for our next on-line lounge @cheltpoetfest.bsky.social - @dzifabenson.bsky.social and @alicestainer.bsky.social ! Two superb poets, plus our legendary Mic Maestros. Please join for a warm and friendly poetry party. www.ticketsource.co.uk/cheltenhampo...

This is how profit is made, money taken out of the system and poured into billionaires pockets.