We're delighted to be partnering with #ScottishBookTrust for this year’s Spoken Word award selection process for the New Writers Awards. ✍️ Apply by Wednesday 29 July at noon. Find out more at scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/new-writers-awards

Happy National Writing Day! Why not apply for our New Writers Awards 2027? 📆The deadline for all applications is Wednesday 29 July at noon. www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-...

Rock the Boat Push the Boat Out Festival's FREE monthly open mic invites poets of all styles and experience levels along - whether you're reading, performing, or listening - come make some waves🌊✍️ 📅 16 Jul 📅 17 Sep 📅 15 Oct 🕖 7–9pm Pre-register your interest - pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/

FINAL CALL 🔈 Applications for Little Sparta Residencies close Monday 29 June. Residency dates: late Jul – early Sep Performance at Little Sparta: 27 Sep Festival performance: 12-15 Nov 🔗 pushtheboatout.org/residencies-at-little-sparta-call-for-applications/ #Residency #LittleSparta #Poetry

How do we set goals for ourselves and our work? How do we find our next direction? 🤔 Join novelist & poet Katie Hale in an online workshop to tease out your writing obsessions, push your work beyond its comfort zone, and help build new focus for the future. #PTBOpoetry #KatieHale #writingworkshop

Successful applicants to our current call outs/commissions will not only receive funding, residency time or creative development support, they'll also take part in a dedicated 5-month coaching programme delivered in partnership with Coaching for Creatives. Find out more and apply today!

Want to rework myths, folklore and inherited stories in your own writing? Join acclaimed writer Meena Kandasamy for our online workshop Reclaiming Myths and Stories on 18 June. “One of India’s most exciting writers” @theguardian.com Tickets: citizenticket.com/events/push-the-boat-out/

RESIDENCIES AT LITTLE SPARTA Deadline: Mon 29 June A @ptbopoetry.bsky.social residency to support the creation of new poetry-led work, responding to the work of Iain Hamilton Finlay, the gardens at Little Sparta and this year’s festival theme The Space Between. pushtheboatout.org/residencies-...

NEW Workshop Announced! Join us for an online workshop with poet and novelist Meena Kandasamy in which we explore how to rewrite myths and reclaim the narrative. To find out more and book your place today, visit citizenticket.com/events/push-the-boat-out/reclaiming-myths-and-stories/ #workshop

Up late? Spend some time with Len Pennie 🌙 Recorded live at #PushtheBoatOut2025, Len joins Emma Collins for a powerful conversation on poetry, humour, gender-based violence and the power of Scots language. Streaming now on Podbean + Apple 🎧 podbean.com/ew/pb-tzc6z-1ac3475 #ABreakintheWavesPodcast

Join us today for the first of a number of year-round CPD sessions for creatives, exploring the business of being a writer. Freelance Tax Club is an online session with Christy Ku, demystifying taxes and Making Tax Digital for freelance creatives. Today 4-5pm, Pay-what-you-can 🎟️ Book your place!

NEW! We've recently announced an expansion of our writer development programme, creating more opportunities for poets and artists to connect, develop and share their work beyond the festival itself. Read the full story: pushtheboatout.org/all-aboard-p...

Thrilled to be starting a (roughly quarterly) online event series with @ptbopoetry.bsky.social, showcasing international poets and their English-language translators. First up on 28 April: Palestinian poet Ghayath Almadhoun and his translator Catherine Cobham: www.citizenticket.com/events/push-...

It’s World Poetry Day! As an organisation dedicated to championing poetry and words in all their forms, we’re celebrating the power of poetry to travel across borders, languages and lived experiences, connecting voices and audiences across the globe.

Join our team! We’re looking for a freelance Marketing & Communications Manager to shape and deliver our overall marketing strategy, lead our annual festival campaign, and promote our year-round programme of events. Apply by 13 April: pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/

Save the Date! 📆 Push the Boat Out Festival returns this November! 🛶 Join us at Pleasance from 12–15 November for a joyful weekend of poetry, performance and plenty of surprises. Expect bold voices and brilliant conversations as we gather once again to celebrate words in all their forms.

⏰Get on Board! Rock the Boat returns to the Wee Red Bar on Thursday 19 February, 7–9pm. Join us for a joyful evening of open mic poetry hosted by Catherine Wilson Garry and Julia Sorensen, with feature poet Marianne MacRae . Sign up to perform or just pop along pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/

Is writing part of your 2026 plans? Join our friendly online workshops led by inspiring international poets. On 11 Feb award-winning Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye explores how to transform mundane moments into powerful poetry: www.citizenticket.com/events/push-...

A total privilege to spend the afternoon learning about Ekphrastic poetry with the genius Nick Makoha - he shared a number of poems from his new collection which is fantastic. #PoetryHelps @ptbopoetry.bsky.social

"It's really important as artists, especially if you're claiming to be against this oppression, to get stuck in and do something about it" Ahead of an appearance at @ptbopoetry.bsky.social, we chat with punk poet and multi-slam champion Jay Mitra

Push the Boat Out 2025 is here! You can browse our programme, download a brochure, and book now 📣 🛶🎫 This year’s festival sets sail from 20-23 November with a bold mix of poetry, performance, music and art in a sparkling celebration of words in all their forms. pushtheboatout.org/programme/

Interested in learning how to host events? Join us 21st Nov at @ptbopoetry.bsky.social for a FREE workshop on compering technique led by @katieailes.bsky.social & @kevoutloud.bsky.social! Info & bookings: pushtheboatout.org/events/hosti...

📢 All Aboard! We’re on the lookout for a new Chair and Trustees to join our Board of Directors and help guide our organisation’s future. If you share our vision of poetry as a vibrant, everyday force in people’s lives, we’d love to hear from you ✨ pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/

We're thrilled to be collaborating with the Leeuwarden UNESCO City of Literature to present our latest online poetry writing workshop with Preston Losack, host of Preston's Poetry Podcast. Join us on Wed 17 Sept as we dive into active reading for poetry writing: www.citizenticket.com/events/push-...

Rock the Boat is setting sail for the Spiegeltent! Join hosts Julia Sorensen and Catherine Wilson Garry for a special Edinburgh International Book Festival edition of our lively open mic. All performance spots are filled but you can still join us on the night: www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...

We’re delighted to announce that Push the Boat Out will be setting sail at the Pleasance in 2025! 🛶✨ Join us from 21-23 November for a weekend packed with poetry, performance and cross-artform creativity in one of Edinburgh’s most iconic festival venues. More: pushtheboatout.org/new-venue-fo...

Call for commissions! In partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland @ntsonline.bsky.social, we’re commissioning three powerful performance pieces responding to the urgent theme: Anthropocene: The Human-Altered World. Find out more and apply by 7 July: pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/

After a short break, we’re thrilled to relaunch our online poetry workshop series. Join us on Wednesday 2 July for Finding Joy with the brilliant Kim Addonizio @kimaddonizio.bsky.social, a poet whose work unflinchingly seeks out light in the darkest places. pushtheboatout.org/finding-joy-...

We’re thrilled to launch a brand-new opportunity! With support from @ntsonline.bsky.social, we’re commissioning three bold, poetry-led performances responding to our theme: Anthropocene: The Human-Altered World. Full info▶️ pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/

Two weeks until our open mic night, Rock the Boat, returns to Inspace Gallery! Join us for an evening of friendly vibes and fresh voices, hosted by Catherine Wilson Garry and Julia Sorensen. 📅 Thu 8 May ⏰ 7pm – 9pm 📍 Inspace Gallery, 1 Crichton Street ▶️ pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/

Save the Date! Push the Boat Out is back from 21-23 November 2025. We’re busy behind the scenes crafting an exciting, thought-provoking programme full of poetry, performance, and plenty of surprises. Stay tuned! We can’t wait to share our plans with you 🚤✨

Deadline 7 April! Don't miss the boat ⛵

We're looking for an extremely well-organised, creative and collaborative Creative Producer to support the development and delivery of the programme for Push the Boat Out 2025. Find out more and apply by 7 April: pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/

Looking for something to do this sunny Saturday? Head along to the free launch of Polaris, Issue 3 - "Planting Amaryllis", where poetry meets sculpture in a powerful exploration of guerrilla gardening, resilience and the myth of the amaryllis flower. More info: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/planting-a...

Have your say on one of Edinburgh's most iconic pieces of public art! To celebrate the building's 20th anniversary, the Scottish Parliament is adding new quotations to the Canongate Wall. Vote for your favourite from 3 of Scotland’s leading poets. Find out more: www.parliament.scot/get-involved...

We are thrilled to have been awarded multi-year funding from Creative Scotland. This provides the stability we need to work with even more artists, freelancers, communities, and audiences as we support and celebrate poetry in all its glorious forms: pushtheboatout.org/push-the-boa...

After a wee break, we’re thrilled to announce that Rock the Boat will return in March! 🚢🎤 We’re putting the finishing touches on the details and will share everything – including the all-important sign-up link – in the next couple of weeks 👀 Stay tuned! We can't wait to Rock the Boat again! 🌊✨

We’re diving in to 2025 and feeling excited about the year ahead. Here are some things we’re looking forward to: 🎤 Rock the Boat! Our friendly and inclusive open mic night will be back soon. It's the perfect opportunity for sharing your words or celebrating the creativity of our performing poets.

✨ As we wrap up 2024, we'd like to take a moment to wish our incredible artists, friends and audiences a joyful festive season 🌟 We’ll be back in the New Year with updates on Rock the Boat and our ongoing series of workshops. Thank you for all your support - we look forward to reconnecting in 2025 ⛵

Push the Boat Out festival set sail on 22 November with a series of special events at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. We were delighted to be joined by Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson as we celebrated the opening of our festival.