A Lovely Poetry Festival will be making its return this summer in Liverpool after a year’s hiatus.
This years’ theme is ‘A Lovely City’, and what better way to honour that than crowning Queer Bodies as their Artists in Residence. This gorgeous, queer, Northern poetry cohort have facilitated poetry workshops and residencies across the city and beyond, helping countless local artists to compile their own lovely words.
A Lovely Festival Launch
Join them on Sunday 30 June for the launch of A Lovely Poetry Festival
Where: Rope Walks Square, Bold Street
When: 3.30pm
On Sunday 30 June there will be a poetry themed bike ride leaving from the Everyman (time tbc) travelling around our lovely city. There will be stops on the way where some of their cycling poets will share a poem or two. The ride will finish at Ropewalks Square, off Bold Street where there will be a pop up stage with tons of fabulous poets lined up to entertain you with their words.
During the party they will be launching their ‘A Lovely Poetry Festival’ zine in conjunction with News from Nowhere bookshop. The Zine includes poems written by over 20 local poets. To celebrate the start of their Lovely Poetry Festival they will be giving out free drinks and cakes to all who come to take part.
Queer Bodies Takeover
Saturday 6th July
Cost: £9
Time: 7:30PM DOORS – LATE
Location: Quarry, Liverpool
Join this year’s Artists in Residence, Queer Bodies Poetry Collective, for an exciting evening of rap, spoken word, poetry, music and dancing at Quarry!Featuring notable LGBTQ+ locals & Queer Bodies Graduates, this exciting lineup includes; Alina Burwitz, Felix Mufti, Jay Farley, Peter Scalpello & Jared Vallejo.
As well as this interstellar lineup, they are also very proud to feature their HEADLINERS in what will be the first ever performance of a brand new commissioned sound piece by local Trans royalty collaborators – Live Artist and Writer, Mandy Romero, and Beat Machine/ Sound Artist extraordinaire, Maeve Devine.
Hosted by Auntie Climax & Day Mattar with de-lightful sets from superstar dj’s Dan Chan & MYOHMY to finish off the night – what more could you want?
About Artists in Residence:
Queer Bodies are a poetry collective, run by Day Mattar and Brendan Curtis, who offer writing residencies to members of the LGBTQI+ community based in the North West. They are based in Liverpool, running for 3 years. In this time, they have run two digital writing residencies; Queer Bodies (2020) and Queer Icons (2021), supported by ACE, Homotopia, Metal, WoWFEST and DaDaFest.
Access: They are working on making this event as accessible as possible. The entrance to this venue is wheelchair accessible and Quarry has a disabled toilet. There is a smoking/garden area out back which has step access only. If you have any specific access concerns, please do get in touch with alovelywordbecky@gmail.com
A Lovely Poetry Bike – Tour of the City
Pop up Poetry Performances
Liverpool has a long and proud history of poetry. A Lovely Poetry Festival wants to celebrate this so they have searched high and low and found a wealth of talented poets from across Merseyside. These poets will be taking part in Pop Up performances around the city.So join their Tour of Liverpool and hear some amazing poets as they take to the streets to share their poetry with the people of Liverpool. Poets will be joining their Poetry bike to take to the stage as it stops for a break!
You can catch the performances on…
Sunday 30th June
1.30pm: The Everyman Theatre
2 – 3pm: Liverpool One (Chevase Park steps on the corner of John Lewis)
3.30 – 4.30 pm: Ropewalks Square, off Bold Street
Saturday 6th July
12 – 1pm: Pier Head, Liverpool
1.30 – 2.30pm: Outside Lush, Church Street
So if you fancy listening to some great poetry whilst traveling around the city make sure you stop by to listen and say Hello!
A Junior Lovely Word
Want to be a part of A Junior Lovely Word?
Saturday 6th July from 3.30pm at LUSH, Liverpool ONE.
They are looking for young poets between the ages of 7 – 12
- Are you a young poet aged 7 – 12?
- Have you written a poem you would like to share with other like minded people?
- Do you want to be part of the first ever A Junior Lovley Word?
They have the amazing poet Dommy B to share his hilarious and brilliant poetry written especially for children. Young poets will also take to the mic to share their own poems with the audience. Everyone who signs up to perform a poem will receive a free goodie bag.
Lush have also organised Bath Bomb making workshops during the afternoon that you can sign up for (timings and details of this to follow).
Be part of the audience. You don’t have to read a poem – just come along to hear some great poetry!
In order to take part please ask a parent, carer or guardian to email
Emma: unusualartsourcingcompany@gmail.com
Please let them know your name and age and give us an idea of how long your poem/poems might be (max 4 minute slot)
All children need to attend with an adult.
Poetry Factory
Sunday 7 July, 12 – 6pm at The Royal Standard
Relaxed Poetry Factory, Pop up performance & panel day. Join them for a pay what you can factory event and get creative, meet with experienced poet practitioners and get feedback on your work, be playful, create something new or come along for the social element to hear some lovely poetry!
The Wordsmiths
Amina Atiq & Helen Jeffrey & 1-1 editing workshops with Artists in Residence, Queer Bodies
Performances and screenings
George & Sharon Melling, Bhumika Billa: Poetry Film Screenings, First Take Queer Insight Poetry Films Screening, Blue Saint, Amina Atiq, TReasured (Mandy Romero), Claire Beerjeraz
Poetry Panel
Poetry Panel Discussion: Hosted by Queer Bodies with Blue Saint, Amina Atiq and Mandy Romero.
Visit the A Lovely Poetry Festival website for full festival details.
