Links
Find out more about our work at the English and Media Centre website.
The London-based poetry organisation Apples & Snakes encourages and promote poets who are working in an oral as much as a literary tradition, and offers performance poetry as a radical alternative to formal poetry readings and recitals.
News and information from the Arts Council England offices around the UK.
For poets, The Book Trust (based in London) offers publications (‘Guide to Literary Prizes’, ‘Looking for an Author’), book information, publisher information, and listings of book events and literary festivals - for regularly updated information check out their ‘Books in the News’ section.
News on UK writers touring for The British Council, information on its literature events in the UK and worldwide, Literature Matters magazine and a complete listing of UK literature festivals (available online).
PEN is a worldwide association of writers. This site contains information about English PEN’s activities in the fields of campaigning to promote freedom of expression, extend literacy and promote literature.
LitNet is a virtual literature centre for the west midlands region of England and beyond - for readers, writers, librarians and literature professionals.
The Poetry Book Society is a specialist book club and a not-for-profit registered charity; members can buy books and memberships over the Internet at a discount and the general public may also buy goods at full price.
The Scottish Book Trust has information about books, writing and writers. Also features a comprehensive directory of writers living in Scotland with direct email links and administers the Writers in Scotland scheme.
The Scottish Poetry Library is the place for poetry in Scotland, for the regular reader, the serious student or the casual browser. Since its foundation in 1984 it has amassed a remarkable collection of written works, as well as tapes and videos. The emphasis is on 20th century poetry written in Scotland, in Scots, Gaelic and English, but historic Scottish poetry – and contemporary works from almost every part of the world – feature too.
The Poetry Archive is the world’s premier online collection of recordings of poets reading their work. You can enjoy listening to the voices of contemporary English-language poets and of poets from the past, absolutely free of charge. The Poetry Archive is growing all the time so it is worthwhile to visit the site on a regular basis to enjoy their latest recordings. You can also purchase CD’s of some of the Archive from the website.
The Poetry School offers a core programme of tuition designed to encourage the reading and writing of poetry. It provides a wide range of poetry courses, workshops and events at venues across London.
The Poetry Trust runs the annual Aldeburgh Poetry Festival and promotes the reading, writing and enjoyment of poetry to a wide variety of children and adults. The Poetry Trust delivers a year-round programme of events and live performances, creative education opportunities, prizes and publishing initiatives which include: a sell-out Poetry Prom at Snape Maltings Concert Hall for the last three years (the hall seats 800), schools tours, teachers workshops, residential writing courses, community outreach, the Jerwood Aldeburgh First Collection Prize, and the Poetry Paper.
News and information from England’s Regional Arts Councils. See also New Writing North.
The Wordsworth Trust, as the Centre for British Romanticism, aims to link the creativity of the past with that of the present. It runs one of the most ambitious series of readings in the country, with events every week from May until October, welcoming the very best of contemporary poets; it also provides residencies for three poets and artists and is involved in education and outreach work.
Download EMC’s free Poetry Station App for iPhone and iPad.
