What's On / Bristol Concerts, Theatre & Dance / poetry

Poetry & Spoken Word Events in Bristol

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Bristol's Poetry Scene

At the time of writing there are very few regular poetry events in Bristol. Milk hosts regular nights at Halo on Gloucester Road and The Wardrobe Theatre in Old Market. Hammer & Tongue occasionally bring their poetry slams to town and have used The Grain Barge for past events. Stand Up For Lyricism promotes poetry events in south Bristol at The Rope Walk and Tobacco Factory Theatre.

Buy tickets for poetry events in Bristol

Our recent poetry recommendations

Sell out warning! Our fave Romanian twin queer allies at Trinity? Are we dreaming? It’s a cheeky holiday!! The noughties pop icons headline this full-blown Pride takeover – alongside live cabaret from trailblazing drag king Prix Chiyo, serpentine sorceress Mama Mamba, and bearlesque diva Deeva D + Liam Parsons bringing hi-nrg club-pop euphoria on the decks. The Queer As F*ck crew really pulling out all the stops here! QUEER AS F*CK: Pride Afterparty at The Trinity Centre.

Sell out warning! Back for a blockbuster fourth year running: boundary-defying drag-theatre from queer performance art collective House of Boussé! Part visceral reclamation narrative against hateful media rhetoric, part self-proclaimed “trannified version of The Magic School Bus”, Trans/Form is an embodied journey into the beauty and power of trans+ experiences. TRANS/FORM at Strange Brew.

Jack Parlett issues an apologia for the ostentatious in a new work launching at Bookhaus. Through both personal and cultural reflections, sweeping across art, nature, pop and politics, he argues for a reappraisal of peacocking’s revolutionary power – unpacked in scintillating conversation with performance artist and queer history archivist Tom Marshman. Flamboyance: The Art of Burning Brightly launch with Jack Parlett at Bookhaus.

Free entry! Killer ravens, phantoms in the opera, hallucinatory visuals, Brian Eno on the buttons – with Opera, Argento done fully out-Argento-ed himself, scoring arguably his last true masterpiece (sorry Dracula 3D). Pure widescreen terror with buckets of giallo trash/class that’ll put you off the theatre for life… Opera at The Ill Repute.

What our editors say

“Spoken Word Open Mic all styles welcomed if you have written it you can read it be it a short story, Flash / Micro - Fiction, poetry extracts from your book it will be welcomed. (Unfortunately we cannot accept comedians). The event is warm, friendly and supportive so come and join us. ENTRY IS FREE”
From: Spoken Word Open Mic

“Whether you’re a seasoned performer, a first-timer testing out new material, or just along for the ride, our open mic is all about great performances, good company and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Expect an ever-changing mix of live music, poetry, spoken word, comedy and the unexpected. Anything can happen once the mic is live!”
From: Ill Repute Open Mic Night

“Sexquisite Events are an award winning performing arts company platforming the hottest sex worker artists, creating fierce, political and multi-disciplinary work. Come along to our bad bitch cabaret to celebrate how multi-talented + powerful sex workers are. You can expect: dance, burlesque, spoken word, song, comedy, pole + more! By supporting Sexquisite you are enabling us to create paid creative opportunities for those who work in the sex industry. Alongside this you are supporting us in our mission to destigmatise sex work through performance.”
From: Sexquisite July

“Fancy a night of laughter, poetry, monologues, music, and more! Then come on down to the Canopy in Redcatch Community Gardens for our multidisciplinary open mic! Doors: 18:30 Start: 19:00 Want to perfrom? Email us on [email protected] with a bit about you.”
From: Veg Patch - An Open Mic

“Get ready for a fun evening at our Open Mic Night celebrating South Asian Heritage Month! Join us in Bristol for a lively night filled with amazing performances from local talent. Whether you wanna strum some tunes, share poetry, or just enjoy the vibes, this is the place to be. It's all happening in person, so come out, connect, and celebrate the rich culture of South Asia with us. Don't miss it!”
From: Open Mic Night - South Asian Heritage Month, Bristol