A event on Tuesday 15th July. The event starts at 19:30.
Raise the Bar returns with another dynamic night of live poetry at The Orchard Coffee & Co., with two brilliant feature acts, Kaycee Hill and Ian Irwin.
Our open mics are welcome to poets, rappers, storytellers, lyricists, songwriters, and wordsmiths of all styles and levels of experience, whether it's your first time or your 100th. If you'd like to sign up to perform or just sit back with a beverage and listen to some of the city's finest wordsmiths, this is the evening for you.
16+ accompanied. Wheelchair accessible. Scroll down for further access and safeguarding information.
️ Tuesday 15th July 2025
20 Clouds Hill Rd, Bristol BS5 7LA
7:00pm doors | 7:30pm - 9:30pm show (including interval)
PWYC £5 / £7 / £9 (£4 concessions)
OPEN MIC:
This will be an opportunity to try out new material in a safe, warm environment hosted by Raise the Bar's compere extraordinaire Saili Katebe.
There are 14 open mic spaces. These will become available at 10am on Tuesday 10th June via the following link: http://linktree.com/rtbspokenword
10 performers will be selected in advance from this form. The remaining 4 spots will be drawn on the night from a hat, which will include names from walk-ups and anyone who signed up here but wasn’t selected in advance.
A number of open mic spaces are reserved for writers from the global majority, marginalised genders and sexualities, non-male writers, and writers in outlying areas of Bristol or the South West.
FEATURE ACTS
KAYCEE HILL
Kaycee Hill is a mixed-heritage poet based in Bristol. She is interested in how the body remembers through music, and how listening becomes legacy. A joint winner of the inaugural James Berry Poetry Prize, her work appears in Poetry Review, Five Dials, Zócalo Public Square, and various anthologies. She recently completed her MA in Creative Writing at the University of Bristol and her debut collection Hot Sauce is published by Bloodaxe.
IAN IRWIN
Ian Irwin was selected as an Out-Spoken Press Emerging Poet in 2022. His poetry has been published in The Poetry Review, Propel, Berlin Lit, Carmen et Error, The Alchemy Spoon, Full House, Outcrop, Dust, Eche and Trasna among others. Ian’s work also appears in several anthologies. He lives, writes, and teaches in Bristol, where he has been reading his work at poetry and open-mic events for over a decade.
RAISE THE BAR
The South West's leading live poetry night, running blockbuster spoken word events in Bristol and beyond since 2014.
‘From top to bottom, one of my all time favourite shows’ – Shane Koyczan
'One of the best poetry nights in the country' – Rafeef Ziadah
'Out-loud reactions are encouraged…shaking off traditional theatre etiquette' – Bristol 24/7
ACCESSIBILITY / SAFEGUARDING
Our events aim to be as safe, inclusive, accessible and welcoming as possible.
The venue has a wheelchair accessible entrance via Cherry Orchard Lane and accessible toilets.
If you have any particular access requirements or concerns, please email [email protected] in advance.
The event may include photography and videography.
SEATING / TIMINGS
Doors open at 7:00pm, and the bar will be open with a selection of drinks (alcoholic + non-alcoholic), cocktails and bar snacks.
The show begins at 7:30pm, so please arrive and be seated promptly. The event includes a 15 minute interval. We aim to finish at 9:30pm.
Please note, there is limited seating at The Orchard. Some attendees may need to sit on the steps, in the balcony area, or in a seat with restricted viewing, so please arrive promptly if you'd like to sit at a table / downstairs.
CONTENT WARNING
Poetry events include performers sharing personal accounts which you may relate to in some way. This may include content that is potentially upsetting or triggering. We provide a general content warning at the beginning of each event, and poets may choose to provide one for their own poem if necessary. Attendees are welcome to leave the venue at any time and return when they feel comfortable, but please try to do this before/after a poem.
SAFE SPACE
Raise the Bar has a zero tolerance policy towards hate, discrimination and abuse of any kind. Our staff team will work together to ensure the space is respectful and welcoming at all times. The open mic rules include 'no punching down' and 'no nudity', and a content warning will be provided at the start of the event.
Entry requirements: no age restrictions (under 18s to be accompanied by an adult over 21yrs, 1:1 ratio)
Our open mics are welcome to poets, rappers, storytellers, lyricists, songwriters, and wordsmiths of all styles and levels of experience, whether it's your first time or your 100th. If you'd like to sign up to perform or just sit back with a beverage and listen to some of the city's finest wordsmiths, this is the evening for you.
16+ accompanied. Wheelchair accessible. Scroll down for further access and safeguarding information.
️ Tuesday 15th July 2025
20 Clouds Hill Rd, Bristol BS5 7LA
7:00pm doors | 7:30pm - 9:30pm show (including interval)
PWYC £5 / £7 / £9 (£4 concessions)
OPEN MIC:
This will be an opportunity to try out new material in a safe, warm environment hosted by Raise the Bar's compere extraordinaire Saili Katebe.
There are 14 open mic spaces. These will become available at 10am on Tuesday 10th June via the following link: http://linktree.com/rtbspokenword
10 performers will be selected in advance from this form. The remaining 4 spots will be drawn on the night from a hat, which will include names from walk-ups and anyone who signed up here but wasn’t selected in advance.
A number of open mic spaces are reserved for writers from the global majority, marginalised genders and sexualities, non-male writers, and writers in outlying areas of Bristol or the South West.
FEATURE ACTS
KAYCEE HILL
Kaycee Hill is a mixed-heritage poet based in Bristol. She is interested in how the body remembers through music, and how listening becomes legacy. A joint winner of the inaugural James Berry Poetry Prize, her work appears in Poetry Review, Five Dials, Zócalo Public Square, and various anthologies. She recently completed her MA in Creative Writing at the University of Bristol and her debut collection Hot Sauce is published by Bloodaxe.
IAN IRWIN
Ian Irwin was selected as an Out-Spoken Press Emerging Poet in 2022. His poetry has been published in The Poetry Review, Propel, Berlin Lit, Carmen et Error, The Alchemy Spoon, Full House, Outcrop, Dust, Eche and Trasna among others. Ian’s work also appears in several anthologies. He lives, writes, and teaches in Bristol, where he has been reading his work at poetry and open-mic events for over a decade.
RAISE THE BAR
The South West's leading live poetry night, running blockbuster spoken word events in Bristol and beyond since 2014.
‘From top to bottom, one of my all time favourite shows’ – Shane Koyczan
'One of the best poetry nights in the country' – Rafeef Ziadah
'Out-loud reactions are encouraged…shaking off traditional theatre etiquette' – Bristol 24/7
ACCESSIBILITY / SAFEGUARDING
Our events aim to be as safe, inclusive, accessible and welcoming as possible.
The venue has a wheelchair accessible entrance via Cherry Orchard Lane and accessible toilets.
If you have any particular access requirements or concerns, please email [email protected] in advance.
The event may include photography and videography.
SEATING / TIMINGS
Doors open at 7:00pm, and the bar will be open with a selection of drinks (alcoholic + non-alcoholic), cocktails and bar snacks.
The show begins at 7:30pm, so please arrive and be seated promptly. The event includes a 15 minute interval. We aim to finish at 9:30pm.
Please note, there is limited seating at The Orchard. Some attendees may need to sit on the steps, in the balcony area, or in a seat with restricted viewing, so please arrive promptly if you'd like to sit at a table / downstairs.
CONTENT WARNING
Poetry events include performers sharing personal accounts which you may relate to in some way. This may include content that is potentially upsetting or triggering. We provide a general content warning at the beginning of each event, and poets may choose to provide one for their own poem if necessary. Attendees are welcome to leave the venue at any time and return when they feel comfortable, but please try to do this before/after a poem.
SAFE SPACE
Raise the Bar has a zero tolerance policy towards hate, discrimination and abuse of any kind. Our staff team will work together to ensure the space is respectful and welcoming at all times. The open mic rules include 'no punching down' and 'no nudity', and a content warning will be provided at the start of the event.
Entry requirements: no age restrictions (under 18s to be accompanied by an adult over 21yrs, 1:1 ratio)
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