Raise the Bar: Open Mic

Raise the Bar returns with another dynamic night of live poetry at The Pickle Factory, with two brilliant feature acts - Muneera Pilgrim & Troy Cabida.

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. Thursday 19th November 2026

The Pickle Factory, Easton, All Hallows Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 0HL, UK

7:00pm doors | 7:30pm - 9:30pm show (including interval)

PWYC £6 / £8 / £10 (£5 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 Sunday 25th of October via the following link: http://linktree.com/rtbspokenword. It will stay open for one week.

10 performers will be selected in advance from this form. The remaining 4 spots will be drawn on the night from a hat, which anyone can add their name to on arrival.

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

Muneera Pilgrim

Muneera Pilgrim is an international Poet, Cultural Producer, Writer, Community Researcher, Broadcaster, TEDx Speaker and WOW Festival Speaker. She conducts workshops, shares art, guest lectures, hosts, and finds alternative ways to educate and exchange ideas while focusing on methodologies of empowerment for non-centred people. At heart, Muneera is a storyteller, concerned with telling stories to disrupt mainstream narratives of non-centred people globally. This event takes place exactly 5 years after the publication of Muneera's debut poetry collection, That day she'll proclaim her chronicles.

Troy Cabida

Troy Cabida is the author of Neon Manila (2025), a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. His pamphlets include Symmetric of Bone: poems after Elsa Peretti (2024) and War Dove (2020). He currently works as co-editor for fourteen poems and library assistant for the National Poetry Library. 

⭐ RAISE THE BAR ⭐

Winner of the Sky Arts Award for Poetry (2026), Raise the Bar is South West England’s leading live poetry night, showcasing national and international poetry alongside local talent for over 10 years. As an artist development platform, Raise the Bar also runs open mics, workshops and writing retreats and courses for poets and writers.

“One of my absolute favourite poetry nights” - Hollie McNish

"One of the best poetry nights in the country" – Rafeef Ziadah

“Raise the Bar is one of the most professionally run and dynamically curated events in the country, poetry or otherwise” - Harry Baker

ACCESSIBILITY / SAFEGUARDING

The main hall, cafe and garden, where Raise the Bar takes place, are all accessible to wheelchair users, with an accessible toilet on the same floor.

If you have any particular access requirements or concerns, please email [email protected] in advance.

The event will include photography and videography. You can speak to our photographer on the night, or a member of our team, if you do not want to be included in any publicity materials.

SEATING / TIMINGS

Doors open at 7:00pm, and the bar will be open with a selection of drinks (alcoholic + non-alcoholic).

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.

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.