The Poetry Can initiates and manages a number of poetry based education activities and projects, which help bring poetry into the community

and develop new audiences.


We work with a range of local, regional and national poets and organisations across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire

with whom the initial ideas for projects often originate. The Poetry Can oversees the planning of the project, including an evaluation process;

we usually manage or co-manage projects and supervise the poet.


Education projects explore the interests and needs of the people concerned whilst working with participants to develop an understanding and

appreciation of poetry that this is empowering, energising and inspiring. Work may range from single workshops to projects lasting several weeks.


Our Education Programme comprises projects and activities which change each year. It is programmed between December and March.

This means it can reflect and respond quickly to current events and major opportunities happening both locally, regionally and nationally.

Examples of education events and activities organised by The Poetry Can have included:

The Migrations Project - Poetry Exhibition at St. Georges Hall, Bristol.

Poetry Performance Training with Firebird Theatre Company

The Friday Morning Poetry Group

Find Your Talent Young Peoples Poetry Academy in North Somerset

The Poetry Cafe

The Dementia Poetry Project, including a South West region conference looking at best practice in arts work with people with dementia.

The Poetry Can Poetry Competition

The Park Street Shuffle – poems about life on Park Street.

The Creative Journal - exploring relationship between journal keeping & poetry writing.

On The Line Exhibition of poetry, photographs and film – working with people with disabilities in Midsomer Norton.


Poetry Workshops: many and various including:

The Impact of the Slave Trade - how it has affected the people of Bristol to this day and how this theme can be translated into poetry;

Ride On - Creative Writing Workshops - at the Perion Centre with vulnerable young people

Skinnandi Project - workshops exploring the personal significance of the journeys and the landscapes we inhabi

HMP Horfield Prison - performance and workshop exploring poetry and personal stories

How to market and promote yourself and your work workshop

Poetry Can has also run cross-art form projects with film, dance and visual art, plus digital and public art projects.

The Poetry Can helps schools and organisations to organise and arrange poetry activities.

The ideas for poetry projects and activities on our education programmes often come from poets and from organisations.

Please contact us if :

    you would like the discuss a potential poetry project or activity

    you want help organising a poetry activity in your school, organisation or workplace

    you want information or advice about any aspect of poetry

    you are currently organising/running an educational poetry project or activity you would like to promote or celebrate.