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About Poetry Can
Poetry Can was established in March 1995 as a registered charity aiming to encourage as many people as possible within the Bristol and Bath areas to get involved in poetry activity.
Poetry Can is still based in Bristol but now supports the development of poetry in South Gloucestershire and through its websites across the whole of the South West region.
The aims of Poetry Can are:
- To increase opportunities for everyone to participate in and enjoy poetry, through a strategic programme of events and projects.
- To initiate work in which poetry's role in lifelong learning is explored and extended.
- To support the creative and professional development of poets of all ages and levels of experience.
- To promote its activities on a national level.
Poetry Can believes that being involved in poetry can benefit everyone, and that it has a valuable role in social, cultural and personal development.
Poetry Can works to develop poetry in essentially three ways:
Events
Poetry Can presents several high profile public events in the course of each year, including the Bristol Poetry Festival in September.
Bristol Poetry Festival brings together the best international, national, regional and local poets in a celebration of poetry.
READ MORE...
Education
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.
Education Activities 2007-08, include
The Poetry Can Poetry Competition 2007 : national competition, the first prize is publication of the winning poet’s collection of poems. Maura Dooley is the judge.
The Creative Journal: poetry education classes exploring the relationship between keeping a journal and writing poetry.
The Park Street Shuffle: Poetry project exploring the ever popular Park Street and surrounding areas.
South Glos. Libraries Poetry Competition: Poetry Can judges this new poetry competition.
Dementia Project: poetry with people living with dementia.
Time To Heal: Poetry workshops looking at the impact of slavery on the lives of African-Caribbean people living in Bristol today and how poetry should address such serious an issue.
Marketing Training For Poets: a training day all about how poets can most effectively market themselves.
Easton Can Openers: New monthly open floor poetry sessions at Trinity Rd Library, Easton.
Paralalia Tour: Poetry Can is proud to support Paralalia’s national tour Tales From A Paralalia Universe.
Education Activities 2006-07:
Poetry Can Poetry Competition - 1st Prize the publication of the winning poet's collection
Asian Community Poetry Project - poetry with young people at the City Academy School in partnership with Asian Arts Agency
African Caribbean Community Project - a range of development activities linked to an event in the Bristol Poetry Festival.
Creative Innovations - poetry workshops at the Andalusia Academy with Moselm Faith Girls aged 13-14.
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 inhabit.
HMP Horfield Prison - performance and workshop exploring poetry and personal stories
Dementia Project - work with people experiencing dementia
Poetry Can also runs cross-art form projects with film, dance and visual art, plus digital and public art projects.
Information, Advice & Support
Poetry Can provides information, advice and support to individuals, groups, agencies and organisations interested in any aspect of poetry or poetry activity.
As well as providing ad hoc information, advice and support we also offer:
Poetry Surgeries - usually last about 90 minutes, are structured and designed to meet the interests and developmental needs of individual people.
The Poetry Can Website aims to provide comprehensive, up to date information of poetry activity in the South West as well as relevant national and international information.
Literature South West Website aims to provide comprehensive, up to date information of literature activity in the region.
Poetry Can e-Bulletin a monthly e-bulletin containing news, events and information. Snail mailed on request.
At all times the focus is on equal opportunities for everyone.
Equal Opportunities Policy
April 2006 - March 2009
Statement of Intent
Poetry Can, in all areas of its activities, will aim to treat all people equally.
Poetry Can believes that human beings are characterised by diversity and aims in all its activities to give expression to that diversity.
Poetry Can recognises that people still face discrimination on the grounds (both singularly and in combination) of race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, nationality or religion.
Poetry Can is opposed to such discrimination and aims to eliminate discriminatory practice. (download full policy)
Poetry Can Staff
Director – Colin Brown
Admin – Peter Hunter
Poetry Can Board Members
Polly Moyer
Adam Pushkin
Catharine Stott
Caleb Parkin
Jo Goldsworthy
Linda Lamus
Advisory Board Members
Elizabeth White
Rachel Bentham
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Banner quotations taken from Pickings And Cuttings, a long running column of poetry quotations by Dennis
O’Driscoll in the literary journal Poetry Ireland Review, edited by Tony Curtis and published under the title As The
Poet Said, by Poetry Ireland in 1997.
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