Poets' Café LIVE

hosted by Katie Meehan and Vic Pickup

Second Friday of the month, doors open 8pm; poetry starts 8.30pm

Organised and hosted by Vic Pickup & Katherine Meehan, Reading’s Poets’ Café LIVE brings the very best guests from around the UK alongside an open mic section for local poets to read their work in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Set up thirty years ago by Susan Utting, previous curators include beloved children’s author AF Harrold and poet and novelist Claire Dyer, who have brought Britain’s best loved poets to our stage.

Taking place on the 2nd Friday of every month, twenty open mic slots are available to seasoned poets and newcomers alike on a first-come-first-served basis. We welcome poets to read one A4 page or equivalent (approximately 2 minutes) of their best work.

Special Guest Poets coming up:
10th April - James Peake, Kitty Hawkins, Peter Robinson – TWO RIVERS PRESS (locals night)
8th May - Lucy Heuschen
12th June - Ali Lewis
10th July - Rachel Spence
14th August - Oliver Fox

All Welcome

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Inclusivity

At Poets’ Cafe, we believe that poetry is for everybody. We want to ensure that we are collectively creating an environment where people of every faith, orientation, ethnicity and background can feel comfortable, welcome, and supported. Please ask yourself before reading whether your poem contains language or positions that could be hurtful or discriminatory. If the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’, feel welcome to have a chat with Katie or Vic. We would be happy to suggest revisions.

Photographs and Videos

Photographs will be taken at this event for use on our social media channels. Please let us know if you would prefer not to appear in any promotional imagery.

Open Mic Etiquette Guidelines

At Poets' Cafe we want everyone to feel comfortable and safe. That's why we have a few basic guidelines that we ask open mic performers to follow:

Please stick to the one page/two minute rule - this ensures that everyone has time to read.
Please refrain from using excessive profanity, discriminatory language, or harmful content. If you are unsure about your poem, speak to Vic, Katie, or the evening's host.
Please be sure to revise and practice your poem beforehand - this way you'll be sure to feel confident on stage!