How to put on a poetry event
How to put on a poetry event
A practical guide to running a poetry event, with tips on how to select your poets, contracts, remuneration, how to make the most of new technology, and how to ensure your event is a success. There are also sections on audience interaction, adding in performance elements, and monitoring and evaluation to make sure you've got all bases covered.
• Spend some time thinking about what type of National Poetry Day event you want to arrange, your motivations, hopes and ambitions for the Day. Why are you doing it? Who is it for? What do you hope to achieve?
• Also think about the kind of poet who would best meet your aims for the Day. Do you want a well-known and widely published poet that everyone will have heard of? Or a high-profile performance poet equally well-known for live events? A poet with a track record in both publication and performance? A poet good at creative writing workshops, or community projects? A poet who writes primarily for children, or teenagers, or adults? Does gender matter? Cultural background? Age? Do you want several different poets, and if so, do you want a contrast? Do you want a local poet, or a new poet?
