The Poetry Cafe

Upcoming events at The Poetry Cafe

Community

Double Book Launch: Colin Herd's Aquafaba and Nicky Melville's Get Tae

Readings from Colin Herd, Claire Reynolds, Nicky Melville and Vik Shirley to celebrate the launch of Colin Herd’s new collection Aquafaba, out this year from Spam Press and Nicky Melville’s Get Tae, published by Blue Diode. The readings will start promptly at 6.15pm and the event will end at 8pm.

Fri 5 Jun19:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

Community

The Turkish Makam: The Sound of Istanbul

A duo recital and presentation of Classical Ottoman Court music. Constantly evolving since the 13th century, the Turkish Makam has become one of the worlds’ great music traditions. With Istanbul as its centre, folk, religious and classical music forms of the city and nearby regions create an elaborate tapestry of sound colours. The Turkish makam has served equally folk music and dance, court audiences as well as Mevlevi ceremonies. London based Oud virtuoso Baha Yetkin and Kemenche player Alexandros Koustas explore the endless diversity of the Makam and its uses. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-sound-of-istanbul-tickets-1989903025516#location

Fri 12 Jun20:30The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

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Community

Small Change book launch

Join Steph Ellen Feeney for the launch of her debut poetry collection, in conversation with Rachel Long. Out with Broken Sleep Books, Small Change is a radiant, unflinching collection that distils the seismic transformations of new motherhood into a sequence of poems both intimate and expansive. We’ll chat about it all — desire, desperation, defiance, the sonnet and ordering another Negroni.

Fri 19 Jun20:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

Arts & CultureFestivals & Events

European Poetry Festival: Romania

A night celebrating one of the continent’s most considerable poetic nations, Romania. Romanian poets, both residing and writing in the UK and those visiting from Romania, will present brand new literary poetry and performance collaborations, all created for this event! Supported by the brilliant Romanian Cultural Institute, this will be a remarkable night of readings and performances, hosted in the very heart of London. Featuring Simona Nastac, Miruna Fulgeanu, Margento, Luminita Amarie, Yekta, Tony White, Katarína Krupičková and SJ Fowler and many more poets to be announced. https://www.europeanpoetryfestival.com/romania

Sat 4 Jul20:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

Arts & Culture

Poetry London Summer 2026 Readings

Join us to celebrate the launch of the summer issue of Poetry London, one of the UK’s most prominent poetry magazines. Hear extended readings from contributors to the spring issue, including Fiona Benson, Andrew Jamison, and the winners of the 2026 Eric Gregory Award..

Tue 7 Jul20:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

Talks & Lectures

BECOMING ME Lead with Light: Elisa Card’s London Book Signing Event

“An intimate evening of story, healing, courage, and elegant connection in Covent Garden.” Join Elisa Card in London for her Book Signing, “Becoming Me It Took 5 Sons Tour 2026,” an uplifting event celebrating resilience, motherhood, healing, self-leadership, and life purpose. An inspiring evening for women and men to rise, reconnect with your light, and become magnificently you. Meet Elisa in London, limited seats, save your spot. Gifts to the first 30 registered as VIP. Get a signed book copy, take a photo with Elisa, receive a surprise gift, a motivational keynote with Q&A, connect with other women, and hear them share their stories. Food & drinks will be served.

Thu 9 Jul19:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

Arts & Culture

A Midsummer Night’s Poetry

Readings from Rosalind Easton, Elizabeth Parker, Tim Scott and Natalie Whittaker. Bios Rosalind Easton – poet and English teacher from SE London. Has won prizes including The Poetry Business Book & Pamphlet Competition and the Bridport Prize. Pamphlets are Black Mascara (Waterproof) (Smith Doorstop/The Poetry Business) and Man Overboard (Paper Swans). Currently working on full collection. Tim Scott – university lecturer from London – has been widely published in journals. Won the 2022 Magma Editors’ Prize and was shortlisted for the 2024 Magma Pamphlet Prize. He has twice been longlisted for the National Poetry Competition. Natalie Whittaker – poet, English teacher and freelance editor from SE London. Pamphlets are Shadow Dogs (ignition, 2018) and Tree (Verve, 2021). Her debut full collection The Point Is You Are Alive was published by Broken Sleep in 2025. She has been placed and shortlisted in numerous competitions including the Bridport Prize, and was a London Library emerging writer from 2020-21. Elizabeth Parker is a poet and writer from Bristol. She has published two full collections with Seren (In Her Shambles – 2018 and Cormorant – 2024). She has been widely published in journals including Magma and Agenda, and is a former prizewinner in the Troubadour Poetry Prize. She has also been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize. Potential content warnings: stillbirth, illness of elderly parents, grief and loss

Sat 11 Jul20:00The Poetry Cafe

via The Poetry Cafe

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