2023
APRIL 2023
Hive Online Fiction Programme (6 weeks), for writers aged 17-30 – now open for applications!
MARCH 2023
5 March, Your Mind Matters, Dunblane, Forces Children Scotland
1 March, Spring Rhythm: Poetry Reading, LeedsLit Fest, 7-9pm, Leeds, tickets via Eventbrite
FEBRUARY 2023
Let’s Talk About Cough Story Exchange, various workshops, online
JANUARY 2023
25 January, Exhibition Launch and Reading: Embodying Mothering in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, online, 7.30-8.45pm.
Let’s Talk About Cough Story Exchange, Online creative project.
2022
NOVEMBER 2022
19 November, Penning Parenthood, Being Human Festival, Creative Centre, York St John’s, YO31 7EX, 2-4pm.
OCD Exchange Workshops. Online creative project.
OCTOBER 2022
19 October, Short Works, A School Called HOME/ University of Uppsala, Sweden.
14 October, Yours Sincerely: Writing for the Climate, Durham Book Festival, Online launch & exhibition
6 October, National Poetry Day readings, various.
JULY 2022
29 July, Rachel Bower & Clare Shaw, Chemistry @ The Chemic Tavern, Leeds, in-person, doors 7.15pm for 7.45pm start.
JUNE 2022
4 June, Poetry Reading Fly on the Wall/ Manchester Poetry Library, Contact Theatre, Manchester, 1-4pm. In-person event, free tickets available now.
MAY 2022
13 May, Poetry Reading, Fly on the Wall Showcase, Nottingham Poetry Festival, 6.45-8pm. Online. Tickets via Eventbrite.
APRIL 2022
29 April – Seeding and Shaping Poems with Rachel Bower, The Writers Workshop. Book here (two free tickets for low income writers), online, 1-3pm
Let’s Talk About Cough Story Exchange, Online creative project.
MARCH 2022
25-26 March, Your Mind Matters Residential, Forces Children Scotland
14 March, In Conversation with Helen Mort: Launch of A Line Above the Sky: On Mountains and Motherhood. (Ebury Press). Sheffield Central Library, 7pm. Book tickets here.
Let’s Talk About Cough Story Exchange, Online Creative project, Apply Here
Forces Children Scotland, Creative Writing Workshops, various dates, online and in person.
FEBRUARY 2022
6- Week Fiction, Hive Online Fiction Programme, for young and emerging fiction writers in the North of England (17-30), starting 10 Feb 2022, Thurs evenings 6-8pm, apply here (deadline 2 Feb)
JANUARY 2022
Launch of new Poetry Film, “Water Birth“, Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation/ Poet in the City, available online
We Are All Makers Workshops, Ignite Imaginations, Sheffield, various dates
2021
DECEMBER 2021
22 December, Wild Winter @ Manor Fields Park, 12noon – 3pm
9 December, Launch of New Poetry Film, “From Blossoms”, Adrian Brinkerhoff Foundation/ Poet in the City, available online.
NOVEMBER 2021
10 November, Poems of Maternal Might – Rachel Bower, Liz Berry & Nazneen Ahmed. Kings Place, London, N1 9AG, 7.30-9pm. Tickets now available.
4 November, “Listen to the Bees” commission, Beyond the Anthropocenee/ Parallel State, co-curated by Eeelyn Lee & Helen Kilby-Nelson. Online, 6-8pm, book free tickets.
OCTOBER 2021
27 Oct – Wild Writing at Manor Fields Park, age 7-11 – come and connect with nature, reflect on the changing seasons & the wildness that surrounds us in every day life. Book your free tickets, various sessions available.
Various dates: Mothering in NICU: Creative Storytelling Workshops. Part of “Embodying Mothering in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit” at the University of Dundee. Contact Sushila Chowdhry for more info.
9 October, Panel Chair: Catherine Menon & Neema Shah @ Ilkley Literature Festival, All Saints Church, Ilkley. Tickets and full programme now available, 3-4pm.
9 October, Chair: Fiona Sampson, Two Way Mirror: The Life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning @ Ilkley Literature Festival, All Saints Church, Ilkley. Tickets and full programme now available, 5.30pm.
SEPTEMBER 2021
4 September, Reading, Sheffield Showcase, Off the Shelf | Festival of Words, Upper Chapel, Sheffield, S1 2JD. Tickets now available. 3-4pm.
JULY 2021
22 July, Reading at York Explore with Hannah Hodgson & Maggie Mackay, free tickets, book via Eventbrite, 7-8pm
3 July, Reading & Q&A, Summer Festival: Fly on the Wall Press, book online, donations welcome, 12.25pm – 12.45pm.
JUNE 2021
30 June, Writing & Wellbeing Lunchtime Workshop @ Union St, Sheffield: Restore, Refresh, Rebuild, book online, free, 12 – 1pm.
16 June, Poetry & Wellbeing: Hope & Kindness @ Nonsuch Studios, Nottingham. Book online, £5 (contact me for discount code), 7-8pm.
MAY 2021
14 May – Poetry Workshop: “Speaking Truth to Power: Poems of Protest, Resistance & Peace,” part of Ignite Imaginations‘ “Talking About Our Generation Festival.” Online. Free tickets, book online, 3 – 5pm.
5 May – Lunchtime Writing & Wellbeing: Writing Out of the Ordinary, online @ UnionSt, free tickets, book via Eventbrite, 12-1pm
APRIL 2021
28 April 2021, Reading, Stay at Home Literary Festival 2021, free to attend, join via programme link, 12-1pm
MARCH 2021
7 March: Leeds Lit Festival – Literary Salon with Clare Fisher, Reading & Discussion, Online, 12 – 1pm
FEBRUARY 2021
25 February: Digesting History: New Poetry (Rachel Bower, Kayo Chingonyi, Joe Kriss), Film Premier (Dir. Eelyn Lee), Interactive Arts (The Bare Project). Online, 8pm – Tickets now available.
4 February: Poetry Workshop: Hope & Kindness, Sheffield Flourish
JANUARY 2021
15 January – Poetry Reading & Seminar, Birth(ing) Stories, Universitee Paris Nanterre (Centre de Recherches Anglophones), 3pm – 5pm (Central European Time), online.
NOVEMBER 2020
19 November – Launch of Butcher’s Dog Magazine. Online, 7pm.
OCTOBER 2020
22 October – Walter Swan Poetry Prize Winner Announcement, YouTube Premier, 11am
20 October – Love Arts Words – Poetry and Spoken Word on Mental Health & Wellbeing, 6-8pm online, tickets free
‘Digesting History’ – British Library/ Poet in the City – details TBC
2 October – Launch of Anthology of Illness, Emma Press. 7pm. Online: tickets available.
JUNE 2020
12 June – Writing the maternal: reflections and poems, Representing Women’s Health Conference, online.
MAY 2020
31st May – “Poetic Prose and Prose for Poets” with Rachel Bower (online workshop), Northern Short Story Festival, [Now sold out], 10am – 12noon
MARCH 2020
27 March – Poetry Reading and Q&A – ‘Writing the Maternal’ (online), Stay At Home Festival,
25 & 26 March – Collections in Verse (Poet in the City/ British Library), “Digesting History“, Sheffield Central Library, multiple performances
17 March – Collections in Verse (Poet in the City/ British Library), Highfields Celebration, Highfields Library, 12-1.30pm
11 March – Beyond Our Time and Place (research talk & poetry reading), Chapelgarth Estate, North Yorkshire, TS9 7ET
4 March – Launch of And the Stones Fell Open: A Leeds Anthology (part of Leeds Lit Fest), Leeds Minster, tickets available here, 6pm.
FEBRUARY 2020
27 February – Postcolonial Research Seminar, Department of English, University of Cambridge, 5-7pm
20 February – Workshop with Shirin Teifouri – “Writing for Wellbeing: Starting to Express Yourself Through Writing”, Good Chance FreeDome, Sheffield, Barker’s Pool
17 February – Liz Ferret’s Poetry Prize Award 2020, Showroom Cinema, Sheffield, 7pm
13 February – Poetry & Animism: Re-enchanting the World (reading with Malika Booker, Kimberly Campanello< Kadija Ibrahim, Jason Allen-Paisant, Nick Makoha), Sadler Seminar Series, University of Leeds, 6-8pm
12 February – “Reading as a Writer”, Modern and Contemporary Seminar with David Wylot, John McLeod, Tracey Hargreaves & Stuart Murray, School of English, University of Leeds, 4.30-6.30pm
JANUARY 2020
18 January – Launch of Stand Magazine 17(4) – Special Issue for Elaine Glover , School of English, University of Leeds, 6-8pm
NOVEMBER 2019
5 November – LIVE Literature Anthology Launch – The Result is What You See Today ed. Kim Moore & Ben Wilkinson, Bolton Central Library, 6.30pm – 8pm
OCTOBER 2019
20 October – Chair/ Host: Miriam Gamble & Colette Bryce, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley Playhouse, LS29 8DW, 5.15 – 6.15pm
20 October – Reading: University of Leeds Poetry Centre Showcase, Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley Playhouse, LS29 8DW, 3.30 – 5.15pm
17 October – Stefan Helgesson, Centre for World Literatures/ ICPS Annual Lecture: “Literature and Decolonisation“, 5.15 – 6.30pm, Chemistry, LT D (G 35)
SEPTEMBER 2019
26 September – Listening Workshop, Highfields Library & Children’s Centre, Sheffield, S2 4NF (Poet in the City/ British Library Commission), 10am-12noon
Drop in: Listening Workshops, Highfields Library & Children’s Centre, Sheffield, S2 4NF (Poet in the City/ British Library Commission), various sessions throughout September
JUNE 2019
12 June – “Leeds to Ibadan: Poets, Editors, Librarians” @ School of English Research Celebration, University of Leeds
10 June – Loose Muse Guest @ Winchester Discovery Centre, Winchester, 7pm
MAY 2019
14 May – “Translocality, Small Magazines and Nigerian Poetry”, Finding Africa Seminar Series @ University of Leeds
9 May – Poetry Cabaret, University of Leeds @ Workshop Theatre, 7-9pm
2 May – “Anthologies, Editors and the Materials of Nigerian Poetry”, The Materials of African Literature Symposium, Centre for Literary Editing and the Materiality of the Text (CLEMT), @ University of Birmingham
APRIL 2019
27 April – 7pm -11pm, Chesterfield Labour Club w. Helen Mort & Ichabod Wolf
4-5 April “Anthologies and Nigerian Poetry”, Contemporary Africas Conference, University of Leeds
MARCH 2019
March – Guest Editor @Algebra of Owls Magazine
28 March – “Mothers Who Make” with Toria Garbutt & Helen Mort, Cooper Gallery, Barnsley
21 March – “Writing the Maternal”, Guest with Liz Berry & Jessie Greengrass, York Literature Festival @ York St John’s University
8 March – “Express Yourself” workshop, Hunter’s Bar Junior School, Sheffield
DECEMBER 2018
13-14 December – After Empire, University of Leeds
NOVEMBER 2018
15 November – Sheffield Poets, 7.30pm @ Sheffield University Arms, Sheffield
OCTOBER 2018
14 October – Sunday Service Poetry Stage, No Borders Festival @ The Holt Sheffield, 11am-1pm
9 October – New Writing Showcase with Imtiaz Dharker, Ilkley Literature Festival, 7.30pm @ The Manor House, Ilkley
9 October – Facebook Live! Ilkley Literature Festival Preview, 3pm @ Workshop Theatre, University of Leeds,
4 October – Poetry Trail, National Poetry Day @ York Explore Poetry
3 October – Women of Words, Kardomah 94, Hull, 2-4pm
SEPTEMBER 2018
11-13 September – African Studies Association UK Conference – “Communities, Collaborations, Crafts & Crossings (with Jarad Zimbler), University of Birmingham
JULY 2018
19 July – Launch of Moon Milk with guest Kate Garrett, 10.30am @ Hagglers Corner, Sheffield
JUNE 2018
29 June – Festival of Debate Closing Party: 100 Years of Womens Suffrage @ 7pm, Picture House Social, Abbeydale Rd, Sheffield (with Wordlife, Helen Pankhurst, Hollie McNish, Salena Godden, Girl Gang DJs) – Tickets for Good
APRIL 2018
19 April – Celebrating Verse Matters Anthology @ Alumni Room, School of English, University of Leeds, 5.30pm
MARCH 2018
1 March – Verse Matters Anthology @ Chapter One Books, Manchester, 7.30pm
8 March – ‘Stand & Friends’, Headingley Literature Festival @ Heart, Headingley, 7.30pm
NOVEMBER 2017
10-11 November – Tony Harrison at 80: A Celebration @ Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Woodhouse Lane, LS2 9DA
OCTOBER 2017
17 October – Launch of Verse Matters Anthology @ The Holt, Sheffield, 7.30pm
SEPTEMBER 2017
9 Sept – 31 October – ‘Root and Branch’ exhibition @ All Good Stuff, Butcher’s Works
AUGUST 2017
31 August, Wordlife/Apples & Snakes Present Caroline Bird, Rachel McCrum, Helen Mort & Rachel Bower @ DINA Venue (S1 4HP), 7-10pm.
JULY 2017
11 July – Writers in the Bath @ The Bath, Sheffield
JUNE 2017
23 June – performance York Theatre Royal @ 7.10pm, Everything is Possible, York Theatre Royal
22 June – Migration Matters – Verse Matters, @Moor Theatre Deli, 7.30pm
7 June – Remembering Oluwale Celebration @ Outlaws Yacht Club, Leeds 7pm
MAY 2017
27 May – Special Verse Matters @ South Yorkshire Poetry Festival @ Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield, 7.30pm
APRIL 2017
27 April – Tony Harrison in Nigeria “New Light on Tony Harrison“, British Academy, London
4 Apr – Women’s Path’s Research Group: Informal talk on the urgency of intersectional feminism today, including poetry reading and photography @Alumni Room, School of English (House 10), University of Leeds, 5.15-6.45pm
MARCH 2017
9 March – Verse Matters (SheFest special for International Women’s Day) @Moor Theatre Deli, 7.30pm
FEBRUARY 2017
23 Feb – Hive-Verse Matters Young People’s Open Mic @Theatre Deli, Sheffield, 7.30pm
16 Feb – Women-of-Steel workshop, Hunter’s Bar Infant School, Sheffield
14 Feb – Knit/lit Workshop (Yorkshire Year of the Textile) @Royal Armouries, Leeds, 2-4.30pm
9 Feb – Verse Matters @Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield, 7.30pm
DECEMBER 2016
1 December – The Gauntlet @The Holt Cafe, Sheffield, 8pm
NOVEMBER 2016
25 November, Reclaim the Night, 6.30pm Assembly for march (Sheffield Cathedral), Rally (Coffee Revolution) 7.30pm
24 November, Big City Read @York Explore, 7-8pm
7 November, Sheffield Anti-Slam @The Old Crown, London Rd
3 November – Verse Matters @The Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield
OCTOBER 2016
27 October, Hive Verse Matters Young People’s Open Mic @Theatre Deli, Sheffield
25 October, Launch of Cultural Institute @Great Hall, University of Leeds
6 October, Verse Matters @The Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield
SEPTEMBER 2016
1 September, Verse Matters @The Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield
Peace Poetry Workshops @ various schools, Leeds
AUGUST 2016
19 August, Bank St Arts, Sheffield
JULY 2016
10 July, Ilkley Literature Festival/ Wordlife, Bradford Playhouse
Peace Poetry Workshops @ various schools, Leeds
JUNE 2016
23 June, Verse Matters @ Moor Theatre Deli, Yorkshire Festival/ Refugee Week
18 June, Words and Whippets @ York Theatre Royal
17 June, Postcolonial Education: Teaching, Learning and Schooling in and After Empire (Northern Postcolonial Network Symposium), Rose Bowl, Leeds
11 June, The Cabaret Stage, Peace in the Park, Sheffield
3 June, “Epistolarity, Literary Ancestries and World Literature” (Classics as/and World Literature), Kings College London
MAY 2016
16 May, Guest, Fictions of Every Kind, Leeds
APRIL 2016
20 April, Five Leeds Poets, Poetry Centre, School of English, University of Leeds
15 April: Lyrical Presents Rachel Bower and Amy Kinsman, @Vittles, Sheffield
14 April: Guest, Live at the Lux, A Firm of Poets, Pudsey
7 April: Verse Matters @ Moor Theatre Deli, Sheffield with Rosie Garland (Poet), Robert de Born (Poet) and Sarah Sharp (Musician).
2 April: ASSIST Poem-a-Thon, Art House Cafe, Sheffield
MARCH 2016
18 March: Scribble @ Shakespeares, Sheffield, S3 8UB
3 March: Verse Matters, International Women’s Day @ Moor Theatre Deli with River Wolton (Poet), Amy Kinsman (Poet) and Fiona Helsing (Musician).
JANUARY 2016
Friday 28 January: Scribble @ Shakespeares, Sheffield, S3 8UB
Thursday 7 January: Verse Matters @ The Mugen Tea House, Sheffield with Gav Roberts (poet), Chella Quint (Poet/ Comedy) and Avital Raz (Musician).
NOVEMBER 2015
Thursday 12 November: Verse Matters @ The Hide, Sheffield with Kate Garrett (Poet), Gina Elbow (Poet) and Sarah Yaseen (Rafiki Jazz)
Tuesday 10 November: FURIES Poetry of Women Warriors: Paperback Launch @ White Cloth Gallery, Leeds
OCTOBER 2016
Friday 30 October: A New Word Order @ West Yorkshire Print Workshop, Mirfield
Wednesday 21 October: Lunch Poems @ School of English, University of Leeds
Tuesday 20 October: Reading @ “Feminism is Not a Dirty Word”, The Green Room, Sheffield
Thursday 15 October: Verse Matters @ The Hide, Sheffield with Shelley Roche-Jacques (Poet), Sarah Thomasin (poet) and Hervé Perez (improv. saxophonist)
Friday 9 October: Poetry Out Loud: Performance and Publication in the Digital Age with Helen Mort, Malika Booker, Rachel Bower and Rommi Smith @ The Chemic Tavern, Leeds 7.30pm
Wednesday 6 October: Leeds Humanities Research Institute: “A Failure of Craft”? Poetry in Leeds, Ibadan and Zaria in the 1950s and 1960s
Saturday 3 October: Reading @ Lynwood Gardens Festival, Sheffield
Friday 2 October: Reading @ We Shall Overcome, Queen’s Social Club, Sheffield
SEPTEMBER 2015
Thursday 10 September: Verse Matters @ The Hide, Sheffield. Featured artists: Genevieve Carver (Poet), Lou Richards (Musician) and Toria Garbutt (A Firm of Poets)
Friday 4 September: Rotherham Open Mic Performance (ROMP) @ The Bridge Inn, Rotherham.
AUGUST 2015
Thursday 13 August: Verse Matters @ The Hide, Sheffield. Featured artists: Charlotte Ansell (Paper Boat Poets), Anamoli Meraki (Poet/ Singer) and Arash Shafei Sabet (Musician, Arts on the Run). Open mic performances from Danielle Matthews (poet), Laura Ronan-Toulson (poet).
Thursday 6 August: Spoken Weird (Featured) @ Bar Up, Halifax.
JULY 2015
Monday July: Gorilla Poetry @ Brewdog, Sheffield.
Thursday 9 July: Launch of Verse Matters @ The Hide, Sheffield. Featured artists: Sheffield-based poet Helen Mort and Performance Poet Toria Garbutt (A Firm of Poets) and Mina Salama (Arts on the Run). Open mic performances from: Danielle Jeanee Richards (Up Scribe) Carol Eades (Poet and Gorilla EventsFriday ), Kate Garrett (Poet and Editor), Kev Titterton (Poet), Liz Ferrets (Poet), Rachel Garner (Poet).
Friday 3 July: Rotherham Open Mic Performance (ROMP) @ The Bridge Inn, Rotherham.
Thursday 2 July: Public discussion with ASSIST and Rafiki Jazz, Northern Postcolonial Network @ SITE Gallery, Sheffield.
JUNE 2015
Monday 22 June: Gorilla Solstice Relaunch @ Brewdog, Sheffield.
Tuesday 16 June: Sharrow Festival Poetry Slam @ The Old Crown Inn, Sheffield.
Thursday 11 June: Poetry and a Pint (A Firm of Poets) @ Cafe Lux, Pudsey, Leeds.
Saturday 6 June: Words in the City Slam @ Ilkley Literature Festival.
Friday 5 June: Rotherham Open Mic Performance (ROMP) @ The Bridge Inn, Rotherham.
MAY 2015
Saturday 23 May: A Firm of Poets Associate (A Firm of Poets/ ROMP, South Yorkshire Poetry Festival), @ The Bridge Inn, Rotherham
Thursday 7 – Friday 8 May: Paper on Tony Harrison’s Poetry or Bust @ Goldsmiths Place for Poetry Conference, London.
MARCH 2015
Wednesday 25 March: Paper on Comparative Literature and Field Theory @ Inaugural Event of Northern Postcolonial Network, Liverpool John Moores University.
Rachel Bower 
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