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Abstract digital art featuring overlapping, semi-transparent rectangles in red, green, blue, and orange on a purple background.

Poetry International Festival

Fri 10 – Sun 12 Jul 2026

A poetry takeover with a stellar line-up of celebrated poets, artists and performers

The world’s most celebrated poets perform their work live on stage and bring you into their enchanting creative worlds. 

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Wednesday 1 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 2 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 3 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 4 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 5 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 6 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 7 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 8 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 9 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 10 July

Poetic Unity + Live Band
Group of people of varying ages sat down with their arms in the air smiling

Poetic Unity + Live Band

Literature & poetry
The Clore Ballroom
Free
Benjamin Zephaniah: A Celebration
A man with long dreadlocks and a gap-toothed smile wearing a purple suit and making peace signs with both hands.

Benjamin Zephaniah: A Celebration

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 11 July

Masterclass: Raymond Antrobus
A man with tattooed arms in a brown linen shirt leans against a large tree trunk in a sunlit outdoor setting.

Masterclass: Raymond Antrobus

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Sold out
Poetry International Festival Zine Fair
Rows of tables with zines and crowds of people walking between

Poetry International Festival Zine Fair

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Free
After Catastrophe: Futures Beyond Crisis
Blue banner with collages images on the right

After Catastrophe: Futures Beyond Crisis

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Masterclass: Ilya Kaminsky
Close-up of a smiling man with glasses and messy dark hair, posing against a light-brown wooden paneled wall.

Masterclass: Ilya Kaminsky

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Sold out
Peter Gizzi & Denise Riley
Side-by-side portraits: a man with a gray beard looking forward, and a woman with white hair resting her head on her hand.

Peter Gizzi & Denise Riley

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Apples and Snakes: Managers’ Match
A woman performs spoken word poetry on stage with her arms outstretched, a large screen with text behind her.

Apples and Snakes: Managers’ Match

Literature & poetry
The Clore Ballroom
Free
Raymond Antrobus & Ilya Kaminsky
Split image: A tan man looking away in a garden, and a black-and-white close-up of a man laughing with eyes closed.

Raymond Antrobus & Ilya Kaminsky

Literature & poetry
British Sign Language interpreted (BSL) - The performance includes a live interpreter who translates the show into British Sign Language. Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Maggie Nelson
A woman with blue eyes and light hair looks directly at the camera, wearing a grey sweater over a polka-dot collared shirt.

Maggie Nelson

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
From the Lips to the Moon
Two musicians perform on a dark stage with red light projections; the singer wears red gloves and

From the Lips to the Moon

Literature & poetry
The Clore Ballroom
Free
Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 12 July

Masterclass: Peter Gizzi
Peter Gizzi standing at a lectern reading from his poetry collection.

Masterclass: Peter Gizzi

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Sold out
A Poet in Every Port – London
Two lead tutors, Vanessa Kisuule and Will Harris stand on stage. Vanessa reads from a pamphlet whilst speaking into a microphone.

A Poet in Every Port – London

Literature & poetry
Free
Yang Lian & Sudeep Sen: Chinese and Indian Poetry
Two portraits side-by-side: a man with long dark hair on the left, and a smiling man with glasses on the right.

Yang Lian & Sudeep Sen: Chinese and Indian Poetry

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Masterclass: Denise Riley
A woman with short white hair rests her head on her hand in front of a framed landscape painting on a white wall.

Masterclass: Denise Riley

Literature & poetry
Royal Festival Hall
Multi-buy
Sold out
Apples and Snakes Word Cup – Showcase Final
A diverse audience sits on wooden benches in a large indoor hall, smiling and clapping after a performance.

Apples and Snakes Word Cup – Showcase Final

Literature & poetry
The Clore Ballroom
Free
Batool Abu Akleen & Alice Oswald
A young woman wearing a red patterned scarf sitting in a cafe next to a window

Batool Abu Akleen & Alice Oswald

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
A Poet in Every Port: Live
Roger McGough seated on a wooden bench wearing a blue cap

A Poet in Every Port: Live

Literature & poetry
The Clore Ballroom
Free
Kim Hyesoon & Paul Muldoon
Side-by-side portraits: a woman in white with a magnifying glass and a black-and-white photo of a man in glasses.

Kim Hyesoon & Paul Muldoon

Literature & poetry
Purcell Room
Multi-buy
Allen Ginsberg at 100
Black and white portrait of a bearded man with glasses and a hat, adjusting his patterned tie while looking at the camera.

Allen Ginsberg at 100

Literature & poetry
Speech-to-Text transcribed - A transcribed performance shows live text of the dialogue and sound on screens.
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Multi-buy
Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 13 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 14 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 15 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 16 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 17 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 18 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 19 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 20 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 21 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 22 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 23 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 24 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 25 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 27 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 28 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 29 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 30 July

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 1 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 2 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 3 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 4 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 5 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 6 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 7 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 8 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 9 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 10 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 11 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 12 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 13 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 14 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 15 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 16 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 17 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 18 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 19 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 20 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 21 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 22 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 23 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 24 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 25 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 26 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 27 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 28 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 29 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 30 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 31 August

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 1 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 2 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 3 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 4 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 5 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 6 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 7 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 8 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 9 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 10 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 11 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 12 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 13 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 14 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 15 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 16 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 17 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 18 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 19 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 20 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Monday 21 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Tuesday 22 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Wednesday 23 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Thursday 24 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Friday 25 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Saturday 26 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

Sunday 27 September

Gift to the Future
Collage of handwritten poetic notes about the future pasted over a black-and-white line drawing of city buildings.

Gift to the Future

Art & exhibitions
Site wide
Free

While you're with us

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms
People enjoying the Jeppe Hein Fountain at the Southbank Centre

Jeppe Hein: Appearing Rooms

A summer favourite returns to our site on Wednesday 17 June.

Shopping
Wooden displays in the Southbank centre shop, featuring books, plushies, and colourful merchandise

Shopping

A vibrant range of inspiring books, homeware, prints, accessories and more.

Klaus Weber: Thinking Fountains
Two statues; a green human body with water spouting from its neck and another of human legs with water pouring down from above displayed outdoors

Thinking
Fountains

Water cascades and spouts over Klaus Weber’s bronze figures.

Modified Social Benches
Two children eating ice cream on a red cirrcular bench

Modified Social Benches

Benches that challenge the space and distance we place between one another.

William Pye's Zemran
A photograph showing Riverside Terrace at Southbank Centre, with the metal sculpture Zemran in the foreground, next to Queen Elizabeth Hall

William Pye's Zemran

Pye’s beautiful stainless steel sculpture sits overlooking the Thames.

Natura Nostra Forest
Bright sunlight bursts through green leaves with a lens flare, set against a blue sky and a textured concrete building.

Natura Nostra Forest

Our growing pocket forest creating a natural oasis.