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    Ginkgo Prize for Ecopoetry: Readings

    Accessible
    Multi-buy
    Fri 21 Jul, 6pm
    Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall
    Literature & poetry
    £7.50
    past event
    past event
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    Half-length portrait of Karen McCarthy Woolf, who has a serious face and wears a black ruffled top and pendant earrings
    Karen McCarthy Woolf © Yasmine Akim, Eva-Grace Bor

    Listen to poems from the judges and winners of the Ginkgo Prize, a major international award for ecopoetry, and see the winners crowned at this exclusive event.

    We are joined by this year's judges, Seán Hewitt, Linda Gregerson and Karen McCarthy Woolf, to present the shortlist and award the prizes.

    Every year, the competition awards £8,000 in prize money, provides writers' residencies for the winners, and supports the development of ecopoetry through a programme of free workshops and a series of incisive essays by leading ecological writers.

    The award, initially called the Resurgence Prize, was first presented in 2015. It has been run by the Poetry School since 2017 and was relaunched as the Ginkgo Prize in 2018.

    Need to know

    Age recommendation

    For ages 16+

    This event is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL). Interpretation provided by David Clifford and Sarah Meeks (subject to change).

    To book tickets for these services, call our Ticket Office on 020 3879 9555 or email [email protected]

    You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
    Find out more about our Access Scheme
    All our Access & facilities information

    This event is also available to watch online.
    Discover Ginkgo Prize for Ecopoetry Readings: Live Stream

    Dates & times

    Fri 21 Jul, 6pm
    Approximate run time: 1 hour 15 mins.
    Run times may vary by up to 20 minutes as they can be affected by last-minute programme changes, intervals and encores.

    Price

    • Standard entry£7.50*
    • Concessions25%**


    * Excludes £3.50 booking fee.

    ** Limited availability. Read about concessions.

    Tickets can only be sold through the Southbank Centre and our authorised agents, and can't be resold. You can return your tickets to the Southbank Centre for a credit voucher up to 48 hours before the event. Tickets resold on any third-party platforms will become invalid.

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    Venue

    Purcell Room

    Our number one priority is the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff. 

    Check here for our current guidance

    Open 90 minutes before an event until the end of the event. Closed at all other times.

    See the opening times for all our venues

    Our address is: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest tube and train stations within 5-7 minutes walk are Waterloo (Northern, Bakerloo, Jubilee and Waterloo & City lines) and Embankment (District & Circle lines). There are also lots of bus routes with stops 2-5 minutes from our venues. For more information on getting here by road, rail or river.

     Visit our Getting here page

    Pre-booking online is recommended. Check our website on the day for returns. There’s no need to print your e-ticket – just show your phone to our Visitor Assistants on entry.

    Some free events don't require a ticket. Found an event labelled FREE on our website with no way to book? Simply turn up on the day.

    If you don't receive your e-ticket

    Your e-ticket will be sent to you seven days before the event date from [email protected]. If you don't receive your e-ticket, and it's not in your junk or spam folder, please get in touch. 

    Email us

    More information

    Find out all you need to know about tickets, including concessions, group bookings, returns, credit vouchers and more, via the link below.

    Frequently asked questions

    Get an overview of the seating layout of the Purcell Room by downloading our seating plan.

    Download seating plan

    Toilets

    An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.

    A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1 Royal Festival Hall next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet.

    The facility includes a height-adjustable bench, tracking hoist system, a centrally-placed toilet, a height-adjustable basin and a shower. The key for this room is available from the Welcome Hub on Level 2, Royal Festival Hall. The facility is open daily 10am – 11pm.

    Cloakroom

    The Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room cloakroom is closed. You won’t be able to bring any bags over 40 x 25 x 25cm into the venues, so please leave large bags at home.

    We're cash-free

    Please note that we're unable to accept cash payments across our site. 

    Purcell Room is located in Queen Elizabeth Hall. For step-free access please use Royal Festival Hall JCB glass lift to Level 2 and enter via Riverside Terrace.

    Talk to a member of staff at the auditorium entrance if you have a disability that means you can’t queue, or you need extra time to take your seat. They can arrange priority entry for you as soon as the doors open.

    Download step-free access map

    More about Access & facilities