C to D Libraries Tour 2022 (archive)

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage embarks on a new leg of his ten-year tour of the UK’s libraries

‘I want to celebrate the physical space of libraries and take my work back into places that have given me so much.’

Each spring this decade, Simon Armitage will give readings across the UK, from the flagship libraries of the big cities to smaller libraries serving rural and remote communities. Using the alphabet as a compass, his journey will celebrate the library as one of the great and necessary institutions.

Join Simon in the next stage of his 10-year adventure for a series of free poetry readings live in libraries. 

Armitage says: ‘My experience of reading and writing began in the village library where I grew up, then in the nearby town library, then in libraries at various places of study and teaching. For many people they are an invaluable aspect of everyday life, giving access not just to books but to services, learning, conversation and creative thinking. I want to pay my respects to these unique institutions. By planning readings up to a decade in advance I’m being optimistic about the future of our libraries, and challenging those authorities who would consider closing them down.

It would have been easy to stream these events from my office or garden shed, but at a time when libraries are under threat and have been out of bounds during lockdown, reading from inside their physical structures feels like an act of solidarity –  with books, with poetry, and with communities.’

C to D Libraries Tour : March 24 – April 1

Sut i archebu: Taith Llyfrgelloedd C i D yn ystod 2022 ~ Turas Leabharlannan C gu D: Màrt 24 gu Giblean 1

Welcome! All performances will be live-streamed for free online viewing during the event only. Free in-person seats are on offer at one or two libraries (details below), insofar as space and Covid-safety measures allow. Booking is essential whether you would like a virtual seat or in-library seat.  

Tour Audience Advisory: Age 11+ (poetry can contain strong language)

Croeso!  Bydd pob perfformiad yn cael ei ffrydio’n fyw ar gyfer ei wylio ar-lein yn rhad ac am ddim yn ystod y digwyddiad yn unig.  Mae rhai seddi rhad ac am ddim ar gael i unigolion mewn rhai o’r llyfrgelloedd (gweler y manylion isod), cyn belled â bod lle a bod cyfyngiadau Covid yn caniatáu.  Mae’n hanfodol i chi archebu lle p’un a fyddech chi’n hoffi sedd rithwir neu sedd yn y llyfrgell. Cyngor ynglŷn â Chynulleidfa’r Daith:  11 oed+ (gall gynnwys iaith gref)

Fàilte! Thèid gach tachartas a shruthadh beò an-asgaidh gus sealltainn air air an Lìon dìreach aig àm an tachartais fhèin. Tha suidheachain an-asgaidh air an làraich gan tabhann aig feadhainn de na leabharlannan (fios gu h-ìseal), a rèir mar a cheadaicheas àite agus bacaidhean Covid. Tha e riatanach gun cuir thu àite an dara taobh eadar gu bheil thu ag iarraidh àite-suidhe air an Lìon no air an làraich.  Comhairle mu Luchd-èisteachd an Turas: Aois 11+ (faodaidh gum bi cainnt bhorb ann).

Thursday, March 24

2.00-3.00pm – Chadderton Library & Wellbeing Centre, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 0JW. 

To launch the Tour, Simon Armitage reads with Mancunian performance artist Keisha Thompson and two poets from Oldham Academy North, Fateha Alam and Lawdy Karim

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/chadderton
  • No in-library seats available for the public here.

Friday, March 25 / Dydd Gwener, 25ain Mawrth

11.00-12.00 noon – Llyfrgell Caerfyrddin / Carmarthen Library, SA31 1LN

Simon Armitage reads with Ifor ap Glyn, Bardd Cenedlaethol Cymru / National Poet of Wales. Ifor ap Glyn will also read some of his poetry written in Welsh. 

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/caerfyrddin
  • No in-library seats available for the public here. 

Simon Armitage yn darllen gydag Ifor ap Glyn, Bardd Cenedlaethol Cymru / National Poet of Wales.  Bydd Ifor ap Glyn hefyd yn darllen ychydig o’i farddoniaeth a ysgrifennodd yn y Gymraeg.

• • Digwyddiad wedi’i ffrydio rhad ac am ddim; er mwyn archebu ei weld ar-lein ewch i:crowdcast.io/e/caerfyrddin
  • Nid oes unrhyw seddau yn y llyfrgell ar gael i’r cyhoedd yma.

Friday, March 25

7.00-8.00pm – Clevedon Library, North Somerset, BS21 6NN

Simon Armitage reads with Phoebe Stuckes, originally from Somerset and four times winner of Foyle Young Poets.

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/clevedon
  • No in-library seats available for the public here.

Saturday, March 26

3.00-4.00pm – Colyton Library, Devon, EX24 6NQ  

Simon Armitage reads with innovative eco-poet Elizabeth-Jane Burnett and three winners of the Our Future; Our Planet poetry competition for local high schools, kindly organised by the Friends of Colyton Library.  

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/colyton
  • No in-library seats available for the public here.

Sunday, March 27

7.00-8.00pm – Chatham Library, Medway, ME4 4TX 

Simon Armitage reads with Patience Agbabi, former Canterbury Poet Laureate and poet-in-residence at Chatham Historic Dockyard, to launch the Medway Patchwork collaborative poem project, as part of Medway’s International Poetry Day celebration.

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/chatham
  • To book in-library seats, please click here

Monday, March 28

6.30-7.30pm – Cambridge University Library, CB3 9DR

Celebrate historic poetry archives with Simon Armitage and Cambridge University Library’s former poet-in-residence, Imtiaz Dharker, as they give poetry readings and are in conversation in the Rare Books Reading Room with Dr. Jessica Gardner, Cambridge University Librarian and Director of Library Services. 

• • Free live-streamed event, to book for online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/cul 
  • No in-library seats available for the public here.

Wednesday, March 30

7.00-8.00pm – Clydebank Library, G81 1XH

To celebrate this newly refurbished Carnegie library, Simon Armitage reads with Scottish Makar, Kathleen Jamie and local poet Tawona Sitholé, UNESCO artist-in-residence at Glasgow University. This event is also part of West Dunbartonshire Libraries’ celebration with poetry of Scotland’s Year of Stories: the Telling Tales: Voices in Verse  workshops and poetry competition. 

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/clydebank
  • Note: the refurbished Clydebank Library is not yet open to the public, so bookings cannot be made in-person in the library itself.  

Friday, April 1 / Dihaoine, 1 Giblean

Simon Armitage joins Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s mobile library service which travels the Càirinis / Carinish route on Isle of North Uist. As a finale, Simon reads with leading Hebridean writer Kevin MacNeil/ Caoimhin MacNèill. Kevin will include some of his work written in Scottish Gaelic / Gàidhlig.

7.30-8.30pm / 7.30 gu 8.30f, Taigh Chearsabhagh, HS6 5AA

• • Free live-streamed event, to book online viewing: www.crowdcast.io/e/carinish
  • To be part of the on-the-spot audience, book free tickets here: www.taigh-chearsabhagh.org/events/

Tha Sìm Armitage a’ tighinn còmhla ri seirbheis nan leabharlannan-siubhail aig Comhairle nan Eilean Siar a’ siubhal slighe Chàirinis ann an Uibhist a Tuath. Anns an dealachadh, bidh Sìm a’ leughadh còmhla ri sgrìobhadair is bàrd cliùiteach Innse Gall Caoimhin MacNèill. Bidh cuid den t-saothair aige air a sgrìobhadh ann an Gàidhlig aig Caoimhin.

• • Tachartas an-asgaidh ga shruthadh beò, gus sealltainn air air an Lìon a chur air dòigh: www.crowdcast.io/e/carinish
  • Gus a bhith san èisteachd air an làraich, cuir tiogaidean an-asgaidh air dòigh an seo: https://www.taigh-chearsabhagh.org/?p=52799

Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre champions heritage, visual arts and the Gaelic language and culture on the isle of North Uist. It is also hosts the Lews Castle College Reference Library.

Tha Taigh-tasgaidh agus Ionad-ealain Thaigh Chearsabhagh a’ cur air adhart dualchas, ealainean lèirsinneach agus Gàidhlig ann an Uibhist a Tuath.

——

Tour Audience Advisory: Age 11+ (may contain strong language) / Cyngor ynglŷn â Chynulleidfa’r Daith:  11 oed+ (gall gynnwys iaith gref) / Comhairle mu Luchd-èisteachd an Turas: Aois 11+ (faodaidh gum bi cainnt bhorb ann).

Tips for using Crowdcast: check here

Taith y Bardd Llawryfog i Lyfrgelloedd – Defnyddio Crowdcast

Turas Leabharlannan Bàrd-cùirte na Rìoghachd – A’ cleachdadh Crowdcast

Support: The C to D Libraries Tour is kindly supported by the T. S. Eliot Foundation, Mark Pigott KBE, Faber & Faber and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. We are grateful to our hosts at each of the libraries on this Tour for making this project possible.

Gyda chefnogaeth garedig gan y T.S. Eliot Foundation, Mark Pigott KBE, Faber & Faber a gan ddefnyddio cyllid cyhoeddus gan y Loteri Genedlaethol drwy Gyngor Celfyddydau Lloegr.

Le taic choibhneil bho Urras T.S. Eliot Foundation, Mark Pigott KBE, Faber is Faber agus a’ dèanamh feum de mhaoineachadh poblach leis a’ Chrannchar Nàiseanta tro Chomhairle Ealain Shasainn.

Privacy Policy: for Laureate’s Library Tour 2022 events requiring registration via Crowdcast, https://www.simonarmitage.com/laureates-library-tour-privacy-policy/

Taith Llyfrgelloedd y Bardd Llawryfog 2022 – Polisi Preifatrwydd, https://www.simonarmitage.com/taith-llyfrgelloedd-y-bardd-llawryfog-2022-polisi-preifatrwydd/

Turas a’ Bhàird air na Leabharlannan – Poileasaidh mu Phrìobhaideachd, https://www.simonarmitage.com/turas-a-bhaird-air-na-leabharlannan-poileasaidh-mu-phriobhaideachd/

ENDS