How to Book: H to K Libraries Tour 2024 / Sut i archebu: Taith Llyfrgelloedd H i K yn ystod 2024

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

Bydd y Bardd Llawryfog, Simon Armitage, yn cychwyn ar gymal newydd o’i daith deng mlynedd o gwmpas llyfrgelloedd y DU.

‘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.

‘Rydw i eisiau dathlu mannau ffisegol llyfrgelloedd a mynd â’m gwaith yn ôl i’r lleoedd sydd wedi cynnig cymaint i mi.’

Bob gwanwyn yn ystod y degawd nesaf, bydd Simon Armitage yn cynnal darlleniadau ar hyd a lled y DU, o brif lyfrgelloedd y dinasoedd mawr i lyfrgelloedd llai sy’n gwasanaethu cymunedau gwledig ac anghysbell.  Drwy ddefnyddio’r wyddor fel cwmpawd, bydd ei daith yn dathlu’r llyfrgell fel sefydliadau gwych ac angenrheidiol.

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

Ymunwch â Simon yng ngham nesaf ei antur 10 mlynedd ar gyfer cyfres o ddarlleniadau barddoniaeth byw yn rhad ac am ddim mewn llyfrgelloedd.

‘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.’

Dywed Armitage: ‘Dechreuodd fy mhrofiad o ddarllen ac ysgrifennu yn llyfrgell y pentref lle cefais fy magu, yna llyfrgell mewn tref gerllaw ac yna llyfrgelloedd mannau astudio ac addysg amrywiol.  I lawer o bobl, maen nhw’n agwedd amhrisiadwy o fywyd beunyddiol, yn rhoi mynediad at  nid yn unig llyfrau, ond hefyd gwasanaethau, dysg, sgwrs a meddwl creadigol.  Rydw i eisiau dangos parch tuag at y sefydliadau unigryw hyn.  Drwy gynllunio darlleniadau hyd at ddegawd ymlaen llaw, rydw i’n obeithiol ynglŷn â dyfodol ein llyfrgelloedd, ac rydw i’n herio’r awdurdodau hynny sydd o bosib yn  ystyried eu cau.’

H to K Libraries Tour : March 5 – 12 / Taith Llyfrgelloedd H i K,  Marwth 5 – 12, 2024

Free but booking is essential. 
Live in-library events only.

Rhad ac am ddim, ond rhaid archebu lle. 
Digwyddiadau byw yn y llyfrgell yn unig. 

Tuesday, March 5 

17.00-18.00 – Harlesden Library, Craven Park Road. Harlesden, London NW10 8SE

Launch this year’s Tour with Harlesden Library as the library showcases Somali folklore and history through poetry and dance, and looks ahead to International Women’s Day, March 8.

Simon Armitage is joined by the poet Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf and her translator, the poet Clare Pollard, who will give a bi-lingual reading from The Sea Migrations: Tahriib (Bloodaxe/Poetry Translation Centre), named Poetry Book of the Year by Sunday Times in 2018. Qoran dancers will open this event hosted by Brent Libraries

• • Booking is essential: free tickets via Eventbrite here    Fully booked but waiting list available via the link. 
  • Age 11+ 

Wednesday, March 6

18.30-19.30 – HMP East Sutton Park library, Sutton Valence, Maidstone ME17 3DF

Simon Armitage joins the reading group in this special closed event, hosted by Kent Libraries. 

Friday, March 8

18.00-20.00 — Haverfordwest’s The Riverside Library / Glan-yr-afon, 20 Swansquare, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA61 2AN

Simon Armitage reads with award-winning Welsh poet, novelist and playwright Owen Sheers and Bethany Handley, one of the writers selected for Literature Wales’ Representing Wales 2023-24 and a Pushcart Prize nominee. The readings will open the Private View of the new exhibition celebrating the life and work of Dylan Thomas with a particular focus on his poetry and iconic play for voices, Under Milk Wood. Hosted by Pembrokeshire Library Service in association with the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 

This occasion will also display winning entries from Haverfordwest Library’s Poetry Eisteddfod Competition, held to celebrate the Welsh language, Welsh culture, Welsh heritage and Welsh literature. The exhibition celebrating the life and work of Dylan Thomas will open to the public from Saturday March 9. 

• • Booking for Fri, March 8 is essential: for free tickets, please visit: www.ticketsource.co.uk/glan-yr-afon Fully booked, but please monitor the page in case some tickets are returned nearer the time and are made available again. 
  • Age 11+ (poetry can contain strong language) 

Simon Armitage yn darllen gydag Owen Sheers, y bardd, y nofelydd a’r dramodydd enwog o Gymru, a Bethany Handley, un o’r awduron a gafodd eu dewis ar gyfer Rhaglen Cynrychioli Cymru 2023-24, Llenyddiaeth Cymru. Bydd y darlleniadau yn agor Dangosiad Preifat yr arddangosfa newydd sy’n dathlu bywyd a gwaith Dylan Thomas, ac sy’n canolbwyntio’n benodol ar ei farddoniaeth a’i ddrama eiconig, Under Milk Wood. Cynhelir y digwyddiad gan Wasanaeth Llyfrgell Sir Benfro mewn cydweithrediad â Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Aberystwyth. 

Bydd yr achlysur hwn hefyd yn gyfle i arddangos gweithiau buddugol Cystadleuaeth Eisteddfod Barddoniaeth Llyfrgell Hwlffordd, a gynhaliwyd i ddathlu’r iaith Gymraeg, yn ogystal â diwylliant, treftadaeth a llenyddiaeth Cymru. Bydd yr arddangosfa sy’n dathlu bywyd a gwaith Dylan Thomas ar agor i’r cyhoedd o Ddydd Sadwrn 9 Mawrth ymlaen. 

• • • Rhaid archebu lle ar gyfer Mawrth 8: i gael tocynnau yn rhad ac am ddim, ewch i: www.ticketsource.co.uk/glan-yr-afon  
    • 11 oed a hŷn (gall y farddoniaeth gynnwys iaith gref)

Saturday, March 9

19.30-20.30 — The Hive,  Sawmill Close, The Butts, Worcester WR1 3PD

Celebrate libraries with The Hive, the first fully integrated public and university library in Europe. Simon Armitage reads with Amelie Simon, Worcestershire’s Young Poet Laureate 2023/24.

The annual Worcestershire Young Poet Laureate (YPL) competition, run jointly by Worcestershire Libraries and Severn Arts, celebrates the talented voices of young local poets. 

• • Booking for March 9 is essential and tickets will be released online at 10am on Saturday 27 January
  • Tickets are free and will be limited to 2 tickets per booking – please book online here when available   Fully booked.
  • Age 11+ (poetry can contain strong language)

A limited number of tickets will be reserved for entrants to the 2024/25 Worcestershire YPL competition and will be selected at random from entries received by 23^rd February. Submissions to this year’s competition can be made here now: www.severnarts.org.uk/ypl24  

Monday, March 11

19.30-20.30, Kirkcudbright Library, Daar Road Offices, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway DG8 4JG

To celebrate libraries, Simon Armitage visits rural southwest Scotland, a region with extensive poetic and literary history, and reads with Lydia McMillan from Penpont, one of Scotland’s Next Generation Young Makars in 2022.  This talent development scheme for poetry writers aged 16 to 25 years was launched by the Scottish Poetry Library.  

• • Booking is essential: free tickets will be available from 9.00AM, Mon, Feb 5 via Ticketsource here  Fully booked now, waiting list available.
  • Age 11+ (poetry can contain strong language)

Tuesday, March 12

19.00-20.00 –  Haltwhistle Library, Mechanics Institute, Westgate, Haltwhistle NE49 0AX

The Tour’s grand finale this year celebrates Northumberland Libraries’ centenary and the tenth anniversary of Northumberland National Park as an International Dark Skies Park (Dark Skies Matter: The Sill)

Northumberland Libraries celebrate one hundred years of delivering a public library service to the rural areas of Northumberland in 2024 and are delighted to partner with Northumberland National Park for this special event in the historic Haltwhistle Mechanics’ Institute Building, home of Haltwhistle Library and Community Hub.

Simon Armitage reads with award-winning Bloodaxe poet Katrina Porteous, who writes from a deep commitment to place and community, often using Northumbrian speech, and Dr Sheree Mack, the first writer-in-residence at Northumberland National Park. 

Hosted by Northumberland Libraries and Northumberland National Park.

• • Booking is essential: Tickets are by invitation or to apply to join the waiting list for public tickets (limited numbers) please call Haltwhistle library on 01434 321863 or email haltwhistle.library@northumberland.gov.uk  Fully booked now.
  • Age 11+ (poetry can contain strong language)   

This year’s Laureate’s Library Tour takes place with kind support from the T. S. Eliot Foundation and Faber & Faber. Gyda chefnogaeth garedig gan y T.S. Eliot Foundation a Faber & Faber. 

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