To mark our 20th birthday year, we’re planning a year of events featuring some of the fantastic poets and translators we’ve worked with over the past two decades, returning to venues and partners we’ve worked with, and making new friends along the way.
Our first stop is in Norfolk, working with the National Centre for Writing in Norwich and red herring press in Great Yarmouth. This showcase features the first instance of our new international hybrid event format, with partners at ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network) in Malmö, Sweden. Here’s a taster of each of the events – find out more and book via the National Centre for Writing website.
Living in Language: Celebrate World Poetry Day with Yang Lian, Mohan Rana and Brian Holton, 7pm Thursday 21 March
Legendary Chinese and Hindi poets Yang Lian and Mohan Rana will read poems and excerpts from their essays in Living in Language, launching the Poetry Translation Centre’s debut essay anthology exploring the craft of poetry. Translator Brian Holton will join to read the translations of Lian’s work, and take part in a conversation. This is not one to miss.
Voices in Exile: An Evening with Azita Ghahreman, Elhum Shakerifar and Maura Dooley, 6.30pm Friday 22 March
In an exciting new hybrid livestream event format, Azita Ghahreman will join us from the Dawit Izaak Library in Malmö, Sweden, for a bilingual reading in Farsi and English. Her translators Elhum Shakerifar and Maura Dooley will be on stage at the National Centre for Writing, and join a panel discussion hosted by George Szirtes. This event will also be livestreamed so you can join online for free. This event will be BSL interpreted.
Translate Farsi Poetry with Elhum Shakerifar, 10am Saturday 23 March
Join a classic Poetry Translation Centre workshop in our 20th birthday year. No experience or language expertise required – come along to deepen your practice as a poet, as a translator, or just as a literary enthusiast.
Polylingual Poetry Open Mic, 7pm Saturday 23 March
We’ll cap off our Norfolk showcase with a Polylingual Open Mic hosted by Phoebe Wagner, featuring local Burmese poet ko ko thett and Fathima Zahra who, like Phoebe, is a graduate of the PTC’s UNDERTOW programme for young polylingual poets. At this event, we invite you to share on stage poems from languages other than English – whether that’s a poem you’ve written using different languages, or reading a poem by someone else – you can read this in English translation if you prefer. All are welcome for this celebratory grand finale to our showcase weekend.
These events are made possible through the support of Arts Council England.
