If you fancy stanzas with your strawberries or couplets with your cuppa, then a new position at one of Newcastle’s most famous shopping destinations could be for you.
The Grainger Market is to get its very own poet in residence in April as part of the Newcastle Poetry Festival.
The poet will engage market traders, shoppers, and visitors during the five-day residency, which will culminate in the creation of new written work based on the theme ‘In/Out of Place’, which will be showcased at the festival in May.
This year’s Newcastle Poetry Festival, which is run by Newcastle University in partnership with Newcastle City Council’s Arts and Economic Development Teams, has a special focus on local places. This year’s theme explores the connection between poetry and history, feelings of displacement and belonging, and the power of local places to inspire creativity and new writing.
Dr Theresa Muñoz, Director of the Newcastle Poetry Festival, said: “This residency will build cultural and creative links between artists and sites of heritage in Newcastle. We hope that a poet will be inspired by the rich history, architecture, and stalls of Grainger Market and create an exciting new work for the Festival.”
Applications to be poet-in-residence are open until Monday 18 March.
Newcastle Poetry Festival runs from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 May 2024 at the Northern Stage. You can find out more here: www.newcastlepoetryfestival.co.uk