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Branching off from a unique event in Belfast, Tenx9 Nottingham sees nine local people tell ten minute stories about their lives in the atmospheric surrounds of Broadway Cinema. The next instalment of the event is in January, so we heard more about it from facilitator Sai Masud.

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As Nature Poet Laureate, Cara will use her poetry as a tool to engage, empower and uplift communities, with particular emphasis on the young people in our communities who may feel disconnected from literature and the environment. Through workshops, performances, and public engagement, Cara will encourage creativity, build confidence, and open up new ways of experiencing both poetry and nature.

We sat down with Cara Thompson, Nature Poet Laureate, to discuss her vision for her role and understand a bit more about the manifesto.

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Let's explore some idiom origins!

In this episode, Rob and Jess explore the stories behind a host of common sayings.
Does anyone actually 'bury the hatchet'?
Was there ever a 'devil's advocate'?
What is a 'son of a gun'?
Why would you have a 'feather in your cap'?

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Hannah and I have just come back from Slovenia. We had the privilege of attending the annual UNESCO Cities of Literature conference in Ljubljana, our sister city, who is also celebrating 10 years as a UNESCO City of Literature this year.

One of the best things about being a UNESCO City of Literature is, as said by our Coordinator Kjartan, that “the network opens the door to the whole world”. The conference has been a great reminder that Nottingham is part of this amazing international network of people that deeply care about literature and how words can contribute to changing the world. We met with 55 international colleagues from 40 cities including Melbourne, Okayama, Slemani, Jakarta, Seattle, Quebec City, Barcelona, Milan, and many more.

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We take a look at The Unravelling of Mary Reddish by David Whitfield, a novel about the blurred lines between sanity, control and women's autonomy, which is set against the backdrop of Nottingham General Lunatic Asylum - the first publicly-funded asylum in England.

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Writing East Midlands says goodbye to 2025! We’ve had a big year packed with projects and programmes for writers across the region, from young writers’ groups to masterclasses, critical read schemes to competitions, conferences to festivals, and much, much more.

As our way of celebrating the end of 2025, here’s a rundown of just a few of our favourite events from the year.

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Poet Leanne Moden worked with us on the Bromley House Library Writers’ Residency as a creative mentor. Here, Leanne talks about the process of writing to commission, and supporting young people on their first writing residency.

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Marjie Griffiths has been enriching Nottingham’s literary scene with her poetry since her debut at Crosswords Open Mic in 2017. Now, she’s a finalist at Slamovision – the international spoken word version of Eurovision, hosted by the UNESCO Cities of Literature. She tells us about her Slamovision journey, her passion for Nottingham’s literary community, and the surprising dinner party conversation that inspired her Slamovision poem.

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Young readers are being invited to join Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature’s Youth Selection Panel, to select the final four books for their flagship campaign, Big City Reads 2026, running from 29 June - 12 August 2026. The campaign gifts 2500 books for free in the city and its surroundings to encourage more young people in Nottingham to read for pleasure.

Big City Reads 2024 engaged one million people and next year’s campaign promises to be even bigger and better. With identity at the heart of next year’s campaign, publishers across the UK are submitting books that explore this powerful theme.

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All that Nottingham’s literary scene was missing, said poet Rory Waterman, was a “name-brand literary journal”. Grace Sanders speaks to Andrew Tucker Leavis, Editor-in-Chief of the New Nottingham Journal, about how he decided to rectify that issue, with LeftLion’s help…

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Nottingham Journal

Join Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook as they uncover the origins of Robin Hood. What was the earliest mention of Robin Hood in text? How has Robin Hood evolved through time to become the legend that he is today? Did he have a real-life counterpart?

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In recent years there’s been more recognition that a short story’s impact isn’t limited by its brevity. Flash Fiction has blossomed into its own discrete art form - and we’re now pleased to say that we have a champion of the form among us...

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City Arts will be leaving 11-13 Hockley when our lease ends on 2 March 2026. After 12 years, this is a huge change for us and for the many artists, groups and communities who have called the space home. Economic pressures mean we can no longer remain in the building, and we know this will be felt deeply across Nottingham’s cultural landscape.

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Created by National Poetry Centre in partnership with National Literacy Trust, and supported by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the Young Poet Laureate programme provides children and young people with new opportunities to explore and discover poetry in their schools and communities.

The Young Poet Laureate programme aims to inspire a new generation of young poets.

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Iowa City's Henry Morray is the winner of Slamovision 2025, having competed against the finest spoken word artists across the UNESCO Cities of Literature network.

UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature use creativity and culture to promote the social, economic and cultural development of their cities. In these times of global uncertainty, the network continues to connect literary communities across the world, forging bonds through the power of books, words and ideas.

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A charming coming-of-age novel about what it means to grow up and find family amongst strangers, set against the backdrop of a dystopian regime and shaped by themes of drug abuse, gang violence, and personal responsibility.

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Back in late August, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature announced Cara Thompson as the city’s first Nature Poet Laureate. Cara is an art-ivist, performer, and writer, a founding member of the Nottingham Black Creatives Network and the 2021 winner of Slamovision. Her work draws heavily from her Caribbean-British background – encouraging creative discussion of social issues. Below we meet Cara and learn all about her…

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Nottingham journalist and author Frances Ryan is Britain’s leading writer and activist for disabled people. She has spent years calling out reckless government policies and social ignorance towards disability, and been a beacon for people living with disabilities. This year she released a new book describing the daily differences of living with a disability. We caught up with her for a chat…

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Writer Danny Scott’s memoir, The Undisputed King of Selston, delves into Nottinghamshire's rich mining history from a personal and emotional perspective. Marcus Lawrence delves into the journalist’s newest book, and his deep-rooted, generational connections to the city.

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The Palazzo Guiccioli in Ravenna, which Lord Byron called home for two years, has had a major renovation – now housing a new immersive experience which centres on Nottinghamshire’s most renowned poet. Stuart Baird has been out there to tell us more...

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TYPE! isn’t TYPE! without the words to fill it. We are looking for compelling content to include in future editions. If you want to learn more about some of the guidelines we have regarding submissions, keep scrolling!

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Our latest episode is a conversation with the Notts-born Showrunner of BBC TV's Sherwood, who is taking Notts to New York stages and returning home to celebrate the 160th Birthday of Nottingham's Theatre Royal...

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This month, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature have announced their new Nature Poet Laureate: Cara Thompson.

During the next 18 months Cara will create five new poetic works, in service of a role devised to inspire new connections with nature in the face of the climate crisis, and to dovetail with the City Council’s commitment to becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2030.

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Nottingham author Frances Thimann’s latest short story collection, Sweet Thames, Run Softly Till I End My Song, brings together all the stories she has written over the course of her career that were inspired by classical music. The collection breathes new life into her pieces, illuminating the profound emotional resonance music can hold. Within this collection, Thimann explores the complex interplay between performers and conductors, and the often stark contrast between musicians' lives on and off the stage – as well as how a single song can evoke a memory, or reawaken history.

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Granada UNESCO City of Literature, a program under the Department of Culture of the Granada City Council, in collaboration with the University of Granada—through the Vice-Rectorate for University Extension, the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalization, and the Vice-Rectorate for Social Responsibility, Equality, and Inclusion—announces a new edition of its International Writers in Residence Programme in Granada. This initiative aims to strengthen international cooperation in the cultural sector and support literary creation—one of the key goals established by Granada as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

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The Amazon Literary Fund’s 2025 grant recipients have been announced, and we’re delighted to reveal that Writing East Midlands is on the list of organisations in receipt of their funding.

Previously, the grant has been used to support our young writers’ programme, allowing us to connect emerging creatives with established writers and nurture their talent. Many of the young writers who have graduated from our young writers’ groups have gone on to achieve truly brilliant things, such as founding their very own spoken word collectives or joining our Youth Advisory Board and running events like Scribble Feste! In this way, the Amazon Literary Fund has been a truly bolstering force to a core part of our programme.

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Readers, prepare your confetti. 2025 marks our first decade as a UNESCO City of Literature - with many more, we hope, to come. Since 2015, Nottingham City of Literature has been honouring their commitment to building better futures with words, especially for our young people. This has included working with local educational institutions to enhance literacy, facilitating career events for blossoming creatives, and fostering global connections with Nottingham’s UNESCO sister cities. We took a look at what they’ve achieved so far….

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A network of black creatives with an aim to empower, encourage & support each other in Nottingham's bustling creative scene

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The New Nottingham Journal has launched its 30 day crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.

The goal of the project is to create a brand new 200 page print journal which will be released annually, published in partnership with LeftLion magazine. Collaborating with the UNESCO Cities of Literature network, it will showcase exciting new short stories, journalism and poetry from writers - both from this city, and around the world.

Kickstarter supporters will be encouraged to sign up to receive a copy of the New Nottingham Journal - and can opt for bonuses like mugs, signed prints, pin badges and having their name printed in the journal.

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A network of black creatives with an aim to empower, encourage & support each other in Nottingham's bustling creative scene

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A Nottingham based poetry collective. Produces DIY Poets magazine and regular poetry events.

They also hold monthly meeting online where members share draft poems for positive feedback.

New members are welcome.

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Nottingham spoken-word collective GOBS host poetry performances, workshops, events, book clubs, masterclasses and education programmes. We meet on a quarterly basis (spring, summer, autumn, winter) with various projects and opportunities rolling out throughout the year.
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A HOME FOR ALL WRITERS

For absolute beginners and award-winners. Whether you’re a novelist or note-taker, a songwriter or scribbler, we welcome all lovers of the written word.
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A curated platform for spoken word and music. Available for festival and event bookings.
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A hub for all things Poetic in the great city of Nottingham. Events, Readings, Discussions, Publications - hear about it all here!
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We are a group of writers from all over the Vale of Belvoir and beyond. We meet every month in the Parish Room next to Bottesford library. Each meeting has an optional theme that you can use as a writing prompt. We also love to hear your works in progress and to meet anyone curious about writing.
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Nottingham’s global poetry and music community

The World Jam Collective-formerly known as Word Jam collective- was founded by a group of ESOL (English as a Second Language) students in 2012 and has been directed since by Mina Fatemi. The initial purpose of the group was to create a supportive network for non-English speaking poets and writers living in Nottingham.
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We believe in an open society, which for us means everyone should have equal access to the means of creativity and expression. These values inform the work we do, the areas we work in, the people we work with, and an ongoing dialogue with contemporary society through our programmes and projects.
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Beeston Tales is a monthly storytelling club night happening Beeston. Hosted by Tim Ralphs and Mike Payton, the club features themed nights, renowned guests and all the best of the most ancient and human artform. This is the group to join for updates on what's happening at the club.
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The Storytellers of Nottingham run an open mic traditional storytelling night.
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Mansfield Palace Theatre Leeming Street, Mansfield NG18 1NG

At each event, we’ve welcomed a variety of talented performers based in and around Mansfield. At previous events we’ve had, poetry, live music, and stand-up comedy, so there’s something for everybody!

These events offer young people a safe and friendly space to gain experience performing in front of an audience. Whether you're a first-time performer, or want a bit more practice, this event is for you!

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Free Minds is a safe space for funky people at any and all writing and speaking levels to share their poetry and listen to others. We’ve had people perform ballads, raps and even stories at our lovely little room at the King Billy pub in Sneinton; and every night gets better and better !
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Real Talk is a spoken word night, featuring poets and performers from the Derbyshire area and surrounding counties.

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A Nottingham based poetry collective. Produces DIY Poets magazine and regular poetry events.
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Come along to Pints n' Poets where you'll be treated to an electric evening of incomparable artists - Rockin' and Rollin' and Readin' - gonna be great!

Plenty of open mic spaces for musicians and poets alike - COME ON DOWN!
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Dandelions Poetry: wild and unexpected

Dandelions grow in the cracks where we least expect them, forcing their way into our attention with moments of surprise and untidy beauty. The poetry featured at Dandelions Poetry will come from unexpected angles, and will focus on experiences of the world that might often be pulled up and discarded. Come along and appreciate some blooms in surprising places. Join in and read a poem if you want to.
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Championing working class, marginalised & activist artists & creatives. Open mic, all artists welcome
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Nottingham Central Library

Speak Easy Collective is our monthly spoken word open mic and workshop series held at Nottingham Central Library. Led and curated by our Youth Advisory Board member Abigail Hutchison, it provides a chance for young poets to share words and time together, and is a place where creative voices are heard.

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Ye Olde Ramme 34 Church Street Mansfield NG18 1AE

New poetry open mic night beginning in January 2026! It's called "Hot Mess Mansfield" and it will take place on the last Monday of every month at Ye Olde Ramme, Church Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, close to both Mansfield bus and train stations. It will feature all kinds of spoken word with 5 minute / 3 poem slots available for performers - just message me, your host Cat Clarke, to reserve a slot or get your name down when you turn up. Please see the poster below for more details. "Hot Mess Mansfield" is an LGBTQIA+ friendly space - oh, and there's a post-show disco, too!

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We host our own showcases, publish anthologies, and have performed alongside Yomi Sode, Randolph Matthews, Casey Bailey, and Debris Stevenson.

GOBS currently works in partnership with Apples and Snakes, Nottingham Playhouse and Nottingham Central Library.
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Beeston Library in Nottingham

Paper Cranes is a space for poetry writers of all stripes and abilities to meet, create and connect. We support local writers to develop their poetry skills and improve their confidence. The collective is facilitated by Leanne Moden, and the group meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at Beeston Library.

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WelcomeCome along to Write Night, a drop in writing workshop for poets. Each month Write Night explores a theme or style of poetry with a few exercises and prompts, suitable for poets of all experiences. Whether you have been writing for years or stopped putting words down when you left school, this night is a place to come and experiment , find community and build together.

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Debbie and Tim bring their writing community to the airwaves! Whether it's poetry, novels or scripts, they'll be talking all things spoken word from people near and far.
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Fisher Gate Point is that building on the corner which always has interesting artwork in the windows. Ever wondered what happens inside? Now is your chance to have a nosy at the cafe bar, gig venue, artisan shop and dozens of creative projects it houses.

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