Bristol City Poet handover to take place this October

Join Lyra Bristol Poetry for a free event at Waterstones Bristol to mark the end of Kat Lyons’ term as Bristol City Poet, reading from their new poetry pamphlet 'Everything comes from somewhere', poems written during their two years in the role.

This official Bristol City Poet Handover event also marks the induction of the new 2024-2026 City Poet (who will be announced in early October), with a reading of their own poetry.

Applications to become the next Bristol City Poet are open until 14 September at 8pm at https://www.lyrafest.com/about/bristol-city-poet. 

On 8 October, Kat Lyons and the new City Poet will engage in a short discussion as part of the official handover of the role, alongside both of their poetry readings.

The event is free to attend, and includes a free copy of Kat Lyons’ new pamphlet. Advanced booking is essential to guarantee entry, so please book your Free E-Tickets ahead of time.

The venue is wheelchair accessible. The entrance is on Union Street, which is on a hill/slope. See venue access information here.

This event, and the City Poet role, are managed by Lyra Bristol Poetry, with thanks to legacy funding from Bristol Ideas.
Image: Lyra Poetry Festival

As Bristol’s fourth City Poet, Kat has written poems to mark a wide range of organisations and occasions including the 75th Anniversary of Windrush Day, Bristol 650, World Book Night, the general election, and community projects and protests. Their performances during this time have included two State of the City Addresses, the Festival of the Future City, the Mayor’s final speech, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Kat has also run workshops with communities across the city, at Bristol Libraries and at the museum.

Kat Lyons is a writer, performer and workshop facilitator working in the field of spoken word poetry and performance storytelling. They use poetry to interrogate ideas, generate positive social change and strengthen people’s connections to the world and each other. Their poetry has been featured in Under the Radar, Ink Sweat & Tears and Bath Magg, and their debut poetry collection, Love Beneath the Nails, was published by Verve Poetry Press.

About the City Poet

Traditionally – and in line with the national Poet Laureate objectives – the person who holds this role can become the city’s conscience and can also reflect on what makes the city tick. What they convey through their poetry and creative writing can provide important insights into contemporary events and feelings, not all of which may make for comfortable reading.

Some of the events that City Poets have performed at include the Mayor’s Annual State of the City Address, the council’s Annual General Meeting, and the city’s twinning celebrations. Poems may also be written for the opening of new buildings, for community events and for commemorative anniversaries.

The role of the City Poet was founded and run by Bristol Ideas in association with the Mayor’s Office from 2016-2024, and the scheme is now run by Lyra Bristol Poetry.

The current City Poet is Kat Lyons (2022-2024). Former City Poets include Caleb Parkin (2020-2022), Vanessa Kisuule (2018-2020) and Miles Chambers (2016-2018).

The next selected City Poet (2024-2026) will be required to compose ten or more poems for specific events or projects and will also take part in public performances and community engagement activities over the next two years, for an annual fee of £5,000. 

Image: Kat Lyons, incumbent Bristol City Poet

Kat Lyons, Bristol City Poet from 2022-2024, said: ‘To be City Poet is to be a civic storyteller, ferreting about in the narrative for the under-stories, the small moments and ordinary lives that come together to make Bristol what it is. If you just want to poet at people, please stay seated. But if you want to create poetry for and with people, if you want to engage with the hows and whys of this place through the prism of art then please, step forward. It won’t always be easy. You’ll find it joyful, challenging, frustrating and beautiful all at once, just like Bristol itself. But remember; there’s no ‘right’ way to tell a story, it’s all just a matter of perspective. So my question is: what’s yours?’

Marvin Rees, former Mayor of Bristol, said: ‘Bristol’s City Poets have all helped capture the spirit and soul of our city. They have helped tell more of the fullness of our city's story, for us to better understand our past and present and have hope for the future.’ 

Danny Pandolfi, Co-Director of Lyra Bristol Poetry, said: ‘This role is ideal for someone who has a passion and desire to use poetry as a tool to connect people. We’re looking for a dynamic, inventive and impactful writer who also has the skills and desire to bring more people in Bristol into direct connection with poetry. This unique public-facing role isn’t just about writing great poetry, but most importantly about community outreach and giving people access points into poetry through everyday life, and inspiring more people to read, write and perform poetry. It’s about amplifying the voices of others and communicating the views of an inspiring, progressive and culturally diverse city through your own work, and capturing the feelings and ideas of the people who make Bristol so brilliant.’