John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry

The John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry

For many, poetry is a spoken and not a written art. It is about casting spells over an audience, creating an atmosphere, weaving words together to fill a room. Are your performance skills up to competition level? This is your chance to stand up and make your voice heard as we search for the best live poet in Wales.

Academi has been holding events in tribute to John Tripp, one of our finest poetry performers, since 1990. The competition is open to all: beginners and established poets alike. You have only a few minutes to impress the judges with your scintillating stanzas, vivacious verse and powerful performance. A series of regional heats will take place throughout Wales culminating in a nail biting Grand Final.

This competition is a fitting tribute to a serious and popular poet. Direct and dramatic, Tripp’s words were charged with energy. His performances were vivid and unforgettable. He would burst into barely controlled rages, tearing life into his mordantly witty poetry. These performances were widely thought to be the finest in Wales. John Tripp published eight volumes of poetry, has been included in the Penguin Modern Poets series and a posthumous collection of selected poems was published by Seren in 1989.

The John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry is a biannual award. The next competition will take place in 2009.

Keep an eye on the Academi website and e-newsletter for further details
or contact Academi on:
029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org