CALL OUT FOR POETS!!! Pompey Poetry Party x LitFest 26 – Sounds of the Solent, Acts of Resistance

Pompey Poetry Party is inviting poets and spoken word artists to submit a 5-minute spoken word piece responding to the theme - 'Acts of Resistance'.

This strand forms part of LitFest 26: Acts of Resistance, a festival shining a light on writing's capacity to call for action and inspire change through performance, poetry, and prose. We are seeking bold, thoughtful, and imaginative spoken word pieces exploring what it means to live, stay, belong, remain, resist, or take up space. Acts of Resistance may be gestures of care, defiance, survival or hope that imagines possible futures and positive change for people and the planet. Selected presenters will perform as part of Sounds of the Solent, an evening celebrating voice, place, and the written and spoken word.  

Event Details - LitFest 26 – Sounds of the Solent

Date: Saturday 14th March 2026

Time: 7.30pm – 10.00pm

Format: Live spoken word performances

Piece length: Around 5 minutes

Hosted by: Amelia Simpson

Co-Curated by: John Sackett (The Front Room) in collaboration with Caroline Brennan (Pompey Poetry Party).

The evening will feature writers from poetry hubs and collectives across the Solent region, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Portsmouth, the New Forest, the Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Winchester.  

Fees & Opportunities

3 x paid performance opportunities

Fee: £50 per poet, plus travel expenses.

Unsuccessful shortlisted entrants will be offered the opportunity to headline a special Acts of Resistance night at Pompey Poetry Party in April, ensuring strong work finds a platform beyond the festival itself.  

About LitFest 26

LitFest 26 features keynote talks, workshops, showcases, panel discussions and readings that explore the kind of world our hearts know is possible through written and spoken word.

The festival is produced by ArtfulScribe, delivered with support from Mayflower Studios, and funded by Arts Council England, celebrating literature's capacity to envision possible futures and inspire positive change for people and the planet.

All LitFest events are Pay What You Can Afford, apart from workshops, with £20 C&PD places available and no-cost options for other workshops.

 How to Submit

Contact details: Send submissions to John.Sackett@live.co.uk by Monday 26th January. 

Note: A short bio (50-100 words) will be required from the selected presenters by end January.