This autumn, National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke takes to the road to perform at venues across Wales.  The tour is organised by Academi in partnership with venues and festivals in the four corners of Wales.

At some events, Gillian will be joined by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, and at others she will read alongside some of Wales’ best poets – Menna Elfyn, Ifor ap Glyn and Paul Henry.

The events with Menna Elfyn and Ifor ap Glyn will be bilingual – a chance to hear from both sides of the Welsh poetic coin.  Three events will be part of the Poet Laureate’s busy diary and offer the opportunity to hear two of the leading voices in contemporary British poetry.

Carol Ann Duffy began in the role of Poet Laureate in 2009, the first woman and the first Scots person to hold the office. She is one of the most popular poets in Britain, and her performances at festivals and events are sell-outs. The Guardian newspaper says: “In the world of British poetry, Carol Ann Duffy is a superstar”.

Gillian Clarke has been National Poet of Wales since 2008. Her poetry is studied at almost every school in Britain, and she has performed her work in front of hundreds of thousands of young people at the popular GCSE Poetry Live! tours.

As the start of the tour approaches, Gillian Clarke said:  “I’m on the road a few days almost every week, but this time it’s called a ‘tour’. It rhymes with troubadour and adds a medieval touch, as if the car were a horse and the A487 and A486 mud-tracks through tough terrain. On tour I will share the stage with fine poets, all brilliant readers, who represent poetry’s ways of connecting within and beyond Wales, across our languages, across the border. All are friends.”

The Tour

Thursday 16 September, 7.30 pm

Angel Hotel, Abergavenny with Carol Ann Duffy

Sunday 19 September, 12.00 pm

The Bell, Skenfrith

Tuesday 19 October, 7.00 pm

Gwydyr Hotel, Betws y Coed with Ifor ap Glyn

Thursday 21 October, 7.00 pm

Wyeside Centre, Builth Wells with Paul Henry

Thursday 25 November, 7.00 pm

Teifi Suite, Halliwell Centre, Trinity University College, Carmarthen with Menna Elfyn

Saturday 27 November, 2.30 pm

Y Drwm, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth with Carol Ann Duffy

Friday 10 December, 7.30 pm

Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea with Carol Ann Duffy

Tickets for all events are likely to be in high demand, so you are advised to book yours soon.    For more information on the tour and to book your tickets for the Carmarthen or Betws y Coed events, contact Academi: 029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org