Ledbury Poetry Festival
founded group local poetry enthusiast ledbury poetry festival biggest poetry festival uk first ledbury poetry festival held ledbury herefordshire opened jazz singer critic writer george melly following year opened mark fisher labour art minister since thousand national international poet taken part festival patron include poet laureate carol ann duffy peter florence founder hay festival trustee include ursula owen publisher editor campaigner free expression neil astley editor bloodaxe book original trustee festival peter arscott john burn alan lloyd martyn moxley richard surman margaret rigby ledbury hold main programme two week summer work continues throughout year project involve local primary school john masefield high school well hundred local people community project festival also work alongside small literary publisher guardian described ledbury poetry festival largest kind uk also energised giving real sense poetry important living contemporary literary form ledbury poetry festival celebrated st anniversary launching biannual ledbury forte poetry prize second collection prize kind uk prize aim support encourage poet ‘midcareer’ stage prize £ winning second collection ledbury poetry festival receives financial support art council england versopolis poetry penningtonmellormunthe charity trust garfield weston foundation elmley foundation british poet performed festival include simon armitage al alvarez patience agbabi wendy cope john burnside helen dunmore douglas dunn james fenton ruth padel george szirtes benjamin zephaniah international poet include billy collins mark doty usa yang lian china gozo yoshimasu japan ko un korea kristina ehin estonia ali cobby eckerman australia basem alnabriss palestine fadhil alazzawi iraq arundhathi subramaniam india source judge nia davy adult winner “all bleak chippies” rta parker united state america “through hologram” pam thompson united kingdom “deeds” robbie burton united kingdom young person winner “essay grief holiday” annie fan united state america “collins ” georgie woodhead united kingdom “the night attacked me” lauren edward united kingdom child winner “tinned life” aurora b blue united state america “six way look word” maxwell heaven united kingdom “forgiveness forgiveness” kankai walendra india source judge daljit nagra adult winner “duplex” elisabeth murawski united state america “bloodlines” sarah wimbush united kingdom “anatomy theatre” denise bundred united kingdom young person winner “planet earth ii cities” cia mangat united kingdom “the people’s republic china” lydia wei united state americachina “the sound waiting” rose brennan united kingdom child winner “the cat nobody wanted” aurora b blue united state america “imagine world without laws” maxwell heaven united kingdom “big eats small” han fang united kingdom source judge liz berry winner tbd ledbury poetry festival