The National Poetry Library Celebrates its 70th Anniversary at Poetry International Festival

The National Poetry Library is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world. It has been a place of inspiration and support for many esteemed poets and writers throughout its 70-year history. Established by the Arts Council in 1953, it was opened by poets T.S. Eliot and Herbert Read, and remains at the heart of the UK’s poetry community. There was no better way to celebrate its 70th anniversary than the line-up of acclaimed international poets CAConrad, Jorie Graham, John Kinsella, Lidija Dimkovska, Belinda Zhawi, Yang Lian, Olive Senior and Stephen Watts in a one-off showcase.

Presented at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall,  each poet demonstrated poetry is an art form equal to any other artistic discipline. As artists, they demonstrate a good poet can not only handle challenging and delicate material, but articulate issues in ways that are both subtle and deceptively powerful. Last night’s event was a perfect platform offering a documentation of human experience. This ensemble effortlessly conveyed explanations and their interpretations of modern society, covering issues such as the legacy of colonialism, international regionalism, the tyranny of regimes and the ethics of vegetarianism, to name a few.  In full agreement with William Wordsworth’s quote that “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings’’, these wordsmiths evoked emotion and engagement with simplicity and conviction from the very start.

It is appropriate to celebrate the library’s history at this year’s Poetry International Festival, and long may the National Poetry Library’s success continue. Founded by Ted Hughes in 1967, the Poetry International Festival returned for the first time since 2019, this time as part of the Southbank Centre’s multi-artform season of events focused on the climate, Planet Summer. The season ends Sunday 3rd September. For more information on the National Poetry Library,  the Poetry International Festival, and Planet Summer visit the following links.

• NationalPoetryLibrary
• SouthbankCentre
• Planet-summer

Photos: Yang Lian (main) Belinda Zhawi and John Kinsella by Pete Woodhead (Provided, courtesy of the Southbank Centre

About Author

David Emmanuel Noel

David Emmanuel Noel is an avid blogger, film fanatic, art enthusiast, music lover, and theatergoer. He is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and PR consultant who has been involved in several music events and visual art exhibitions at venues such as the Kennedy Center Washington DC, Bernie Grant Arts Centre London, the Landmark Arts Building New York, and Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California. He has worked closely with institutes, professional bodies, and agencies such as the Royal Institute of British Architects, New York Mayor’s Office, CAMBA- the New York-based agency, the NSPCC, and several London Boroughs on projects supporting the environmental and therapeutic benefits of the arts. He is based in London and New York.

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