Raise the Bar

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Raise the Bar

The South West's leading live poetry night. Events, open mics, retreats + more.

Raise the Bar is a premier live events organisation and talent development platform, providing a space for artists of all kinds of background and lyrical styles to perform their work, and providing high quality YouTube packages of their poetry. We also invite outstanding and internationally renowned poets, as well as fantastic local talent, to perform at our live events.

29/10/2026

🔥 Raise the Bar proudly presents Poems on Palestine, as part of Bristol Palestine Film Festival 2026, for a powerful evening of poetry, music and storytelling at Arnolfini.

✨ Lowkey (Lowkey)— British-Iraqi rapper and political activist, renowned for his politically charged lyrics and electrifying performances. A vital voice in the movement for Palestinian liberation, Lowkey returns to Bristol three years after headlining Raise the Bar’s first Poems on Palestine event.

✨ Haia Mohammed — Palestinian poet and artist from Gaza whose work explores memory, land and survival. Her debut pamphlet, The Age of Olive Trees (Out-Spoken Press, 2025), weaves personal witness with collective history.

✨ Ahmed Alnaouq (Ahmed Alnaouq) — Palestinian journalist from Gaza and co-founder of We Are Not Numbers, a project amplifying the voices and lived experiences of young Palestinians. His work brings Palestinian perspectives to international audiences through journalism, writing and advocacy.

✨ lisa minerva luxx (luxx) — British-Syrian writer, poet and political activist whose work spans poetry, essays, fiction and theatre. A long-time grassroots organiser, luxx explores diaspora, resistance and transnational solidarity through art and activism.

🎤 The evening will be hosted by Anthony Anaxagorou (), acclaimed poet, essayist and founder of Out-Spoken Press (Out-Spoken Press).

📅 Saturday 28 November 2026 📍 Arnolfini, Bristol BS1 4QA ⏰ 7–9pm 🎟 Tickets via link in bio

Join us for an evening bringing together powerful voices in poetry, music and activism in solidarity with Palestine. 🇵🇸

23/10/2026

🔥 Join us on Thursday 19th November for another dynamic night of live poetry at The Pickle Factory — featuring two brilliant voices, Muneera Pilgrim (Muni Pilgrim) and Troy Cabida Troy Cabida)!

✨ Muneera Pilgrim — international poet, cultural producer, writer, community researcher, broadcaster and TEDx speaker. A powerful storyteller, Muneera’s work challenges mainstream narratives and centres the stories of non-centred people around the world. This event marks exactly five years since the publication of her debut poetry collection, That day she’ll proclaim her chronicles.

✨ Troy Cabida — poet and author of Neon Manila (2025), a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. His other collections include Symmetric of Bone: poems after Elsa Peretti and War Dove. He is also co-editor of fourteen poems and works at the National Poetry Library.

🎤 Our open mic, hosted by the brilliant Saili Katebe (Blissful Nomad), welcomes poets, storytellers, lyricists, rappers, songwriters and wordsmiths of all styles and experience levels — whether it’s your first time or your hundredth. Come share your work, or settle in with a drink and experience some of Bristol’s finest voices.

📅 Thursday 19 November 2026
📍 The Pickle Factory — All Hallows Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 0HL
⏰ Doors 7:00pm | Show 7:30–9:30pm (incl. interval)
🎟 Tickets via link in bio

💡 Open mic sign-ups open Sunday 25 October at 10am via link in bio
10 performers selected in advance, 4 drawn on the night
👉 Sign up via link in bio

✅ Wheelchair accessible
✅ Reserved open mic spaces for underrepresented voices
✅ Zero tolerance for hate or discrimination

19/10/2026

🔥 Raise the Bar returns to The Pickle Factory on Thursday 22 October — with two brilliant feature acts!

✨ Keith Jarrett () — international slam champion and acclaimed writer, whose latest collection Hide Me Under the Blood and I Shall Be Satisfied is shortlisted for the 2026 Forward Prize for Best Poetry Collection.
✨ Lucy English (Lucy English) — poet, writer and Professor of Creative Enterprise at Bath Spa University, launching her brand-new poetry collection Dream Time, published by Burning Eye Books.

🎤 Plus an extended open mic, hosted by Raise the Bar’s Saili Katebe!

Poets, rappers, storytellers, lyricists, songwriters and wordsmiths of all styles and experience levels are welcome. Come share your work or settle in with a drink and enjoy an evening of live poetry.

📅 Thursday 22 October 2026 📍 The Pickle Factory — All Hallows Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 0HL ⏰ Doors 7:00pm | Show 7:30–9:30pm 🎟️ Tickets via link in bio
 Presented in association with Bad Betty Press (Bad Betty Press)

15/10/2026

We’re thrilled to announce Raise the Bar (Raise the Bar) is returning to Cheltenham Festivals with Anthony Joseph (Anthony Joseph) and David Larbi (David Larbi)!

Award-winning poet, novelist and musician Anthony Joseph brings his electrifying blend of poetry, music and storytelling, joined by social media phenomenon and author of Frequently Happy, David Larbi — plus one more special guest to be announced! ✨

📅 Sun 18 Oct, 4:30pm 📍 The Hive, Montpellier Terrace, Cheltenham 🎟 Tickets £16 — link in bio

✅ Live captions available 📚 Book signing after the event

15/10/2026

❤️ Raise the Bar couldn’t be prouder of our director, Danny Carlo Pandolfi, for receiving the Sky Arts Award () for Poetry.

For over a decade, Danny has poured his heart into Raise the Bar, building a community where poetry can bring people together, give voices a platform and make people feel they belong.

This award is a testament to years of dedication, belief and an unwavering love for poetry and the people who make it what it is.

Danny, this is so well deserved. We’re honoured to be part of what you’ve built, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

With all our love and pride, The Raise the Bar Team ✨

11/10/2026

✨ Reflecting on our first night at our new home, The Pickle Factory!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first open mic in Easton. ❤️ We loved bringing the Raise the Bar community together in a new space, and we can’t wait to do it all again!

🔥 We’re back on Thursday 22 October for another dynamic night of live poetry, featuring two brilliant voices:

✨ Keith Jarrett () — international slam champion and 2026 Forward Prize-shortlisted poet.
✨ Lucy English (Lucy English) — poet, writer and performer, launching her brand-new collection, Dream Time!

🎤 Plus, our extended open mic welcomes poets, storytellers, lyricists, rappers and wordsmiths of all styles and experience levels.

📅 Thursday 22 October 2026 📍 The Pickle Factory — Easton, Bristol ⏰ Doors 7pm | Show 7:30–9:30pm 🎟 Tickets via link in bio

Pics by the brilliant Urmila

28/09/2026

🌟 THANK YOU, BRISTOL! 🌟

What a night ❤️

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for Raise the Bar: UK Poetry All-Stars at Bristol Beacon⁠. You filled the room with so much energy, love and noise — we’re still buzzing!

1400+ tickets were sold in the final count - a record breaking night for a South West poetry event of its kind!

And an enormous thank you to our 8 incredible poets for making the night so special:

✨ Harry Baker⁠
✨ Hollie McNish⁠
✨ Roger Robinson
✨ Travis⁠
✨ Nikita Gill⁠
✨ Georgie Jones⁠
✨ Michael Pedersen⁠
✨ Safiya Whitaker

🎧 And thank you to NGAIO⁠ for keeping the energy going on the decks on stage! And to Caleb Parkin on the decks in the foyer ✨

Huge love to the whole team at Bristol Beacon⁠ for welcoming us into Beacon Hall and helping us bring our biggest event yet to life. ❤️ And to the lovely Storysmith for selling all the wonderful books from the poets.

After a record-breaking night, we’re already looking ahead…

✨ And there’s LOADS more to come from Raise the Bar. Stay tuned. ✨

See you at the next one. 👀

📸 photo by

27/09/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Grace Nichols is sadly no longer able to make it tonight. We wish her all the best.

On short notice, we are delighted that incredible poet and performer Roger Robinson will now be joining tonight’s UK Poetry All-Stars lineup!

Swipe to see the full poster and head to the link in our bio for final tickets on sale now.

Get ready for an unforgettable night at Bristol Beacon featuring:

✨ Harry Baker — World Poetry Slam Champion and Sunday Times bestselling author
✨ Hollie McNish — Ted Hughes Award winner and Sunday Times bestselling author
✨ Roger Robinson — winner of the T.S. Eliot Prize, RSL Ondaatje Prize and Cholmondeley Award, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His collection A Portable Paradise was named a New Statesman Book of the Year, while Home Is Not a Place, created with Johny Pitts, was a Guardian Poetry Book of the Year and shortlisted for the British Book Awards.
✨ Travis — award-winning writer, performer and theatre-maker
✨ Nikita Gill — acclaimed poet, playwright, writer and illustrator
✨ Georgie Jones — acclaimed poet and performer with a formidable stage presence
✨ Michael Pedersen — prize-winning Scottish author and Edinburgh’s Makar

🎧 Plus music from NGAIO on the decks.

After a record-breaking 2024 edition that brought over a thousand people through the doors, we’re returning bigger than ever for a huge celebration of poetry, performance and live storytelling.

📅 TONIGHT — Sunday 27 September 2026
📍 Beacon Hall, Bristol Beacon
⏰ 7pm – 9:30pm (doors 6:30pm)
🎟 LAST TICKETS AVAILABLE — link in bio

✨ See you tonight!

24/09/2026

A special invitation from Michael Pedersen 🌟

has a special invitation for you to join us for Raise the Bar: UK Poetry All-Stars at !

Michael Pedersen is a prize-winning Scottish author, Edinburgh’s Makar / Poet Laureate and former Writer in Residence at Edinburgh University. His work spans fiction, non-fiction and poetry, with his writing receiving acclaim from the likes of Stephen Fry, Bernardine Evaristo, Ocean Vuong and Kae Tempest.

Michael joins an incredible lineup of some of the very best in contemporary poetry and spoken word, alongside:

✨  ✨  ✨ Grace Nichols ✨  ✨  ✨  ✨

After our record-breaking 2024 edition, we’re bringing UK Poetry All-Stars back to Bristol Beacon for our biggest celebration of poetry, performance and live storytelling yet.

📅 Sunday 27 September 2026 📍 Beacon Hall, Bristol Beacon ⏰ 7pm–9:30pm (doors 6:30pm) 🎟️ Tickets via link in bio — from £16.80

✨ Come and join us!

22/09/2026

🌟 Raise the Bar: UK Poetry All-Stars is all over Bristol! 🌟

Our posters are up around the city and we’re getting SO excited for Sunday! 👀

We’re bringing an incredible lineup of some of the very best in contemporary spoken word to , including:

✨  ✨  ✨ Grace Nichols ✨  ✨  ✨  ✨

📸 See one of our posters out in the wild? Tag us! We want to see where you spot Raise the Bar around Bristol 👀

And if you haven’t got your ticket yet… last tickets are available!

📅 This Sunday — 27 September 📍 Beacon Hall, Bristol Beacon ⏰ 7pm–9:30pm (doors 6:30pm) 🎟️ Tickets via link in bio
✨ We can’t wait to see you there!

Address

Bristol

Website

http://www.rtbspokenword.com/

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