Poetry and Prose

The Exhibitionists are The Spoken Word’s touring team of poets who are available to feature by arrangement at venues not too far distant from York. If you would like The Exhibitionists to perform at your gig please contact Rose or Alan to make arrangements. We would appreciate as much notice as possible so that we can put together a team that meets your needs.

If you would like us to support a themed event please get in touch as early as possible so that we can contact poets with applicable material or who can be relied upon to deliver high quality short fiction or poetry. Themes we can readily put together include The Green Man, Railway Poetry and Short Stories, (very tasteful) Erotic Poetry, Ghosts and the Paranormal. A number of these themes can also be supported by a book featuring many of the poets and writers who will be at your event.

An anthology of The Exhibitionists’ work is available from the Stairwell Books Bookshop

Exhibitionist Events

Recent Gigs

   Poetry at the Parsonage

The Exhibitionists performed at the Brontë200 Festival Main (Charlotte) stage in July 2016. The set was well received and was described as very professional. In addition Rose and Alan compered a session on the Fringe (Emily) stage [see review]. Rose was also featured on the Saturday evening in the main stage.

   TEDx Pocklington 2015

Rose Drew gave a TEDx talk I am not a Silent Poet covering the use of poetry as a means of communication (link to follow) and to illustrate this Exhibitionist poets Alan Gillott, Charli Goodfellow and Laurence O’Reilly performed a 15 minute show illustrating different ways poetry can make powerful points. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcgxyYOk5kk

Audience feedback to both sessions was ‘Wow, this isn’t the poetry we learned to hate at school.’

   York Literature Festival

Celebrating the Spoken Word’s 100th consecutive First Tuesday Meeting The Exhibitionists headlined an open Mic. as part of the 2014 York Literature Festival at the Friargate Theatre with celebrated York Poets Pauline Kirk, John Gilham, Michael Hildred and Tanya Nightingale. The evening was supported by younger writers from York St. John University and The University of York.

   Ryedale Book Festival

The Exhibitionists routinely support the Ryedale Book Festival with open mic. events in Kirbymoorside, Helmsley and Pickering as well as an Open mic. as part of the main event in late October held in Malton.

The 2013 Open Mic was held in Suddabys Hotel in Malton.

Further details of the Ryedale Book Festival are available on the festival web site.

     Artsbarge at Galtres 2013

    A small team of Exhibitionists appeared at the Arts Barge Project tent on Sunday 25th September at the Galtres Festival.

 

     Helmsley Festival of Writing

     The Exhibitionists supported Rose Drew and Alan Gillott in the Studio Bar of the Helmsley Arts Centre on Sunday 19th May 2013. This was part of the Helmsley Festival of Writing with Poet in Residence Simon Armitage, poet and playwright Amanda Dalton, journalist Madelaine Bunting, comic poet Kate Fox, TV writer Tom Needham, bands, songwriters, workshops, readings and a literary tea dance.

   Poetry and Audience 60th Anniversary Celebration

In October 2013 team from the Exhibitionists joined with Sticks ‘n’ Stones to put on a superb evening of poetry at the Workshop Theatre at Leeds University to celebrate the 60th year of the poetry publication Poetry and Audience

    Buskival - June 23 and 24 2012

   The Exhibitionists supported York Art’s Council’s celebration of Busking. The Exhibitionists performed outside Explore York throughout the festival. They also performed an exhibition display on the Main Stage in St. Sampson’s Square.

   York Torch Entertainment - June 19 2012

   On June 19 2012, York Spoken Word poets were scattered amongst the crowd to witness the Olympic Torch and Tweet our thoughts, musings and poems to hash tag #yorktorch.  York Torch Poet in Residence, Oz Hardwick, accompanied the Torch on its Steam Train ride to Thirsk on June 20th. These poems are published on the York Stories web site which will also host a recording of the poems.

   Erotic Poetry Nights

We have now run two Erotic Poetry theme nights, one during the 2010 York Literature Festival and one for the First Malton Literature Festival. Both were resounding successes. We are very happy to arrange another event: please contact us for more information.