Raise the Bar: Autumn 2026 10-Week Poetry Courses
Raise the Bar’s 2026 10-week courses are now open for applications!
Led by two former Bristol City Poets, with 12 spaces available on each course.
RTB Poets' Development Lab, led by Vanessa Kisuule. This course focuses on writing, performing and professional skills, filled with lively conversations and opportunities to create new work. With visiting guest facilitators including Caroline Bird, Liv Torc and Jasmine Cooray
RTB Writers' Room 2026, led by Caleb Parkin. This course focuses on writing, close reading and feedback, contemporary forms, and working towards publication / getting your poems published. With visiting guest facilitators including Caroline Bird, Christina Thatcher, Tom Sastry and Suzannah V. Evans.
Both courses run weekly on Sundays from 6th September - 8th November 2026, from 10:30 - 14:30 (including breaks), with the majority of workshops taking place at M Shed, Bristol.
Crucially, the cost is just £200 for the entire course (with 2x £150 bursary spaces available for each course), thanks to support from Arts Council England.
✅ Priority for poets in South West England (other writers can still apply and join the waiting list)
✅ The courses are open to poets at various levels, from emerging to post-emerging. (The courses are not suitable for total beginners with no experience)
✅ Affordable prices, with bursary spaces (and travel bursaries) available
✅ Priority spaces held for writers of marginalised identities
✅ Brilliant regular venue of M Shed in central Bristol, with one Writers' Room workshop at St Paul's Learning Centre and two Development Lab workshops at Bristol Museum.
✅ Friendly, open and communal atmosphere, with full ongoing support of the RTB team
⚠️ Application deadline: 9pm on Sunday 26th July ⚠️
www.rtbspokenword.com/courses
Opportunity Link: www.rtbspokenword.com/courses
insta: rtbspokenword
e: hello@rtbspokenword.com
Alt Image Text: A poster for Raise the Bar's 10-week courses for poets. With an image of the facilitators, Caleb Parkin and Vanessa Kisuule, and the application deadline of 26th July at 21:00.
Image Credit: Raise the Bar