Tasmanian Poetry Festival 2026
8th -11th October 2026
- FESTIVAL 2026 PROGRAM IS LIVE!
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3
LIVE AT HIVE
Venue: Hive Tasmania
50 Main St, Ulverstone TAS 7315
Time: Arrive at 10.15 for a 10.30 start.
Cost: Free of charge, RSVP if possible, Tickets Via humaitix
MC: Kim Nielsen-Creeley
Guest poets: Rees Campbell, Therese Corfiatis, Kristen Lang, Craig White, Helga Jermy.SATURDAY OCTOBER 5
WORKSHOP – Sarah Temporal
Venue: Training Room – enter door off State Library car park. Wheelchair accessible.
Hobart Library, 91 Murray Street, Hobart TAS
Time: Arrive at 6.45 pm for a 7 pm start.
Cost: $15, Tickets via humaitix
Hosted by: Esther Ottaway
Theme: Confessions, Secrets & Lies, with Sarah TemporalTHURSDAY OCTOBER 8
WORKSHOP – ESTHER OTTAWAY
2.00PM: School for Seniors,
8 High St, East Launceston.
Theme: “Stalking the Jaguar: the techniques of poet Sarah Holland-Batt” ($25 or Festival Pass)WORKSHOP – MARK TREDINNICK
4.30PM: School for Seniors,
8 High, St East Launceston.
Theme: “The Poetry Place”
(Individual Ticket $25 or Festival Pass)
PASSWORD: POETRY
Venue: The Lounge Launceston
St John St, Launceston
Time: Arrive at 6.45 pm for a 7 pm start.
Cost: Free of charge, Tickets via humaitix
Creator: Luke Hurst
Guest poets: Kim Nielsen-Creeley, Damien Becker, Kaurie May, Luke HurstFRIDAY OCTOBER 9
WORKSHOP – TIM LOVEDAY
10.30AM: School for Seniors,
8 High St, East Launceston.
Theme: “The Fundamentals of Metaphor”
(Individual Ticket $25 or Festival Pass)WORKSHOP – TOBY FITCH
2.30PM: School for Seniors,
8 High, St East Launceston.
Theme: “ALL CUT UP , Collage Poetry”
(Individual Ticket $25 or Festival Pass)FESTIVAL LAUNCH
7.00PM: St John Craft Beer Bar
133 St John St, Launcenston
In the back room
Guest poets: Toby Fitch, Mark Tredinnick, Sarah Temporal, Laurie May, Ben Walter, David Stavanger, Damien Becker, Allan Lake.
(Event Ticket $25, or Festival Pass)SATURDAY OCTOBER 10
QVMAG Museum, 3 Invermay rd, Invermay.ROOM 1: FESTIVAL HUB *free all day*
Free Passes here
A changing program of poetry, performance and activities throughout the day.
including:
10.00am – Festival Opening & Welcome
10.20am – Guided free-writing workshop –Esther Ottaway
11..30am – The Bicheno Stories – LIVE with Adam Martin
12.45pm – Nanaverse – poetry for children and their guardians. Presented by KIm Nielsen-Creeley, Joy Elizabeth, Yvonne Gluyas, and Kathleen Green.
2.45pm – Exploring Historic Queenstown–Susan Wallace (poetry and prose)
3.05pm – Haiku Death Match – competition; sign up on the day! A collab with Red Dirt Poetry. Run by Laurie May
Musical accompanyment – Lou Fin and D. EHMORROOM 2: THE LISTENING LOUNGE
(Tickets $50 or Festival Pass)
Immersive poetry readings, all day.
Settle into our intimate, low-lit Listening Lounge and hear 10 acclaimed published poets, one after another.
Come and go as you please.
10.30am – Graeme Hetherington
11.00am – Tim Slade
11.30am – Toby Fitch
12.00pm – Kristen Lang
1.00pm – David Stavanger
1.30pm – Tim Loveday
2.00pm – Ben Walter
2.30pm – Sarah Temporal
3.00pm – David Hallett
3.30pm – Mark TredinnickSATURDAY EVENING
THE LAUNCESTON POETRY CUP
(Tickets $15 or Festival Pass)
Venue: James Boags Brewhouse
39 William St, Launceston
Time: Arrive at 6.45 pm for a 7 pm start.
Cost: Individual Ticket $15 or Festival PassSUNDAY OCTOBER 11
QVMAG Museum, 3 Invermay rd, Invermay.
FESTIVAL HUB
(Tickets $20 or Festival Pass)
10.15 AM : Community open mic
11.15 AM : Andrew Hardy Youth Poetry Awards & readings
12.30 PM : Thin Reed Throat + more, Damien Becker
12.50 PM : Spotlight Poets
1.45 PM : Laurie May peformance showcase
2.30 PM : Chair (curatorial) book launch. Allan Lake
2.50 PM : WHY THE F*CK DO PEOPLE HATE POETRY ?
6 professional poets discuss.
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