Dobunni Poetry Festival logo in black with writing at the bottom left and a Celtic inspired symbol of a three tailed horse

A festival
honouring
creativity,
resilience,
& connection
to place.

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15-17 Oct 26

Featuring Poets & Publishers of the West / South West

Over 20 events in Stroud, Gloucestershire

Stroud’s first dedicated poetry festival, creating a cultural home for writers, readers, and audiences of all ages.

The Dobunni Poetry Festival will help cultivate a culture in which creativity is valued locally, where young people can see a future for their work, and where older writers can find recognition and community. It will give Stroud a festival that reflects its identity: rooted in place, artist‑led, and fiercely imaginative.

Join us this October to celebrate the power of poetry and community.

Featuring

PASCALE PETIT

ALISON BRACKENBURY

CASSIE YUKAWA MCBURNEY & SIMON MCBURNEY 

PHILIP RUSH - ANNA SAUNDERS - AMBIENT RECEIVER - ZOE BROOKS 

CLAIRE CARROLL - CHAKA - EMILY WILLS - JASON CONWAY - CHLOË JACQUET 

KATE DENT - HANNAH COPLEY - KYM DEYN - GINNY DARKE - KAREN DOWNS BARTON 

SUYIN DU BOIS - RHIAN ELIZABETH - ANGELA FRANCE - RACHEL GOODMAN 

REBECCA GOSS - GEORGIA GRIFFITHS - NICK DEGG - LUCY HOLME - ADAM HOROVITZ 

RONNIE MCGRATH - ALUN HUGHES - ANDREW HYKEL MEARS - AARON KENT 

LENZO - LIVING MATTER - JLM MORTON - JOSHUA O'CATHASAIG - PEY OH 

ALYCIA PIRMOHAMED - KATE POTTS - ELEANOR REES - ELVIRE ROBERTS 

JOSEPHINE LAY - PETER LAY - MARTHA SPRACKLAND - SOLLE - ELLORA SUTTON 

TSANTANA - LYDIA UNSWORTH - MERCE WHITE - JAKE WILD HALL 

ALICE WILLITTS - JONNY FLUFFYPUNK & UTA BALDAUF X WORD LAB 

SLIGHT AFTERPARTY WITH LOST MYTHOS + GOD OF SPORTS 

Venues

LANSDOWN HALL - STROUD LIBRARY - TRINITY ROOMS - CHAPELS OF REST - BORDERLESS BOOKS

LANSDOWN GALLERY - HOLY TRINITY CHURCH - ROUGH HANDS - YARD GALLERY

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Festival Dobunni tribal poster design available to buy from our online merchandise store

Be part of our grassroots festival

SPEAK UP

SPEAK OUT

SPEAK TOGETHER

This October we are bringing internationally acclaimed writers to the inaugural Dobunni Poetry Festival in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Known for its independent spirit, radical thought and artistic communities, our town has long been a haven for those who live and think against the grain. From a long tradition of nonconformists and the Stroudwater riots to England’s only anti-slavery memorial, birthplace of Extinction Rebellion and Stop Ecocide, and Britain’s first fully organic café, Stroud has always been a place that’s proud to forge a path outside of the mainstream.

It’s in that same spirit of dissent and creativity that the inaugural Dobunni Poetry Festival now takes its place: a new gathering shaped by the town’s history of speaking up, speaking out and speaking together.

Stroud’s dedicated poetry festival, creating a cultural home for writers, readers, and audiences of all ages.