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The Finalists

Throughout October Academi has been holding heats across Wales for the 2009 John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry in a bid to find the nation's best performance poet. Audiences have been treated to four hugely successful evenings of original and diverse poetry at Llanhilleth Miners Institiute, Pontardawe Arts Centre, The Gate in Cardiff and Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Over 70 poets have now battled it out and our judges have chosen the 16 who have made it through to the Grand Final at The Wharf on Thursday 19 November.

The finalists are, from Llanhilleth Bernard Pearson, David John Davies, Gemma June Howell and Thaer Al-Shayei; from Pontardawe Dafydd Wynn, Heidi Lorenz, Nicholas Whitehead and Sally Spedding; from Cardiff Amanda Rackstraw, Clare Syder, Geraint D’Arcy and Nick Fisk and from Llandudno Anne Forrest, Gareth Glyn Roberts, Rhys Trimble and Liam Johnson. 

However, only one can be named Wales’ best performance poet and walk away with the first prize of £500. As well as the judges’ choice of winner, there will also be an award of £100 presented to the Runner-up and a further £100 award to the winner of the Audience Prize. 

The competition is widely renowned throughout Wales and has been exciting audiences and profiling new poets since 1990. Book your tickets now and be one of the first to find out who will come out on top and have your say as to who should be awarded the 2009 Audience Prize. 

The Grand Final will take place on Thursday 19 November, 7.30 pm at The Wharf, Cardiff.
Tickets cost just £5.00 / £4.00 Academi Members and Associates.

For more information on the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry
and to book your tickets to the Grand Final contact Academi:
029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org