A Poet in Every Port with the Mobile National Poetry Library
Part of the Dundee Book Festival 2026
Dates: Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June 2026
Dates: Times: 10am until 5pm
Location: Outside The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum
FREE, drop-in
Presented by: Leisure & Culture Dundee in partnership with Southbank Centre
We are delighted to welcome A Poet in Every Port with the Mobile National Poetry Library to Dundee as part of Dundee Book Festival 2026.
Presented in partnership with Southbank Centre, this pop-up outdoor event invites audiences of all ages to explore poetry in a relaxed, welcoming setting outside The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum.
Across the weekend, the Mobile National Poetry Library will host free, drop-in activity including browsing contemporary poetry, live readings, creative workshops and opportunities for visitors to share their own words.
The programme celebrates Dundee’s coastal identity, languages and stories and shows that poetry is for everyone.
What to expect
Browse the Mobile National Poetry Library, a touring collection of modern poetry
Hear live readings and performances by local and emerging poets
Take part in free creative workshops and activities
Submit your own poem or short piece of writing inspired by Dundee and the coast
Drop in at any point and stay for a few minutes or longer
No booking or previous experience required.
Featured poet: Cat MacLeod
Cat MacLeod is a poet who is part of Southbank Centre’s New Poets Collective, representing Dundee for A Poet in Every Port. Cat’s work is rooted in ecological thinking, weaving together close observation, scientific knowledge and playful curiosity. They describe their practice as writing alongside ecology, blending lived experience with facts about animals and the natural world and exploring the spaces between what is seen, felt and known.
Through A Poet in Every Port, Cat is excited to bring renewed focus to Dundee’s poetry scene and celebrate local voices through shared storytelling.
About A Poet in Every Port
A Poet in Every Port is a Southbank Centre initiative celebrating the UK’s diverse dialects and languages by sharing the stories of coastal communities. The project demonstrates that poetry can belong to everyone and forms part of Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary programme.
FAQs
The Mobile National Poetry Library is a bespoke, custom-fitted van that functions as a touring version of Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library. It features unique poetry collections, a recording studio and space for workshops.
Visitors are free to browse the collection, take part in free workshops, watch performances by local poets and submit their own poem or story as part of a national programme.
The Mobile National Poetry Library is free to visit and all public activities are free of charge. Some festival-linked events may require booking.
Everyone. Activities are designed to be inclusive and welcoming for all ages and levels of experience.
Southbank Centre’s National Poetry Library is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world, with over 200,000 items spanning from 1912 to the present day. Anyone can become a member for free. Visit www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk for more information.
Southbank Centre’s New Poets Collective is an annual scheme supporting emerging poets yet to publish their first collection. Since 2021, the initiative has supported over 60 poets across the UK, many of whom have gone on to win major awards and publish collections.
Poet In Every Port is part of the Dundee Book Festival 2026 which runs 19 to 21 June 2026
Dundee Book Festival brings together readers, writers and creatives for a city-wide celebration of books, ideas and storytelling, with a welcoming programme of talks, workshops, readings and family events. The full programme will be announced soon. Keep an eye out for details.
