This Is Just To Say: spoken word open mic

Oxford Poetry Library presents a spoken word open mic night! Join us in the library on the first Tuesday of every month to enjoy all manner of word-weaving, story-sharing, and spell-casting.

We welcome poets, storytellers, and writers of all kinds to share their work (or the work of others) in a safe, supportive, and inclusive space. Slots are 5 minutes long, and performers sign up on the door – first come, first served!

The theme of this month’s session is CLOSE, CLOSER. We’ll be getting up close and personal, so bring your poems that are nice and intimate, draw us in for the winter night, and hold us near.

Every month we feature a performer with a slightly extended set and this month’s featured performer to grace our stage will be Rency Jumaoas Raquid. Rency was born and raised in Quezon City, Philippines. Currently based in Oxford, he is a DPhil student studying plant development and evolution, and a volunteer at the Oxford Poetry Library. His poem was awarded third prize in the 2023 National Poetry Competition. Recently, he was selected for a full scholarship to attend the Arvon Foundation’s Advanced Creative Writing Programme. His work has been featured in The Poetry Review, Winchester Poetry Prize 2024 and OPL’s Drafting Table (kill your darlings) anthologies.

The session starts at 7.30pm (performers are advised to arrive from 7pm), at The Community Works (21 Park End St, OX1 1HU).

£5 entry (£2 concessions), performers free.

There will be a bar at this event, so it is no longer BYOB!

The building is accessible, but if you have any specific access needs, please drop us an email at oxfordpoetrylibrary@gmail.com beforehand!