An image of Pleasance Edinburgh with the words Push the Boat Out Festival, 12-15 November 2026
Save the Date! 📆 Push the Boat Out Festival returns this November! 🛶 Join us at Pleasance from 12–15 November for a joyful weekend of poetry, performance and plenty of surprises. Expect bold voices and brilliant conversations as we gather once again to celebrate words in all their forms.
⏰Get on Board! Rock the Boat returns to the Wee Red Bar on Thursday 19 February, 7–9pm. Join us for a joyful evening of open mic poetry hosted by Catherine Wilson Garry and Julia Sorensen, with feature poet Marianne MacRae . Sign up to perform or just pop along pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/
A pink textured background with a cut out image of poet Naomi Shihab Nye. The text on the image reads Push the Boat Out, Naomi Shihab Nye, Online Workshop, Wednesday 11 February.
Is writing part of your 2026 plans? Join our friendly online workshops led by inspiring international poets. On 11 Feb award-winning Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye explores how to transform mundane moments into powerful poetry: www.citizenticket.com/events/push-...
A total privilege to spend the afternoon learning about Ekphrastic poetry with the genius Nick Makoha - he shared a number of poems from his new collection which is fantastic.
#PoetryHelps @ptbopoetry.bsky.social
"It's really important as artists, especially if you're claiming to be against this oppression, to get stuck in and do something about it"
Ahead of an appearance at @ptbopoetry.bsky.social, we chat with punk poet and multi-slam champion Jay Mitra
Text over a pink and yellow background listing the headline acts for Push the Boat Out Festival 2025. Text reads: Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh's International Poetry Festival 20-23 November, plus pre festival events. Pleasance. Leena Norms * Hollie McNish * Michael Pedersen * Luke Kennard * Tinderbox Orchestra * Anthony Anaxagorou * Hannah Lavery * Zinnie Harris * William Letford * Nick Makoha * Len Pennie * Karen McCarthy Woolf * Victoria Chang * Lorna Goodison
Push the Boat Out 2025 is here! You can browse our programme, download a brochure, and book now 📣 🛶🎫
This year’s festival sets sail from 20-23 November with a bold mix of poetry, performance, music and art in a sparkling celebration of words in all their forms. pushtheboatout.org/programme/
Photo of Katie Ailes and Kevin Mclean performing live onstage.
Graphic for Push the Boat Out Festival, Edinburgh's International Poetry Festival. It takes place 20-23 November, plus pre-festival events, at the Pleasance.
Interested in learning how to host events? Join us 21st Nov at @ptbopoetry.bsky.social for a FREE workshop on compering technique led by @katieailes.bsky.social & @kevoutloud.bsky.social!
Info & bookings: pushtheboatout.org/events/hosti...
📢 All Aboard! We’re on the lookout for a
new Chair and Trustees to join our Board of Directors
and help guide our organisation’s future.
If you share our vision of poetry as a vibrant, everyday
force in people’s lives, we’d love to hear from you ✨ pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/
We're thrilled to be collaborating with the Leeuwarden UNESCO City of Literature to present our latest online poetry writing workshop with Preston Losack, host of Preston's Poetry Podcast. Join us on Wed 17 Sept as we dive into active reading for poetry writing: www.citizenticket.com/events/push-...
Rock the Boat is setting sail for the Spiegeltent! Join hosts Julia Sorensen and Catherine Wilson Garry for a special Edinburgh International Book Festival edition of our lively open mic. All performance spots are filled but you can still join us on the night: www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...
A photograph of Edinburgh's Pleasance entrance with the Push the Boat Out logo and text that reads 'Edinburgh International Poetry Festival, New Venue for 2025, Pleasance'
We’re delighted to announce that Push the Boat Out will be setting sail at the Pleasance in 2025! 🛶✨ Join us from 21-23 November for a weekend packed with poetry, performance and cross-artform creativity in one of Edinburgh’s most iconic festival venues. More: pushtheboatout.org/new-venue-fo...
Call for commissions! In partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland @ntsonline.bsky.social, we’re commissioning three powerful performance pieces responding to the urgent theme: Anthropocene: The Human-Altered World. Find out more and apply by 7 July: pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/
An image of Kim Addonizio on a blue and pink background with the Push the Boat Out logo. The Text reads Edinburgh's International Poetry Festival. Online Workshop. Kim Addonizio.
After a short break, we’re thrilled to relaunch our online poetry workshop series. Join us on Wednesday 2 July for Finding Joy with the brilliant Kim Addonizio @kimaddonizio.bsky.social, a poet whose work unflinchingly seeks out light in the darkest places. pushtheboatout.org/finding-joy-...
Ruxy Cantir performs In Deep on stage at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in 2024. Ruxy is dressed as a clown in an oversized pair of trousers and holding a bunched up piece of fishing net. In Deep was a collaboration between poet and playwright David McNeish and physical theatre maker and clown Ruxy Cantir commissioned by Push the Boat Out in 2024 as part of the Living Water: New Poetic Performances, in association with the National Theatre of Scotland. Photo credit: Chris Scott
We’re thrilled to launch a brand-new opportunity! With support from @ntsonline.bsky.social, we’re commissioning three bold, poetry-led performances responding to our theme: Anthropocene: The Human-Altered World. Full info▶️ pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/
A photo of Julia Sorensen and Catherine Wilson Garry. They're each standing in front of a mic while an audience watches.
Two weeks until our open mic night, Rock the Boat, returns to Inspace Gallery! Join us for an evening of friendly vibes and fresh voices, hosted by Catherine Wilson Garry and Julia Sorensen.
📅 Thu 8 May
⏰ 7pm – 9pm
📍 Inspace Gallery, 1 Crichton Street
▶️ pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/
A background in shades of blue and pink with a sound wave design. The text reads: Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh International Poetry Festival, 21-23 November 2025.
Save the Date! Push the Boat Out is back from 21-23 November 2025. We’re busy behind the scenes crafting an exciting, thought-provoking programme full of poetry, performance, and plenty of surprises.
Stay tuned! We can’t wait to share our plans with you 🚤✨
Deadline 7 April! Don't miss the boat ⛵
An image of a microphone on a blue and purple background. The overlay text reads Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh's International Poetry Festival, Job Opportunity, Creative Producer.
We're looking for an extremely well-organised, creative and collaborative Creative Producer to support the development and delivery of the programme for Push the Boat Out 2025. Find out more and apply by 7 April: pushtheboatout.org/work-with-us/
Looking for something to do this sunny Saturday? Head along to the free launch of Polaris, Issue 3 - "Planting Amaryllis", where poetry meets sculpture in a powerful exploration of guerrilla gardening, resilience and the myth of the amaryllis flower. More info: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/planting-a...
Image says: Have your say on which new quotes should be added to our Canongate Wall
Have your say on one of Edinburgh's most iconic pieces of public art! To celebrate the building's 20th anniversary, the Scottish Parliament is adding new quotations to the Canongate Wall. Vote for your favourite from 3 of Scotland’s leading poets. Find out more: www.parliament.scot/get-involved...
We are thrilled to have been awarded multi-year funding from Creative Scotland. This provides the stability we need to work with even more artists, freelancers, communities, and audiences as we support and celebrate poetry in all its glorious forms: pushtheboatout.org/push-the-boa...
Hosts Julia Sorensen and Catherine Wilson Garry stand on stage at Rock the Boat's open mic night during Push the Boat Out in 2024.
After a wee break, we’re thrilled to announce that Rock the Boat will return in March! 🚢🎤 We’re putting the finishing touches on the details and will share everything – including the all-important sign-up link – in the next couple of weeks 👀 Stay tuned! We can't wait to Rock the Boat again! 🌊✨
And finally...
⛵ 2025 Festival Planning is already underway 🤩
Here’s to another year of poetry, performance, and pushing boundaries. Thank you for being part of our vibrant community.
🎧 Festival Podcasts are on the way! We’ve teamed up with @ehfmfm.bsky.social to bring you recorded highlights from our 2024 festival events.
🌍 Connections and Creativity with our online workshop programme—bringing writers together from across the world.
Iona Fyfe poses with a book and a paper boat in front of Edinburgh Castle. Photo by Sally Anderson.
We’re diving in to 2025 and feeling excited about the year ahead. Here are some things we’re looking forward to:
🎤 Rock the Boat! Our friendly and inclusive open mic night will be back soon. It's the perfect opportunity for sharing your words or celebrating the creativity of our performing poets.
✨ As we wrap up 2024, we'd like to take a moment to wish our incredible artists, friends and audiences a joyful festive season 🌟 We’ll be back in the New Year with updates on Rock the Boat and our ongoing series of workshops. Thank you for all your support - we look forward to reconnecting in 2025 ⛵
Push the Boat Out Festival Director Emma Collins and Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson stand next to a banner that reads Push the Boat Out Edinburgh's International Poetry Festival.
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson welcomes guests to the opening of Push the Boat Out 2024.
Raymond Wilson performs at the opening of Push the Boat Out Festival.
Audiences watch a performance at the opening of Push the Boat Out Festival.
Push the Boat Out festival set sail on 22 November with a series of special events at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. We were delighted to be joined by Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson as we celebrated the opening of our festival.
