Leamington Library has opened bookings for a new Teen Open Mic event at the Royal Pump Rooms, giving 13 to 17-year-olds a dedicated space to write, perform, and share poetry on Wednesday, 19 August 2026. The free session runs from 2pm to 4pm and is backed by Warwickshire County Council and Arts Council England.
A 45-minute interactive workshop led by poet Kurly McGeachie kicks off the afternoon, offering tips on writing and performance to build confidence and stage presence. An open mic segment follows where participants can test their own material in a supportive environment. The Eventbrite listing confirms places are free but require advance booking.
The session arrives as the Warwickshire Young Poet Laureate competition—also run by the libraries and funded by Arts Council England—enters its eleventh year. The scheme has appointed eleven laureates since 2015, with the current titleholder Naomi Mba of Avon Valley School in Rugby serving through 2026. The library links the open mic directly to the laureate programme, noting the event is for anyone exploring opportunities like the competition, which is open to young people across the county.
McGeachie, a Birmingham Poet Laureate Finalist and co-founder of the creative literacy consultancy Memorhyme Education, has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and focuses on building literacy confidence through workshops for organisations such as Warwickshire Young Carers and the National Trust. The Royal Pump Rooms event marks a fresh addition to the library’s regular programme.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
