Roundhouse Poetry Collective

Love writing your own poetry? Want to dedicate regular time to developing your craft and meet like-minded people? The Roundhouse Poetry Collective is for you.

Led by award-winning poet and novelist Cecilia Knapp, with guest sessions from some of the UK’s most exciting voices, the collective meets Tuesday evenings for creative workshops full of writing, reading, feedback, discussion, and performance. 

The programme runs from October to July, with breaks during half-term holidays (30 sessions in total). We are looking for people who want to commit to attending all sessions regularly, so that the group can develop and grow together.

What do I get by taking part? 

• Develop skills in a range of poetry writing styles.
• Learn exercises and techniques to improve your craft.
• Work alongside celebrated poets and spoken word artists and learn about the processes they use when creating new work.
• Develop more confidence in yourself as a writer and performer.
• Receive detailed feedback and guidance, and learn to critique both yourself and others.
• Develop a close network of like-minded potential collaborators. 
• Find out about the business side of being a professional artist, how to market yourself and where to find further development opportunities.
• Performance opportunities, including showcasing your work at the Roundhouse.

Who is teaching the project? 

Cecilia Knapp is a poet and novelist and the Young People’s Laureate for London 2020/2021. She was shortlisted for the 2022 Forward prize for best single poem. She is the winner of the 2021 Ruth Rendell award and has been shortlisted for the Rebecca Swift Women’s Prize. Her debut poetry collection Peach Pig was published by Corsair in 2022 and was the Observer’s poetry book of the month for October. Her poems have appeared in The Financial Times, Granta and The White Review. She curated the anthology Everything is Going to be alright: Poems for When You Really Need Them, published by Trapeze in 2021.  Her debut novel Little Boxes is published by The Borough Press. In 2023, Little Boxes was longlisted for The Authors Club Best First Novel Award. Cecilia teaches poetry in a number of settings and is the lead tutor of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective.

There will also be a range of guest facilitators who will be invited to lead sessions two or three times per term. Previous guests have included Rachel Long, Arji Manuelpillai, Phoebe Stuckes to name a few.

What are the sessions like?

Sessions are two-hour workshops, run in person at Roundhouse Studios every Tuesday evening, 6.30–8.30pm. You’ll write, read, talk, share and experiment in a relaxed, open environment.

• Autumn: Meet the group, explore different styles, and build your feedback skills
• Spring: Focus on developing and refining your writing and performance
• Summer: Keep writing while learning about the poetry industry — from publishing to funding

Hear from our Alumni:

The amount that I’ve learned from being in this collective is something I don’t know if I would have learned if I was outside of it and I was going through the motions of learning poetry by myself…I’m really grateful for the Roundhouse Collective and the people in it.
-Roundhouse Poetry Collective Member

“The spaces that we nurtured together were so safe and supportive that I was able to develop a critical method for both myself and others”
-Roundhouse Poetry Collective Member

“[Performance] was something I really wanted to work on, and having multiple performance opportunities across the course encouraged me to begin memorising my poems and gave me the chance to adjust my delivery across performances”
-Roundhouse Poetry Collective Member

Do I need any particular skills or experience to take part?

No specific skills or prior experience are required to participate. All you need is an interest in poetry and a commitment to a year of development. We value a diverse range of experiences within each collective, so whether you’re a seasoned slam competitor or an individual writer curious about performance poetry, we encourage you to apply!

Please note: We ask for regular weekly attendance (at least 80%), unless agreed otherwise for access reasons. You don’t have to live in London to apply, but we can’t cover travel costs from outside the city. There may also be festivals and events, particularly during summer 2026, but these are not compulsory to attend.

How to join

Apply online by Monday 18th August, 10am
Just one step: fill out the form and send us a short video to introduce yourself and your poetry. We’ll get in touch with successful applicants. If spaces fill up, we may keep a few people on a reserve list in case any spots open up.

Key Dates

Please note that these dates are subject to change.

• Autumn term dates: 30th September – 9th December, no session in half term on 28th October
• Spring term dates: 13th January – 24th March, break in half term
• Summer term dates: 28th April – 7th July, break in half term
• Roundhouse Performance Opportunity in April 2026

Roundhouse positive action statement

The Roundhouse champions diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe in a just society and in the benefit for all gained from the richness of diverse experiences and expressions within cultural output.

I’M NOT SURE I CAN AFFORD TO TAKE PART…

If you need help to pay for things like project fees, transport or childcare, we can help. Find out how you can get support. If you are using a bursary to pay for the project, please ensure you arrange this with the Advice Base with plenty of time before the start of the project.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL NEEDS. WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?

We are committed to supporting D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse young people, those with medical conditions, access requirements or any lived experience that may require adaptation, support or sensitivity. If there is anything you would like to let us (our youth workers, tutors or staff) know that will support your enjoyment and access, you can do so by emailing us at advicebase@roundhouse.org.uk, and we will contact you to discuss further how to best support your engagement.