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Spoken word events in Scotland
Spoken word events and open mic nights are a brilliant way of getting your writing out there and meeting other writers.
This list is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but if you find an inaccuracy on it please let us know. If your event isn’t listed here and you’d like it to be please email [email protected](this link will open in a new window).
While some of these events are open to people under 18 years old, poetry nights regularly deal with adult subject matter and language. Some nights make audiences aware of potentially disturbing material, whereas others do not. If you are interested in performing at a spoken word event we would strongly recommend going to it first.
In terms of accessibility, we have sought to find out if the events have the following:
- Step Free Access (with detail where possible)
- Accessible Toilet
- Disabled Parking
- Carer Ticket
- Hearing Loop
- BSL
- Quiet Room Available
- PA System and Microphone
If these are not listed, then either they are not provided or we are unaware of their provision. Some nights have no fixed venue, and so their accessibility varies as a result. Please contact event organisers with any specific queries.
Events are listed alphabetically by council area.
Aberdeen
Poetry at Books and Beans
Format: guest readers and open mic - sign up on the night.
Hosts: Jo Gilbert, Kimberley Petrie, Judith Taylor
Frequency: last Thursday of every month (except during summer holidays)
Time: 6.30 - 8pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Event on first floor, please contact us for more information
U18s allowed: No
Speakin Weird
Format: Open mic poetry, comedy, prose, stories. Sign up on the night.
Host(s): Orla Kelly
Venue: Spin, 10 Littlejohn St, Aberdeen AB10 1FG
Frequency: Second Wednesday of every month
Start Time: 7.30-10.30pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: £2 (£1 concession)
Accessibility: Step free access, accessible toilets, PA & microphone
Women's Open Mic
Format: Open mic music, comedy, poetry, prose for women and non-binary people. Sign up via email or on the night.
Host(s): Rebecca Dunn
Venue: Aberdeen Multicultural Centre, 84 Spring Garden, Aberdeen, AB25 1GN
Frequency: Second Monday of the month, every two months.
Time: 6.30-9.30pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step free access and accessible toilet
Website: https://www.facebook.com/WOMAberdeen/
Email: [email protected]
Dumfries and Galloway
A Night of Spoken Word with Lockerbie Writers
Format: Open mic for poetry, prose and storytelling
Host(s): Lockerbie Writers/A Novel Approach writing groups
Venue: King’s Arms Hotel, 29 High Street, Lockerbie, DG11 2JL
Frequency: Biannual (check website for details)
Time: 7.30-9.30pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step Free Access, Accessible Toilet, Disabled Parking.
Spoken Word - Wigtown
Format: Open mic
Venue: Craft Hotel, 30 South Main Street, Wigtown, DG8 9HG
Frequency: Last Thursday of the month
Start Time: 7pm
Dundee
Hotchpotch
Format: Open mic fiction and poetry. Sign up on the night for 5-7 minute slots
Host(s): Gavin Cruickshank
Venue: The Hunter S Thompson, 144 Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4JW
Frequency: Monthly, Monday nights
Start Time: 6.30pm for 7pm start
End Time: 10pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: PA and microphone
Website: Hotchpotch website
East Lothian
Musselburgh Hotpot
Format: Open mic music, prose, poetry and storytelling. Sign up on the night for 5 minute slots
Host: Stephen Barnaby
Venue: Staggs Bar, 81 North High Street, Musselburgh EH21 6JE
Frequency: First Sunday of the month
Time: 7.30-10.30pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step free access (side door)
Vibrant Musselburgh Arts Cafe
Format: Open mic music, prose, poetry and storytelling. Sign up on the day for 5 minute slots
Venue: Fisherrow Centre, South Street, Musselburgh EH21 6AT
Frequency: Last Sunday of every month
Time: 2-5pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step free access (permanent access ramp), accessible toilets.
Edinburgh
The Alcove
Format: Open mic with headliner. Music and spoken word.
Venue: Teviot Row House Loung Bar, 13 Bristo Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AJ
Frequency: Monthly during term time, on a Friday
Time: 7.30pm
Cost: None
Accessibility: Quiet room available, PA system and microphone.
Hame-ish
Format: Booked performers
Host: Mairi-Claire Traynor & Ed Ritchie
Venue: Waterstones, 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AD
Frequency: Irregular, Saturdays
Start Time: 6.30-8.30pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: £10 on door, £8 advance/2 for £12
Accessibility: Step free access, Accessible Toilet, Carer Ticket (email for details), PA System and Microphone
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Yerhame.ish
Email: [email protected]
I Am Loud
Format: Booked performers, spoken word.
Host(s): Kevin Mclean
Venue: Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR
Frequency: Monthly on a Friday
Time: 7.30-10pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: £8/£6 concessions
Accessibility: Step free access, Accessible Toilets, Hearing Loop, PA & Microphone. More information available
Website: https://www.iamloud.co/
Email: [email protected]
Shoreline of Infinity's Event Horizon
Format: Booked performers
Host(s): Russell Jones
Venue: Frankenstein, 26 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EN
Frequency: Second Thursday of the month
Time: 7.30-10.30pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: PA system and microphone. Events occasionally live video streamed.
Website: www.shorelineofinfinity.com
Email: [email protected]
Typewronger Open Mic
Format: Open Mic - Sign up on the night from 7pm - Music, prose, poetry, storytelling, comedy
Venue: Typewronger Books, 4a Haddington Place, Edinburgh, EH7 4AE
Frequency: Monthly
Time: 7.30-9pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.typewronger.com/
Email: [email protected]
Rock the Boat, Push the Boat Out's spoken word open mic
Format: Spoken word open mic with pre-registration (via Google form and available from PTBO social media each month)
Host(s): Catherine Wilson Garry and Julia Sorensen
Venue: Inspace, 1 Crichton St, Edinburgh EH8 9AB
Frequency: Monthly, (usually) the first Thursday of the month
Time: 19:00-21:00
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: free
Accessibility: Step free access from entrance to stage and front row seating, wheelchair lift to accessible toilets and back row seating, PA & microphone, more information available
Website: https://pushtheboatout.org/rock-the-boat/
Email: [email protected]
Falkirk
Words with Seagulls
Literary & musical open mic night.
Venue: Seagull Trust Bookshop, Falkirk High Street
Frequency: second Wednesday of every month
Time: 7pm-9pm
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Upstairs venue
Website: Words With Seagulls on Facebook
Fife
Fife Writes
Format: Open Mic, sign up at the event, open to all, & free
Frequency: Monthly (alternates in-person/Zoom)
Website: http://www.fifewrites.org.uk/
Email: [email protected]
Inklight
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night
Venue: Aikmans, 32 Bell Street, St Andrews, KY16 9UX (Occasional events in Students Union)
Frequency: Monthly, Mondays
Time: 8-11pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.facebook.com/inklightsoc/
Email: [email protected]
Glasgow
Better Crack Club
Format: Open mic storytelling. Sign up on the night
Venue: Tchai-Ovna, 42 Otago Lane, Glasgow, G12 8PB
Frequency: Third Friday of every month
Time: 8-10pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Website: Better Crack on Facebook
Cluster**** Circus
Format: Poetry and comedy. Booked performers
Venue: Nice N Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LG
Frequency: Monthly.
Time: 7.30-11pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: £5
Accessibility: PA and Microphone.
Website: Cluster**** Circus on Facebook
Express Yourself
Frequency: Last Friday of every month
Time: 7-10pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free (donations welcome)
Accessibility: Wheelchair and pushchair friendly with ramp access at the front of the building and a lift via the Fleming House main entrance. Accessible toilets with changing facilities. More information available
Website: Tell It Slant Instagram
Inn Deep
Format: Booked performers. Sign up via Facebook message for ten minute slots
Host(s): Sam Small, Jack McMillan
Venue: Inn Deep, 445 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8HH
Frequency: Second, third and fourth Tuesday of every month
Time: 7-10pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Website: Inn Deep on Instagram
Last Wednesday at the Bungo
Format: Open mic spoken word. Sign up via Facebook group for five minute open mic slots
Host(s): Robin Cairns
Venue: Brittania Panopticon, 113 – 117 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5HD
Frequency: Last Wednesday of the month
Time: 7.30-9pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Accessibility: PA system & microphone.
Seeds of Thought
Format: Open mic spoken word and music. Sign up on the night or via Facebook event
Host(s): Tawona Sithole, Ernest Sithole, Tarneem Al Mousawi Sithole
Venue: Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
Frequency: Monthly
Time: 8pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Non-automatic doors at street level, lifts to all floors, accessible toilets. More information available
St Mungo's Mirrorball
Format: Booked performers
Host(s): Jim Carruth
Venue: Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD
Frequency: Usually Thursday evenings (check website for dates)
Time: 7-9pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: £7/£4/Free entry for members
Accessibility: Step free access, non-automatic doors at street level, lifts to all floors. Accessible toilet, PA system & microphone. More information available
Website: St Mungo's Mirrorball on Facebook
Email: [email protected]
Words and Music
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night for 5 minute slots
Host(s): Gayle Smith, Jen Hughes
Venue: MILK, 378 Cathcart Rd, Glasgow G42 7DF
Frequency: First Monday of every month
Time: 7-9pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Suggested donation of £1
Accessibility: Accessible venue (at street level). PA system & microphone when available.
Website: Words and Music on Facebook
Seahorse Muse
Format: Open mic (music an readings). Sign up in advance by email.
Host(s): Linda Jackson
Venue: Avant Garde, 34, King Street, Glasgow, G1 5QT
Frequency: Last Monday of the Month.
Time: 7pm
Email: [email protected]
Website: Seahorse Muse website
Highlands
Highland LIT
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night.
Venue: Glen Mhor Hotel, 7-17 Ness Bank, Inverness IV2 4SG.
Frequency: Quarterly; first Tuesday in March, June, September and December.
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
U18s allowed: Over 16s allowed.
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step Free Access (ramp), Accessible toilet, PA and Microphone.
Website: https://www.highlandlit.com/
Perth and Kinross
Blend In, Stand Out
Host(s): Rana Marathon, Craig Lithgow
Venue: Little Bird Cafe, 213 High Street, Perth, PH1 5PB
Frequency: Monthly, Fridays
Time: 6.30pm onwards
U18s allowed: No
Cost: £5
Stanzalone Poetry - Spoken Word Open Mic
Host(s): Shirley Williams, Tom Langlands, Lesley Buchan Donald
Venue: Auchterarder Picturehouse, Townhead, Auchterarder, PH3 1AH - currently on the first floor of the building and access is via stairs at the moment. Microphones available.
Frequency: Last Wednesday of the month
Time: Doors 6.30pm for a 7pm start, ends 9.30pm
Cost: Free although donations welcome
U18s allowed: No
More info: Stanzalone Poetry Spoken Word Open Mic Facebook Group
Renfrewshire
Nights of the Round Table
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night for 5 minute slots
Host(s): Kay Metcalfe
Venue: Bianco Nero Coffee, 27 Gauze Street, Paisley, PA1 1ES
Frequency: First Tuesday of every month
Time: 7-9pm
U18s allowed: Yes
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step free access, accessible toilets
Scottish Borders
Borders Writers' Forum
Format: Open mic. Sign up by email for 5 minute slots
Venue: Various
Frequency: Quarterly.
Cost: Free
Website: https://borderswritersforumorguk.wordpress.com/bwf-open-mic/
Email: [email protected]
Stirling
The Write Angle
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night for 5 minute slots
Venue: Various
Frequency: Irregular
Cost: Free (donations welcome)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/writeanglefv/
Email: [email protected]
West Dunbartonshire
Balloch Open Mic
Format: Open mic. Sign up on the night for 5 minute slots
Host(s): Mary Irvine, George Gibson, Ann MacKinnon
Venue: Balloch House Hotel, Balloch Road, Balloch, Alexandria G83 8LQ
Frequency: First Monday of the month.
Time: 7-9pm
U18s allowed: No
Cost: Free
Accessibility: Step Free Access, Accessible Toilets
Website: Balloch Open Mic on Facebook
West Lothian
Saltire Open Mic
Format: Open mic. 10 minute slots.
Host(s): Chris Young
Venue: The Saltire, Carmondean Centre, Livingston EH54 8PT
Frequency: Last Thursday of the month.
Time: 8-11pm
Cost: Free