COMMUNITY MEET-UPS

Everything we do at the Surrey Poet Laureateship is built on community, and Surrey’s Big Poetry Weekend is no different.

Our Community Meet-Ups are your chance to shape the festival experience. Whether it’s a casual gathering, a themed discussion, a creative hangout, or something entirely your own, we’re opening the space for you to bring people together.

Poetry is at its best when it’s shared, and this is your opportunity to create moments of connection, conversation, and collaboration throughout the weekend.

If you’d like to organise a Community Meet, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch: info@surreypoetlaureateship.org

Let’s build this festival together.

Community Meets Timetable

Private

August 1:

Stage Room - 11am-12pm - Available to book

Main Hall - 5pm-6pm - Available to book

August 2:

Main Hall - 5pm-6pm - Available to book

Communal

August 1:

Bunker - 2pm-3pm - Poetry Hubbers

An opportunity for Poetry Hub participants across Surrey to meet one another.

August 2:

Community Meet-Ups — Information & Guidelines

Community Meet-Up listings are provided to help attendees connect with like-minded people during the festival. Please note that inclusion in these listings does not indicate formal endorsement or supervision by the Surrey Poet Laureateship team.

While we will do our best to help avoid major scheduling clashes, we are unable to provide additional support such as crowd management. The organisation, timing, and delivery of each meet-up remains the responsibility of the organiser.

All organisers are expected to act with respect, inclusivity, and professionalism, in line with our community values. Community Meets should be welcoming spaces for anyone who wishes to attend.

Official Meet Spaces

For those looking to host something more structured, the Laureateship will be offering bookable time slots in designated private spaces. These will be listed above and can be reserved in advance, giving you a dedicated environment to host your meet.

We will also have a shared community space known as The Bunker, an open, relaxed area available throughout the day for anyone to gather, connect, or simply take a moment to recharge.

If you are unable to secure a private meet space, you are still very welcome to organise a meet in a communal area. We’ll happily list your meet on our website so others can find and join you.

What should I include when registering a Community Meet?

We’ll need some basic contact details for admin purposes, as well as key information about your meet-up, including:

Start time
Meeting location
Meet theme

Where can I host my Community Meet?

Private meet spaces (bookable)
The Bunker (open community space)
Communal festival areas (where appropriate)

Please ensure:

You do not block entrances, exits, or walkways
You remain mindful of scheduled programming and other activities
Your meet does not disrupt festival operations

If your location is not yet confirmed, you may list your meet as:
“Please check event page for updates.”

Need to update your meet or have a question?

Please contact us at: info@surreypoetlaureateship.org