The upcoming two weeks here in Glasgow, include some unique cross-cultural events that will give the stage to some really exciting new voices (see below). At the same time, the Fringe and the Edinburgh Book Festival will bring outstanding talent from all over the world to our doorstep. To celebrate the opportunity to experience this vibrant mix of cultures, PIG includes a little African Poetry Taster. That's on top of all the usual news on events and opportunities. So, keep reading.

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Events (21 July to 3 August 2025)

Your poetry week kicks off on Monday (21 July), at Hillhead Bookclub with the weekly Poet's Corner open mic. This week's theme is 'where have all the bugs gone?'. Fair question. Be there from 7pm to find (or give) poetic answers.

For a mere £5.00, the Poetry Society is promising an International Stanza Bonanza on Wednesday, 23 July. The exciting night of online readings with members from across Europe will include Jill Barker, Gwyneth Box, Julie Sheridan, Olivia Dawson, Jean Page, Lesia Daria, Lucy Heuschen, Karin Molde, Sara Stegen and many more.

On Friday, 25 July, it's finally time for the fabulous African-Scottish Poetry Event at the House Arts Collective. Curated by Chisom Okoronkwo, in collaboration with U Belong Glasgow, the night will present a vibrant mix of poetry and music, conversations and storytelling. The full line-up includes: Michael Ogah, Aditya Narayan, Ross McFarlane, Peilin Shi, Kevin Leomo, Ogene Igbo and Cat Cochrane. Tickets are on a sliding scale from £0-£10. Book yours via Eventbrite.

Everyone's favourite weekend afternoon reading is back on Sunday, 27 July. Scowth has it all: open mic slots, guest readers, a relaxed atmosphere, food, drinks, and a fully accessible venue. This month's edition includes readings from Julie McNeill and Martin Goldie. Join the Scowth team from 2pm at The Mansion in Anniesland. Also returning after a short hiatus is AFK - Spam Press' reading series at the Doublet. This time, the line-up includes Eloise Birthwhistle, Parel Joy, M. Elizabeth Scott and Isaac Harris. Sounds good? Be there at 6:30pm.

Hillhead Bookclub is opening its doors again for the weekly Poet's Corner open mic on Monday, 28 July. The night's theme is still tbc, so make sure you check the organiser's Instagram ahead of time.

Multilingual Matter(s) is an event (and related publication) organised by the MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) at GSA and UofG. The project is all about exploring how language, place of origin, and experiences of living between cultures shape creative practice. Important themes include translation, heritage, expression and diversity. The night will offer readings and performances from different artists and writers including a live music performance by An Trinh, a multidisciplinary artist whose sound practice blends Vietnamese folk traditions with classical and jazz influences. Are you as intrigued as me? Then head to the Alchemy Experiment on Tuesday, 29 July at 7pm.

More poetry is coming to the Alchemy Experiment the very next day: The Poetry Experiment is back on Wednesday, 30 July. Join Ross Wilcock for a friendly and inclusive open mic for writers and performers of all stages of the craft.

A new series of writing workshops is continuing on Thursday, 31 July. The community group Kelvingrove Writers are collaborating with the Scottish Working Class Network to deliver this monthly workshop series held at Strange Studios at the Barras. Each workshop will have a different theme and seek to generate a variety of creative responses. The workshops are free to attend and you don't need to commit to joining each month.

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Opportunities

Today's pick from among the long list of opportunities currently on the PIG website:

The American literary journal Brink is accepting submissions for its upcoming issue under the theme 'obsession'. As the journal's name suggests, the editors are particularly curious about work that's 'on the brink' - pushing boundaries, looking or feeling different. You have until 31 July to submit - and yes, Brink actually pay authors a small fee!

Magma 94 is also still open for submissions until 31 July. The new issue is dedicated to the topic 'remix' and will be edited by Elontra Hall, Willie Lee Kinard III and Lola Oh. The editors are looking for submissions that explore the concept of remixing or sampling. Poems are accepted via Submittable or by post.

Fancy a niche call for submissions? How about PhysiOdyssey? The journal is dedicated to work around the theme of physiology. Submissions can take any manner of forms and may be educational, quirky, fun or thought-provoking. PhysiOdyssey is however only open for students and novice writers. So, if you have already published book-length work, this call is not for you. The deadline is 31 July.

Much broader is the current call by Elastic Magazine. The American print mag is dedicated to psychedelic art and literature. Submissions are invited for work on the topic of 'interspecies'. The editors welcome work that explores connections (intimate, hostile, symbiotic, psychic?) between humans, animals, plants, fungi, and other lifeforms. Submission may include broad, speculative, slippery interpretations of “species”: think mermaids, microbes, extinct things, imagined hybrids, bodies of water, mountains and desertscapes, imperceptibles or the great unknown. Feeling inspired? You have until 31 July to submit.

A special opportunity for LGBTQ+ writers is offered by Impossible Archetype. The Dublin-based international online journal publishes exclusively LGBTQ+ poetry. Submissions are now open until 1 August.

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PIG Spotlight

This section is designed to shine a spotlight on a particular website, organisation or feature. For each Update, I'll pick something new - either because it is plain awesome or because it's new or really topical.

Chisom Okoronkwo's Afro-Scottish Poetry event inspired me to dedicate the PIG Spotlight to African poetry. My recommendation is this collection of readings on the Poetry Archive website with work by Kamau Brathwaite, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Makhosazana Xaba, Kayo Chingonyi and Yomi Sode. A 25-Minute poetic journey, sweet and bitter, and vibrant and dark, and everything in between.

This one is actually just one of many great collections you can find on the Poetry Archive. There are loads more, like this one to mark 50 years of the PN Review, this one in which Simon Armitage takes us on a guided tour through the BBC's poetry archives, or this one dedicated to peace and protest.

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PIG's Poetry Pick

Today's pick is the first poem from the Poetry Archive collection I mentioned above.

Born in Africa But

by Malika Ndlovu

born in africa but
breastfed another mother tongue
put to sleep on foreign lullabies
praying for a jesus-heaven
when I die

born in africa but
into a designated cultivated patch
flung far from the indigenous tree
strategy for carving out my destiny

born in africa but
mixed equals inferior,
rearranged that exterior
scorned for the secret
exposed by my skin
enslaving beliefs
this child was bathed in

born in africa but
i have died to
the hiding
dividing
fearful deciding
of what I am
who I should be

born in africa but
living before and beyond
a universe awaken in me

Via the Poetry Archive, where you can also hear the poem read out loud by Malika Ndlovu.

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That's it from me today. See you in two weeks!

Love,
Annie

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