Posted: 1 June 2011
Whose idea is Poetry Parnassus?
Poetry Parnassus is a Southbank Centre project developed by Artistic Director Jude Kelly and Artist in Residence Simon Armitage.
How has the project been funded?
The project has kindly received funding from the Arts Council and will be using Southbank Centre's core funding. We are also looking for individual donations and sponsorships, as well as support from trusts and funds.
Who are your patrons?
Carol Ann Duffy, Sir Andrew Motion, Melvyn Bragg, Michael Billington, Mark Lawson, Seamus Heaney, Joan Bakewell and Antony Gormley.
What is the role of the patrons?
As internationally renowned poets, artists, broadcasters and arts specialists, the patrons have endorsed Poetry Parnassus and will continue to support international poetry and cultural exchange through their involvement in the project.
What is the role of the Arts Council, the British Council, the Poetry Society, the Poetry Book Society, the Poetry School and The Reading Agency?
The partners Southbank Centre is working with provide experience, expertise in poetry and translation and help us to reach as many people as possible across the UK and worldwide. They are also supporting Southbank Centre by engaging funders and a wide variety of support.
How will the poets be selected?
We are soliciting recommendations from members of the public across the world and a wide range of partner organisations between now and 22 July 2011. A panel will then shortlist these recommendations into a final selection of one poet per Olympic competing nation.
Who can I nominate?
Members of the public across the world can nominate up to three poets from any of the 205 Olympic competing nations. Nominations can be sent in via the online form below or via the Southbank Centre's Facebook page.
Can I nominate one of your patrons?
Patrons have been invited by Southbank Centre and Simon Armitage. If you would like one of our poetry patrons to be part of Parnassus you are welcome to nominate them.
Who is on the short listing panel?
Simon Armitage, Jude Kelly, the Southbank Centre Literature team, the Saison Poetry Library team and key specialists.
What are the 205 Olympic competing nations?
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Columbia, Comoros, Congo, Congo (The Democratic Republic Of), Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic Of), Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast (Cote-d'Ivoire), Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Republic of Korea (South Korea), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao (People's Democratic Republic of), Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (Republic Of), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (The Federated States Of), Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, America Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria (Syrian Arab Republic), Tajikistan, Tanzania (United Republic of), Thailand, Timor-Leste (Democratic Republic of), Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, U.S.A, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
How will you overcome visa and freedom of movement issues?
We anticipate difficulties around obtaining visas and permission to travel for some poets. However we will be inviting a poet from every Olympic competing nation, we will be offering air fare and accommodation, and we will do our best to ensure that every poet is able to attend.
Will all the poets read and communicate in English? How will those whose first language is not English be translated?
Poetry Parnassus will celebrate the many different languages across the world and will also champion the art of literary translation. Poets will often read in their own mother tongue, offering audiences the opportunity to hear poems in the original languages as well as English. Translations will usually be provided as printouts, or projections on a screen. During workshops an interpreter will be provided to translate into English.
How does Poetry Parnassus fit into the Cultural Olympiad?
Poetry Parnassus is part of the London 2012 Festival which runs from 21 June to 9 September. The London 2012 Festival is the finale of the Cultural Olympiad - a four year programme of cultural events which began in 2008.
Is Poetry Parnassus part of the Poetry Olympics or Winning Words?
Poetry Parnassus is not part of the Poetry Olympics or Winning Words, but we are working closely with a number of partners on this project including the Arts Council, the British Council, the Poetry Society, the Poetry Book Society, the Poetry School and The Reading Agency
Source: Southbank Centre
Categories: Poetry News