On 19th May 2026 Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will be visiting Orkney Library as the grand finale of his N to P Libraries Tour - part of his 10 year tour of libraries all across the UK. Using the alphabet as his compass, Simon is visiting libraries beginning with each letter of the alphabet, and this year he is visiting locations from N to P, and as far apart as Orkney, Portsmouth and Newcastle in County Down.
At each event Simon will be giving live poetry readings and in each place he is accompanied by special guests. In Orkney he will be joined by local poets and singers from the Orkney Voices group to celebrate Orkney Library's new Interactive Orkney Flora Trail which uses a series of raised planters to represent different habitats around Orkney. It will also be an opportunity to hear Orcadian dialect, with flower poems specially created and recorded by Orkney Voices, and a song performed by Sarah Jane Gibbon and Emma Grieve.
It promises to be a very special evening and we are delighted to be hosting Simon at Orkney Library. Copies of Simon's books will also be for sale at the event, courtesy of The Orcadian Bookshop.
If you would like to come along on May 19th then tickets are FREE but booking is essential. Book you place here using your Orkney Library card or contact us on 01856 873166 or email library@orkney.gov.uk.
