Poetry-next-the-sea was started in 1997 by Alan Byford, John Coleridge and Kevin Crossley-Holland. The festival ran under artistic director Lady Fiona Fraser until 2017, and visiting poets included:
Fleur Adcock, Simon Armitage, Gillian Clarke, David Constantin, Vicki Fever, Sophie Hannah, Matthew Hollis, Kathleen Jamie, P.J. Kavanagh, Mimi Khalvati, Esther Morgan, Andrew Motion, Brian Patten, Jacob Polley, Jo Shapcott, Penelope Shuttle, John Siddique, Jean Sprackland, Pauline Stainer, Jon Stallworthy, Michael Symmons Roberts, George Szirtes, Hugo Williams, Emily Berry and Kit Wright.
Sea Fever
Jim Ring and the late David Waller renamed the festival, expanding the scope to embrace prose and other art forms. Ian Scott kindly stepped in as chair after we sadly lost David. From 2018 – 2023 Sea Fever welcomed:
Professor John Mullan, DJ Taylor, Peter York, Julia Blackburn, Sir Andrew Motion, Roger Law, Justin Marozzi, Rachel Hore, Bart van Es, Sir John Scarlett, Nick Trend, Peter Stanford, A.K. Blakemore, Jonty Driver, Ursula Buchan, Henry Sutton, Harry Cory Wright, Sam Riviere, Jack Underwood, Meriel Schindler, Simon Barnes, Matthew Hollis, Tim Dee, Professor Jon Cook, Sarah Sands, Briony Bax and Andrew Jordan.
Literature & Landscape
From 2024 Literature & landscape will build on the traditions of its forerunners, embracing all the arts, with a focus on nature and landscape – its restoration, protection and management.
“A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counsellor”
Literature & Landscape 