A Poet in Every Port: Rhymes on the Tyne with Rowan McCabe
£3.96 per person if booking online, £3 in person at the shop
Suitable for ages 16+
Host Rowan McCabe will be joined by poets Tahmina Ali, Cooper Robson and Akiba Azad for a night of wonderous wordplay inspired by local dialect and life by the river.
Open mic slots will be available, with sign-ups taken on the door. Meet the Poets:
Rowan McCabe is a poet and performer from Hebburn. He has written for BBC Radio 3, Channel 4, the National Trust and has performed at Glastonbury Festival and the Royal Albert Hall. His work has been described as “Very funny and very charming” by broadcaster Stuart Maconie.
Tahmina Ali is a British-Bangladeshi spoken word artist from South Shields. Mentored by renowned poet Hollie McNish, she has headlined events across the region and has performed on the BBC and at The Glasshouse.
Cooper Robson is a spoken word poet from Heaton in Newcastle. His work has been featured in the Guardian and at SXSW Festival in Texas. He is a Geet Muckle Slam and Say Owt Slam champion, has toured nationally, and his debut poetry collection sold out on its first run.
Akiba Azad is a British-Bengali poet from South Shields who by her own admission “didn’t set out to be a poet,” yet considers it to be fated none the less. Akiba was chosen by the Southbank Centre to be part of the New Poets Collective, a nationwide scheme led by the legendary Roger McGough.
Fri 18 September, 6.30-8pm at The Word
£3.96 per person if booking online, £3 in person at the shop
ABOUT A POET IN EVERY PORT
A Poet in Every Port is a nationwide tour bringing a specially designed mobile library to South Tyneside Libraries. The project is brought to you by the Southbank Centre. This summer marks 75 years since the 1951 Festival of Britain, the nationwide celebration of arts and culture that led to the creation of the Southbank Centre. To honour this legacy, the Southbank Centre are taking the celebration beyond London and across the four nations. Come on board to discover poetry from your area, and even write, record and perform your own poems. The event will also include poetry workshops with local primary schools and other organisations.
ABOUT WRITE FESTIVAL 2026
This event is part of The Word’s WRITE Festival which takes place throughout the whole of September. Enjoy a programme of unmissable events, workshops and performances! Find out more by viewing our full WRITE Festival programme.
By booking tickets for this event, you are agreeing to our booking terms and conditions.
If you have a disability of any kind or you require special assistance, please contact us on 0191 427 1818.