Swindon Poetry Café

Swindon Poetry Café is back at Caffe Vialottie on Friday 13 November, the second Friday of the month. It's a monthly open-mic night for local poets and songwriters to share their work in person, with a professional headliner each month and a handful of three-minute spots filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All performers and audience members buy a ticket, and a discount code is available for over-18s facing financial barriers on request.

The night is run by local slam-winning poet and producer Rebecca Rocker, who served as Swindon Mayor's Poet for 2025/26 and also produces Swindon Wordsmiths, a poetry and comedy night in Abbey Meads. Her workshops and events set out to create safe spaces to weave words, share stories and connect communities. The open-mic offers a warm, in-person room for homegrown stories, stanzas and songs, with the headliner providing a professional anchor to the evening.

Caffe Vialottie is a family-run coffee shop in Redhouse that aims to help people reconnect after the division of the pandemic, serving teas, coffees, hot chocolates, baked goods and snacks. It's located at Unit 1, Greencote House, Isambard Wy, Redhouse Way, Blunsdon St Andrew, Swindon SN25 2NT. The café's focus on reconnecting fits the spirit of the night, which brings together local writers and listeners for a few hours of shared work.

Doors open at 19:00, and the night runs from 19:30 to 21:30. Tickets are £6 in advance and £8 on the door, with a 25% discount code for under-18s.