As Brussels’ poetry festival Transpoesie returns for another year, Guernsey Arts is back again with the opportunity for an Islander to represent the Bailiwick of Guernsey on the global stage.
A unique opportunity is now open for a local poet or poet-performer to take part in Transpoesie: Where Voices Meet, an international initiative led by EUNIC Brussels. This is the fourth year that Guernsey Arts has participated, thanks to collaboration with the Channel Islands Brussels Office.
The opportunity means travelling to Brussels to participate in the festival, with travel and accommodation provided. Previous participants have included : Trudie Shannon, Lupin Vivian and Rowan Carteret.
This year’s edition explores the intersections of language, space, and poetic resistance, with a strong emphasis on translation as a creative and transformative practice.
Rowan Carteret, 2025 Representative, said: “Transpoésie is truly a writing opportunity like no other, and I had a wonderful time at last year’s event in Brussels. The most important thing Transpoésie offers is the chance to meet other poets. Not only is it an honour to be invited to engage with writers from across Europe and the EU, but also a great opportunity to talk to poets from all backgrounds. Language preservation, appreciation, and representation are important values at Transpoésie, and my experiences at the festival have inspired me not only to experiment with multilingual poetry in my own practice but also to begin learning our own language, Guernesiais.
“Following the poetry festival, I have attended more events than ever before. Publishers’ fairs are a new favourite of mine, allowing me to meet small and independent publishers and discover new and interesting poets. Before Transpoésie, such opportunities felt entirely alien to me; I wouldn’t have known what each event entailed or how to get the best out of them, something I’ve been lucky to enjoy ever since. Transpoésie really was the spark I needed to drive my writing forwards, develop my craft in new and exciting ways, and to take the leap into the intimidating world of publication.”
