Poet Laureate to visit Orkney as part of UK library tour

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will visit Orkney later this spring as part of his nationwide Laureate’s Library Tour, with Orkney Library & Archive being the final stop for the 2026 schedule.

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.

His visit will take place on Tuesday 19 May 2026, where Simon will give a free public reading of poetry at Orkney Library & Archive, marking the end of this N to P section of his 10 years of touring libraries across the UK. Simon’s library tour is a long-term project that celebrates the role of libraries as cultural and community spaces.

Simon said: “My experience of reading and writing began in the village library where I grew up, then in the nearby town library, then in libraries at various places of study and teaching. For many people, they are an invaluable aspect of everyday life, giving access not just to books but to services, learning, conversation and creative thinking. I want to pay my respects to these unique institutions. By planning readings up to a decade in advance, I’m being optimistic about the future of our libraries.”

Orkney Library & Archive is one of just seven libraries across the UK taking part in the 2026 tour and was chosen as the finale in recognition of its role at the heart of Orkney’s cultural life and its significance as a shared community space.

The event will feature readings from Simon, joined by local poets and singers from the Orkney Voices group to celebrate the library forecourt’s Interactive Orkney Flora Trail.

Vikki Kerr, Team Leader of Orkney Libraries and Archive, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Simon Armitage to Orkney Library as the finale of his 2026 Laureate’s Library Tour. Orkney library is a place where people come together, so it’s a real honour to host Simon and celebrate the role libraries play in community life.”

More information:

Simon Armitage was appointed Poet Laureate in 2019 and is one of the UK’s most widely read and awarded poets. Alongside his writing, his laureateship has focused on widening public access to poetry and celebrating the cultural spaces that support reading, creativity and learning.

More about Simon and his tour can be found here: simonarmitage.com/biography/