Poetry leaps off the page every day in August

Poetry Month will return in August 2026 with a program including live and online events, poetry commissions and opportunities to get involved and celebrate the breadth and depth of contemporary Australian poetry!

Check out past year's programs below for a taste of what's to come, explore our archive covering the past five years of 30in30 poetry commissions from some of the country's leading wordsmiths, and pen a poem of your own with round-ups of previous 30in30 writing prompts.

Stay tuned for our program announcement 30 June, and hit subscribe to our newsletter and YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook to be part of the part of the action!

Poetry Month Gala

Poetry’s night of nights! The National Poetry Month Gala returns to the State Library of New South Wales, featuring some of our finest contemporary poets, wordsmiths and spoken word artists. Hosted by much-loved presenter and journalist Jan Fran, the night also sees special guests reading their favourite verse and a feature musical performance. Full line-up revealed on June 30 when the whole 2026 Poetry Month program is announced.

Post-show, there will be a pop-up bookshop with signings, a bar, and a live DJ in the Glasshouse foyer to keep the lines flowing.

Presented by Red Room Poetry with the support of City of Sydney, Copyright Agency, State Library of NSW and Sydney Writers’ Festival.

30in30 Poetry Commissions

A poem for every day in August. Penned by some of the country's leading wordsmiths, including poets, authors, musicians, spoken word artists and public figures with a deep love of poetry, most poems have audio or video published alongside the text so you can hear the work in the poet's voice.

If you're looking for inspiration, why not check out the full range of 30in30 commissioned poems, and have a go at writing your own?

Get in touch

Poetry Month is constantly evolving. If you’d like to contact us in regards to possible partnerships or sponsorship – or how your organisation can be involved, please email us at poetrymonth@redroompoetry.org