The Oxford University Poetry Society
The Oxford University Poetry Society, established in 1946, is one of the oldest and most active poetry societies in the UK. It aims to make Oxford a welcoming place for poetry lovers all, and nurture a vibrant hub of poetic life for them within the University of Oxford.
In recent years, OUPS has hosted the likes of A.E. Stallings, Sarah Howe, Don Paterson, Bernard O'Donoghue, Michael Longley, Alice Oswald, Andrew McMillan, Jack Underwood, Kei Miller, Vahni Capildeo, Mary Jean Chan or Jamie McKendrick. We organise workshops, socials, poetry readings, open-mics, competitions, and collaborate with other societies all year round, so please feel free to come along.
If you wish to stay up-to-date on all things poetry in Oxford you can sign up to our mailing list, and get in touch via email or social media if you happen to have any questions.
Membership Scheme
Membership of the Oxford University Poetry Society comes with a few perks:
1. Free Access
Almost all events are free of charge, and you get to become part of a tight-knit community of poets and writers. Whether it's weekly poetry readings, speaker events, creative workshops or community socials, your Annual Membership ensures that you won't miss a single moment.
2. Community and Connection
Cohabit and cooperate with fellow poetry enthusiasts and more established poets in Oxford. Our community is a hub for the exchange of words, emotions and ideas.
3. Exclusive Perks
Gain access to member-only poetry events and a discounted subscription to our poetry anthologies.
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This year, the Oxford University Poetry Society is offering Annual Membership for just £5. Becoming an OUPS Member is simple:
1. Click on the following link to access our membership form: [https://forms.gle/eBEmdwQAM7fLbkyy6]
2. Fill out the form with your details.
3. In the "Reference" field, please mark it as: 'initial,surnameOUPS2023'.
4. Transfer your chosen membership amount to the OUPS Treasurer's account listed here (also on the form) with 'initial,surnameOUPS2023' in the payment reference.
Account name: Alice Brooker
Sortcode: 04-00-75
Account number: 81902913
Should you have any questions or require assistance with your membership, please don't hesitate to contact us at oxfordunipoetrysociety@gmail.com! We very much look forward to welcoming to our creative community.
Poetry in Oxford
It is impossible to walk the ancient cobblestones of Oxford without thinking of all the writers who once tread upon them as students: from John Donne to Philip Sidney, Shelley, Wilde, Hopkins and Arnold, Betjeman and Larkin, Auden and Eliot, Graves and Wendy Cope, Alice Oswald or Michael Symmons Roberts. It seems the city has inspired the written word and reshaped poetic form for most of its existence. OUPS hopes to provide a space in which to continue the tradition and reinvent it for the times.
The society itself has a long history. It was founded by Martin Starkie in 1946, and its past presidents have included Caroline Bird or Vidyan Ravinthiran. Over the years, it has hosted the likes of Ted Hughes, Dylan Thomas, Paul Muldoon, Daljit Nagra, Alice Oswald or Andrew Motion.
Another Oxford tradition is the Professorship of Poetry, which reaches back to 1708 and is presently held by A.E. Stallings. The post has been occupied in the past by W.H. Auden, Robert Graves, Matthew Arnold, Paul Muldoon, Seamus Heaney, and Geoffrey Hill. There are also many practising poets teaching at Oxford University, such as Bernard O'Donoghue, Peter McDonald, Jane Griffiths, Hannah Sullivan or Jane Draycott.
Copyright 2023