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Join the Herbert for a literary exploration into the world of poetry...

This month, the Herbert will be launching a mini poetry festival for everyone to get involved in with the launch of a children's poetry competition, an adults' poetry workshop and poems created in response to the Herbert's artworks!

Get Creative: Poetry Competition

If you love poetry why not take part in our Herbert poetry competition, inspired by our Caught in the Crossfire exhibition? The competition launches on Tuesday 11 June and is open to participants aged 16 and over. All you have to do is write a 500 word poem about one of the following subjects; peace, conflict, resistance, hope or freedom.

The poems will be judged professionally and the lucky winner will receive an exclusive piece of art entitled 'Privatised Pat' by artist War Boutique.

Deadline for submissions is Sunday 7 July 2013. Please post your entries to Jamie Perry, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Jordan Well, Coventry, CV1 5QP

Get Inspired: Poetry from the Art workshop – FREE

On Saturday 15 June, poet Philip Monks will be running a FREE adult writing workshop from 10.30am – 12.30pm inspired by the Herbert's Caught in the Crossfire exhibition and their permanent collections. Philip is a visiting university lecturer in creative writing, and he has edited several anthologies of poetry for both young people and adults. The Poetry from the Art workshop will see participants take inspiration from the exhibition and the galleries to create poems about how we cope with the stress of conflict and our desire for peace.

The workshop is part of Art in the Heart 2013 programme led by Birmingham Museums Trust, which has brought 23 venues across the West Midlands together for a celebration of regional art. Selected poems from the poetry workshops, alongside works by Philip Monks and other leading poets, will feature in a publication to be launched at the Birmingham Literature Festival in October.

Booking for the poetry workshop is essential. Please call 02476 294774 to book your place.

Enjoy Other Poetry: Creative Collections Poetry Collaboration with Coventry University

The Herbert's Creative Collections Poetry Collaboration with students from Coventry University's BA English and Creative Writing course encouraged students to create poems in response to artworks in the gallery. The poems are now displayed next to the artwork which the students took inspiration from, giving visitors a new insight and different meanings to the works on display.

Martin Roberts, who jointly managed the programme said, "The poetry collaboration with the English and Creative Writing students was a great way to strengthen our literary links with the university, and it has been interesting and rewarding to see how the students have portrayed the Herbert's artworks."