Dr Bill Hughes will lead the event, which is part performance and part discussion, at Guildhall in Frankwell Quay on Wednesday 11 October 2017, from 1pm.

Dr Hughes is a former Principal Lecturer in English at the University of Chester. He is chair of Storyhouse, the arts production company that runs the popular open-air theatre in Chester, and the city’s new £37 million Cultural Centre.

He has wide experience of performing poems, and particularly in designing programmes which mix poetry and music.

For the “Poetry – A Private Art or a Public One?” event, Dr Hughes has mainly chosen poets from the 20th century; they include Thomas Hardy, John Betjeman, Carol Ann Duffy and Edward Thomas, and range from the comic to the deeply moving.

Dr Hughes said:

“Gerard Manley Hopkins said ‘take breath and read it with the ears’ about his own poetry; but there are countless poets, ancient and modern, to whom the same advice would apply.”

Booking for the event is essential. To reserve places, email communications@ucshrewsbury.ac.uk or call 01743 297185.

Alternatively, people can visit the reception at Guildhall (SY3 8HQ) which is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 4pm on Fridays.

The talk is part of a series of events at UCS covering a range of subjects. Many of the events are free, and they are open to everyone. For further details on UCS events go to www.ucshrewsbury.ac.uk/public-events.