Editing Simon Armitage (section)

=== The laureate's library tour ===
In November 2019 Armitage announced that each spring for ten years he would spend a week touring five to seven libraries giving a one-hour poetry reading and perhaps introducing a guest poet. The libraries were to be selected in alphabetical order: in March 2020 he was to visit places or libraries with names starting with "A" or "B" (including the [[British Library]]<ref name="tour-bl">{{cite web |title=Simon Armitage: The Laureate's Library Tour: Fri 20 Mar 2020 |url=https://www.bl.uk/events/simon-armitage-the-laureates-library-tour |publisher=British Library |access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref>), and so on until "W", "X", "Y" and "Z" in 2029. He comments: "The letter X will be interesting – does anywhere in the UK begin with X?  I also want to find a way of including alphabet letters from other languages spoken in these islands such as Welsh, Urdu or Chinese, and to involve communities where English might not be the first language."<ref name="tour-bookseller">{{cite news |title=Ten year library tour for Poet Laureate Simon Armitage |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/ten-year-library-tour-poet-laureate-simon-armitage-1109486 |access-date=13 January 2020 |work=The Bookseller |date=6 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="tour">{{cite web |title=The Laureate's Library Tour |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laureates-library-tour/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref>

After a delay caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]],<ref name="tourcancellation">{{cite web |title=The Laureate's Library Tour (with cancellation message) |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laureates-library-tour/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=14 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316201958/https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laureates-library-tour/ |archive-date=16 March 2020}}</ref> the first tour took place in 2021. Armitage read in various library buildings for a remote, online, live audience, beginning at [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]] on 26 April and continuing to [[Belper]] with [[Helen Mort]]; [[Aberdeen]] with Mag Dixon; [[Bacup]] with Clare Shaw; [[Bootle]] with Amina Atiq and Eira Murphy; the [[British Library]] with [[Theresa Lola]] and [[Joelle Taylor]]; and [[Abington, Northamptonshire|Abington]], where he officially opened the volunteer-run library on Saturday 1 May.<ref name="tour2021">{{cite web |title=Laureate's Library Tour 2021 goes live! |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/a-b-libraries-tour-2021/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=14 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514074644/https://www.simonarmitage.com/a-b-libraries-tour-2021/|archive-date=14 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="abington">{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Welcome to Abington Library |url=https://abingtonlibrarycbs.net/ |publisher=Abington Library |access-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514074915/https://abingtonlibrarycbs.net/| archive-date=14 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="summers">{{cite news |last1=Summers |first1=David |title=Abington Library in Northampton reopens to the public after being saved by the community |url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/abington-library-in-northampton-reopens-to-the-public-after-being-saved-by-the-community-3211603 |access-date=14 May 2021 |work=www.northamptonchron.co.uk |date=23 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

The 2022 tour visited libraries with initials C, D, and Welsh Ch and DD.<ref>{{cite web |title=Apply – C-Dd Libraries Tour 2022 |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laureates-library-tour/ |website=The Official Website |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222083128/https://www.simonarmitage.com/the-laureates-library-tour/ |archive-date=22 February 2022}}</ref> Between 24 March and 1 April Armitage read at [[Chadderton]] with Keisha Thompson, Fateha Alam and Lawdy Karim; at [[Carmarthen]] with [[Ifor ap Glyn]]; at [[Clevedon]] with Phoebe Stuckes; at [[Colyton, Devon|Colyton]] with [[Elizabeth-Jane Burnett]]; at [[Chatham, Kent|Chatham]] with [[Patience Agbabi]]; at [[Cambridge University Library]] with [[Imtiaz Dharker]]; at [[Clydebank]] with [[Kathleen Jamie]] and Tawona Sitholé; and at [[Taigh Chearsabhagh]] on [[North Uist]] with [[Kevin MacNeil]].<ref name="tour22">{{cite web |title=How to Book: C to D Libraries Tour 2022 |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/how-to-book-libraries-tour-2022/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref>

The 2023 tour visited libraries with initials E, F and G from 17 to 23 March. Armitage launched the tour at [[Exeter]] library, appearing with his band Land Yacht Regatta. He then read with [[Jane Lovell]], winner of the 2021 [[Ginkgo Prize]], at [[Glastonbury]] library; solo at [[Eastbourne]] library; with [[Poetry School#Laurel Prize|Laurel Prize]]-winner [[Matt Howard (poet)|Matt Howard]] and [[Foyle Young Poet]] Jenna Hunt at [[Fakenham]] library; with [[Hanan Issa]] at [[Gladstone's Library]] in [[Hawarden]]; and with [[Canal Laureate]] [[Roy McFarlane]] and representatives of [[Theatre Porto]] and [[Boaty Theatre Company]] at [[Ellesmere Port]] library.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Book: E to G Libraries Tour 2023 |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/how-to-book-e-to-g-libraries-tour-2023/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=27 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316122140/https://www.simonarmitage.com/how-to-book-e-to-g-libraries-tour-2023/|archive-date=16 March 2023}}</ref>

The 2024 tour visited libraries with initials H to K from 5 to 12 March.  The launch event was held at [[Harlesden]] library, where Somali poet [[Asha Lul Mohamud Yusuf]] and her translator [[Clare Pollard]] read from her award-winning ''The Sea Migrations: Tahriib''. [[Kent]] libraries hosted an event where Armitage joined the reading group in [[HM Prison East Sutton Park]]. At [[Haverfordwest]] library, Armitage read alongside poet, novelist and playwright [[Owen Sheers]] and [[Pushcart Prize]] nominee [[Bethany Handley]].<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Our Pushcart Prize 2023 Nominees |url=https://poetrywales.co.uk/our-pushcart-prize-2023-nominees/ |website=Poetry Wales |access-date=12 February 2024 |date=5 December 2023}}</ref> At [[The Hive, Worcester]], a joint public and academic library and archive centre, Armitage read with Amelie Simon, Worcestershire's Young Poet Laureate.<ref>{{cite web |title=Worcestershire's Young Poet Laureate 2023/24 has been crowned! |url=https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/news/worcestershires-young-poet-laureate-202324-has-been-crowned |website=www.worcestershire.gov.uk |publisher=Worcestershire County Council |access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>  Armitage then visited [[Kirkcudbright]] library, to read with [[Lydia McMillan]], one of the [[Scottish Poetry Library]]'s Next Generation Young Makars in 2022,<ref>{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Scotland's Next Generation Young Makars |url=https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2022/05/scotlands-next-generation-young-makars/ |website= |publisher=[[Scottish Poetry Library]] |access-date=12 February 2024 |date=10 May 2022}}</ref> and the final event of the tour, in [[Haltwhistle]] library, celebrated 100 years of [[Northumberland]]'s library service and ten years of [[Northumberland National Park]]'s status as an [[International Dark Sky Park]], with [[Katrina Porteous]] and the National Park's writer-in-residence [[Sheree Mack]].<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Book: H to K Libraries Tour 2024 |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/how-to-book-h-to-k-libraries-tour-2024-sut-i-archebu-taith-llyfrgelloedd-h-i-k-yn-ystod-2024/ |publisher=Simon Armitage |access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

The 2025 tour visited libraries with initials L and M, from 3 to 11 March. It began at Library@theGrange, a small library in Blackpool's [[Grange Park, Blackpool|Grange Park]] estate, where Armitage appeared with spoken word artist and punk poet Toria Garbutt<ref>{{cite web |title=Toria Garbutt |url=https://www.toriagarbutt.net/ |website=toriagarbutt |access-date=7 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref> At [[Letchworth]] Library he was joined by [[Cia Mangat]],<ref>{{cite web |title=The national Jane Martin Poetry Prize Competition celebrates its 15th Anniversary and the 2025 winners are revealed |publisher=Girton College |url=https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/news/jane-martin-poetry-prize-winners-2025 |website=www.girton.cam.ac.uk |access-date=7 April 2025 |language=en |quote=Second Prize was awarded to Cia Mangat ...}}</ref> and at [[Morriston Hospital]] library in [[Swansea]], Wales, he appeared with Welsh poet and activist [[Menna Elfyn]]. He visited [[Liskeard]] Library in Cornwall, alongside [[Pascale Petit (poet)|Pascale Petit]], helping to celebrate the library's refurbishment of this [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1203146 |desc=County Branch Library |access-date=7 April 2025}}</ref> Armitage then returned to his home village to give two solo readings at [[Marsden, West Yorkshire|Marsden]] Library, housed in the former [[Mechanics' Institute]] building. For the final event of the tour Armitage visited the  [[Linen Hall Library]], the oldest library in [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland, appearing with [[Leontia Flynn]].<ref>{{cite web |title=L to M Libraries Tour 2025 |url=https://www.simonarmitage.com/how-to-book-l-to-m-libraries-tour-2025/ |website=Simon Armitage: The Official Website |access-date=7 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>