Introduction
This bibliography was compiled by the Poetry Off the Page research project at the University of Vienna. This resource has been developed to support scholars, students, and practitioners in the field of poetry performance studies. It provides titles of relevant studies and directs attention to archival recordings of poetry performance.
The bibliography is a living, non-exhaustive document that will continue to evolve as the field develops. We welcome suggestions for additional entries. If you would like to propose a resource or publication, please contact us at pop.anglistik@univie.ac.at.
About the Poetry Off the Page Project
Poetry Off the Page investigates the significance of poetry performance to recent British and Irish literary history, taking account of the aesthetic and political potential of oral performance in conjunction with the alternative institutional structures, publication channels, career pathways, presentational formats, styles, and poetic genres that have emerged from its dynamic performance scenes. It is a five-year project (2021-2026) led by Assoc. Prof. Julia Lajta-Novak at the University of Vienna, in collaboration with Apples and Snakes, Goldsmiths University, Queen Mary University of London, University College Dublin, and the National Library of Ireland. The project is supported by an ERC Consolidator Grant and the START-Prize of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). For more information, see www.poetryoffthepage.net.
How to Navigate the Bibliography
Scope and Organisation
This bibliography offers a structured overview of key resources in poetry performance studies, grouped into three thematic categories. The third section addresses general approaches to poetry performance studies, including comparative and transnational perspectives beyond the UK and Ireland. The first and second sections focus specifically on poetry performance within the UK and Irish contexts.
Poetry Performance Archives and Resources (UK & Ireland)
This section includes archival collections, digital repositories, and institutional resources relevant to the study of poetry performance in the UK and Ireland.
Poetry Performance History & Criticism (UK & Ireland)
This category covers scholarly work on specific performances, poets, movements, and trends in British and Irish poetry performance, including critical and historical studies.
Poetry Performance Theory & Methodology
This section centres on theoretical and methodological approaches to studying poetry performance. It encompasses interdisciplinary perspectives from literary studies, performance studies, theatre studies, and related fields.
Notes on the Entries
- The bibliography includes unpublished MA theses and doctoral dissertations, where available through university repositories.
- Some entries are listed in more than one category.
- For edited collections:
- If only one chapter pertains to poetry performance, we include only that chapter.
- If several are relevant, we include the full volume. In the online and browser versions:
- Each entry includes an abstract and keywords (listed under “tags”) to facilitate navigation through the bibliography.
- Abstracts are sourced directly from the original publications; they are not composed by the Poetry Off the Page team.
- For entries in the “Poetry Performance Archives and Resources (UK & Ireland)” section, brief descriptions are provided in the “Abstract” fields.
- Archival materials not publicly available have been listed with the consent of the archive holder.
Access and Formats
Referencing Software File
The bibliography is compiled in Zotero. A .ris file for use with reference management tools is available for download on the Poetry Off the Page website. This file will be updated periodically by the project team.
Read-Only Access
A read-only link to the live Zotero library is also available via the project’s website.
PDF Version
A downloadable PDF version of the bibliography is available via the Poetry Off the Page website. It will also be available through the University of Vienna Library. This dated version reflects the project’s most recent compilation and uses a simplified format (MLA references) without tags or abstracts.
Zotero Search Options
Tags are searchable on the desktop versions when the option for searching “All Fields and Tags” is used. Tags are not searchable in the browser version.
Contributing to the Bibliography
We welcome suggestions for new entries. Please ensure that proposed additions fall into one of the following categories:
Scholarly Work and Criticism: Submit references in MLA 9 style, along with a short note indicating the relevant thematic section.
Resources: Websites of organisations involved in poetry performance that host relevant recordings, materials, interviews, or podcasts.
Archival Collections: Digital or analogue collections relevant to poetry performance studies.
Please note that we do not include individual artists’ websites, recordings, or social media accounts.
The information in this document is accurate as of 14 June 2025.
This bibliography was compiled and developed by the Poetry Off the Page team:
Rachel Bolle-Debessay, Purva Dua, Claire Palzer, Shefali Banerji, Helen Thomas, Julia Lajta-Novak, Martina Pfeiler, and Marie Krebs.