PolarI Literary salon
Welcome
to Our Site
Here you'll find information about the UK's leading live platform for LGBTQ+ writers and spoken word performers.
Details of upcoming events and workshops can be found on the Events page.
For information about the Polari Prize, please visit the Prize page.
Image by Justin David
Photo by Krystyna FitzGerald-Morris
Photo by Krystyna FitzGerald-Morris
Image by Justin David
Founded in 2007 in a bar in Soho, Polari is the UK’s leading live showcase for emerging and established LGBTQ+ literary talent. Inspired by the gay slang of the same name, Polari is a celebration of LGBTQ+ words and voices – whether written, spoken or sung.
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We also run the Polari Prize awards for books which explore the LGBTQ+ experience, by writers born or based in the UK and Ireland. The 2023 prize winners were announced last November at The British Library
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Curated and hosted by author Paul Burston, Polari has appeared at arts centres, bars, book festivals, book shops, libraries, museums, nightclubs, Pride events and even a race course.
We also tour regularly, funded by Arts Council England. The Polari Prize National Showcase runs until November 2024. For upcoming dates, see Events.
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