A Banbridge poet is set to represent Northern Ireland at Transpoesie 2025, an international poetry festival held in Brussels and Antwerp to mark the European Day of Languages.
Invited by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to take part, Colin Hassard will perform his work in Antwerp on September 18 and in Brussels on September 19 alongside poets from across the continent.
His poetry will also be featured in the festival’s official booklet and displayed in public exhibitions throughout the city.
Transpoesie is a celebration of linguistic diversity and poetic expression, bringing together poets from across Europe to perform, collaborate, and showcase their work in public spaces.
This year’s theme, Turbulent Times – A Storm is Brewing, invites poets to reflect on the emotional and societal challenges facing Europe today.
Speaking about the opportunity, Colin said: “It’s a huge honour to be invited to represent Northern Ireland at Transpoesie. The festival is a powerful platform for celebrating the richness of European languages and cultures, and I’m proud to bring my voice and perspective to such an important international stage.”
Colin was Runner-Up in the Seamus Heaney Award for New Writing in 2018 and shortlisted again in 2021. He is a two-time recipient of Arts Council NI funding and his debut poetry collection, Age of the Microwave Dinner, was published in 2021 by Doire Press. Originally from Banbridge but now living in Belfast, Colin recently headlined an event at the Abbey Lane Theatre for an Armagh Theatre Group event as part of the John Hewitt International Summer School.
The Transpoesie festival is supported by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) and aims to foster cross-cultural dialogue through poetry.
Previous Northern Ireland writers who have attended include award-winning author Lucy Caldwell and former UK Poetry Slam Champion Elizabeth McGeown.
