The Living Library: a pop-up exhibition of eco poetry

Step inside a library like no other. Here, books are made from woodland debris and kelp leather; words are printed with soils and plant inks; and poems are shaped by the voices of deer, bats, and the changing seasons.

The Living Library at the Landmark Arts Centre (09/11/2025) was a day-long festival of multisensory creativity inspired by the natural world. Wander through an ecosystem of exhibited poetry curated by experts from Royal Holloway, University of London, including the Poetics Research Centre. Visitors explored new approaches to bookmaking and nature writing through hands-on demonstrations, performances, and workshops.

The Living Library was part of the Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities. Being Human is Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

This exhibition was curated by researchers at royal Holloway, University of London Briony Hughes & Caroline Harris, alongside Katie McGettigan & Redell Olsen, with the support of Olivia England, Harper Ray, and Colin newton from Landmark Arts Centre. The Living Library was a pop-up event - installed in the morning and packed away 12 hours later. Thank you to Laura Hellon-Hughes and Francis De Lima for volunteering to make this possible.

Thank you to the 70+ writers, artists, and independent presses who contributed material poetry, performances, sound recordings, and film. We are incredibly grateful for your enthusiasm, generosity, and creativity.

Including.... Astra Papachristodoulou, Caroline Harris, Cat Chong, Becca Drake, Black Sheep Poets, Alex Priestley, The Poetry Kiosk, Little Hirundine, Emma Filtness, Briony Hughes, May Dearlove, Chris Meade, Guillemot Press, Timglasset Editions, Jeremy Dixon, Thomas A Clark, Laurie Clark, Moschatel Press, Jessica J Lee, Alycia Pirmohamed, Nina Mingya Powles, Pratyusha, Bitter Melon, Richard Roberts, Dani Salvadori, Harriet Tarlo, Judith Tucker, Wild Pansy Press, Oo Press, Marama Salsano, Lara Felsing, Singing Apple Press, Elzbieta Wojcik-Leese, Osmosis Press, Karenjit Sandhu, Small Birds Press, CT Mills, Susie Campbell, Hen Campbell, Charlie the dog, Permeable Barrier, Robin Boothroyd, Kalyani Panchmatia, Aaron Kent, William Arnold, Rachel Smith, Jennie Howitt, Khadijah Sobrany, Verity Rowsell, Rachel Marsh, Semple Press, Leia Butler, Frances De Lima, Camilla Nelson, Sampson Low, Redell Olsen, AM Bruno, Greg Thomas, Essence Press, Mette Norrie, Utkarsh Pathak, Alice Margaret Heart, Hannah Harding, EP Jenkins, James Wilkes, Joseph Rizzo Naudi, Katie McGettigan, Helena Hunter, Paper View Books, Karan Chambers, Varya Ivanova, Electric Crinolines, Maddy Pope, Isabelle Masters, Rishika Pandit, Blown Rose & more...

Humanities and Arts Research Institute at Royal Holloway has kindly supported the event.

For collaborations & partnerships, please contact [email protected] and [email protected]