About us
Raise the Bar is South West England’s leading live poetry night, running dynamic events & artist development activities. Winner of the 2026 Sky Arts Award for Poetry.
Raise the Bar has been running blockbuster spoken word events in Bristol and beyond since 2014.
Founded and directed by Danny Carlo Pandolfi, poet, rapper, cultural producer, Raise the Bar runs regular poetry events in major theatres in Bristol, as well as a monthly open mic event in Easton, writing retreats, workshops and 10-week courses.
Raise the Bar has become renowned for its legendary lineups of contemporary poets and raucous, audience-centred atmosphere, with attendees describing the events as life-affirming and poetry like you’ve never seen it before.
In 2026, UK Poetry All-Stars 2.0 at Bristol Beacon was Raise the Bar’s second event to be attended by over a thousand people, becoming the South West’s biggest ever poetry show with a record 1400+ attendees.
Our 2026 Artist Development Scheme is supported by Arts Council England. Head to the Courses / Retreats section to find out more, or sign up for one of our open mics.
Previous Headliners
Previous Headliners
Previous headliners include:
Hollie McNish, Benjamin Zephaniah, Roger McGough, Danez Smith, John Agard, Harry Baker, Warsan Shire, Jean Binta Breeze, Lowkey, Shane Koyczan, Travis Alabanza, Dizraeli, Joelle Taylor, Rafeef Ziadah, Anthony Anaxagorou, Jordan Stephens, Salena Godden, Georgie Jones, Vanessa Kisuule, Gboyega Odubanjo, Roger Robinson, Nikita Gill, Buddy Wakefield, Rob Auton, Raymond Antrobus, Michael Pedersen, Alice Oswald, Jeremy Corbyn and many many more!
Meet the Team
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Director, Founder, Events Host
Danny Carlo Pandolfi (he/him) is a poet, rapper, cultural producer and workshop facilitator. He founded Raise the Bar in 2014 and has produced/hosted some of the biggest poetry events the South West has ever seen, with audiences of up to 1000+ people. He has curated exhibitions, delivered TedX talks, and written commissioned poems for organisations including Bristol Beacon. He has charted #1 in UK Hip-Hop and is a former 2x UK battle rap champion. In 2024, he was shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2024. He firmly believes in poetry and rap as tools for self-expression and empowerment.
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Inclusion Lead, Assistant Producer, Events Host
Kat Lyons (they/them) is a socially-engaged Queer writer, performer, workshop facilitator and creative producer. From 2022-24 they held the role of Bristol City Poet, and their poetry collection Love Beneath the Nails is available from Verve Poetry Press. Kat performs regularly across the UK, with Dry Season - their spoken word solo show exploring menopause - touring theatres from 2022-23. Kat writes for commission, hosts and produces poetry events and facilitates creative writing workshops for people of all ages. They are interested in how stories connect us to our world and each other, and in artistic and interdisciplinary collaborations of all kinds.
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Social Media & Design Lead
From São Paulo (Brazil), Allan (he/him) is a digital content specialist, musician, and a big admirer of the works of Patti Smith and Paulo Leminski.
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Open Mic Lead, Assistant Producer, Events Host
Saili Katebe (he/him) is a writer, performer and workshop facilitator. Born in Zambia and now based in the South West of England, his work celebrates language and the power of story. Author of his debut poetry Pamphlet, “Katabasis”, published by Frosted Fire Press. His work has been featured on BBC Arts and BBC Radio Bristol Bristol. From commissions to collaboration, he looks for opportunities to explore and express the nuances of moving through the world.