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MCGOUGH TO LEAD
POETS OUT OF
STORM
15.12.2011 / Arts funding / 0 Comments
Merseybeat poet president of troubled society
Roger McGough is the new president of the 102-year-old Poetry Society as it heads out of the storm that engulfed it in the summer.
Arts Council England suspended its funding of the society in July after the sudden resignations of its director, Judith Palmer, and its president, Jo Shapcott, over unspecified disagreements. Members demanded an extraordinary general meeting at which the entire board resigned and a new one was appointed.
Judith Palmer has now resumed her role as director, and ACE – which in March had given the society a 30% grant increase toi £360,000 - appear content with developments. "We have recently released some funding to the Poetry Society in recognition of the considerable progress it has made towards meeting the conditions we set over the summer” a spokeswoman said. “We hope to move to a full restoration of funding in the New Year.”
“Roger McGough, a much-loved performer, children’s poet, and National Treasure, is a lovely, popular choice as the Poetry Society’s new President” said the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.
McGough has written a new poem for the society which was performed this week by children around the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, composed from the words of pupils from 12 London primary schools, and it is on display around the base of the tree.
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