Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote poetry in public institutions and cultural programmes.

After 14 years of indifference and cultural vandalism, this government is committed to making sure that arts and cultural activities will no longer be the preserve of a privileged few.

The Department for Culture and Media and Sport, via its Arms Length body, Arts Council England (ACE) plays an important role in promoting poetry, primarily through its grants and support for arts institutions, festivals, and individual practitioners.

For example, ACE supports the Poetry Society who promote poetry through innovative education and commissioning programmes, performances, readings and competitions for all ages across the country. The Ledbury Poetry festival, also supported by ACE, brings together world leading poets to read, debate and share their work during its main programme over two weeks in the summer, and continues throughout the year with projects that involve local schools and hundreds of local people through its community projects.

Additionally, as the national development agency for libraries in England, ACE also supports public libraries through funding, advocacy and collaboration. Public libraries promote poetry by encouraging reader development and helping to inspire, educate, support and entertain people of all ages and backgrounds.