Ledbury Poetry
Ledbury Poetry is a UK-registered charity operating the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival (the biggest and joint-oldest in the UK), an international poetry competition, and youth education programmes, serving poetry enthusiasts and the general public from its Herefordshire base.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLedbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ledbury Poetry does
Ledbury Poetry is a UK-registered charity (Ledbury Poetry Festival Limited, Charity number 1059465) operating from Number 12, New Street, Ledbury, Herefordshire. Founded in 1996, the organization delivers three interconnected programmes: the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival — described as the biggest and joint-oldest poetry festival in the UK — featuring live readings, conversations, workshops, music, films and events; the international Ledbury Poetry Competition, open annually to poets aged 18 and over writing in English and judged by a named literary figure (Andrew McMillan for 2026); and Learning and Inspiration for Young People, an educational programme engaging youth with poetry.
The organization operates with a small team of 9 employees and no proprietary technology platform; its digital infrastructure consists of a website hosted by IONOS Cloud Ltd and email newsletter delivery managed through MailChimp, with cookie-based analytics disclosed in its GDPR-compliant privacy policy. No mobile applications, APIs, AI capabilities, or software products are part of the offering — the core product is live cultural programming delivered in person in Ledbury.
The business model is that of a UK arts charity: revenue is generated through ticket sales for festival events, competition entry fees, donations solicited via a 'Support Us' channel, and likely grants from institutional funders and sponsors (a dedicated Funders and Sponsors page is maintained on the website). The audience is the general public and poetry enthusiasts of all ages, served through both online ticketing via the website and in-person purchases at the festival venue. Marketing is conducted through the website, Facebook, X, and Instagram, with email newsletters driving mid-funnel engagement.
Ledbury Poetry firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ledbury Poetry
- Legal name
- Ledbury Poetry Festival Limited
- Website
- https://ledburypoetry.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ledbury Poetry is a UK-registered charity operating the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival (the biggest and joint-oldest in the UK), an international poetry competition, and youth education programmes, serving poetry enthusiasts and the general public from its Herefordshire base.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ledbury Poetry industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Arts & Cultural Festival Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spoken-Word Poetry Slams (MPAGACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAM), Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAB)
Keywords
Where Ledbury Poetry is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ledbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ledbury Poetry business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Ledbury Poetry product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ledbury Poetry runs the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival, the largest and joint-oldest poetry festival in the UK, featuring live readings, conversations, workshops, music, films and events for audiences of all ages. It also operates the international Ledbury Poetry Competition for English-language poets aged 18 and over, and delivers Learning and Inspiration educational programs for young people.
Product overview
Ledbury Poetry is a single-focus cultural organization offering three interconnected programs: the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival (the largest and joint-oldest poetry festival in the UK), the Ledbury Poetry Competition (an international poetry contest for English-language poets aged 18+), and Learning and Inspiration for Young People (youth education initiatives). These programs collectively support poetry appreciation, creation, and community engagement through live events, competitions, and educational activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ledbury Poetry Festival
Companies that use Ledbury Poetry
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Ledbury Poetry technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ledbury Poetry partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Ledbury Poetry competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- The Troubadour: Long-running London spoken-word and poetry night including the Troubadour International Poetry Prize. Comparable to Ledbury Poetry's competition and spoken-word programming, but London-based rather than a Herefordshire rural festival.
Direct peers
- Edinburgh International Book Festival: Major annual book/literary festival in Edinburgh hosting author events, workshops, and discussions. Comparable to Ledbury Poetry as a UK literary festival operator with similar live-events-plus-education programming.
- Cheltenham Literature Festival: Long-running UK literature festival under Cheltenham Festivals, featuring author talks, workshops, and educational outreach. Closely comparable to Ledbury Poetry in format, audience, and educational programming for young people.
- Aldeburgh Literary Festival: Small UK poetry and literary festival in Suffolk with workshops, readings, and competition-style programming. Highly comparable to Ledbury Poetry in scale, format, and target audience.
- Hay Festival: One of the UK's leading literary festivals featuring readings, workshops, and conversations. Directly comparable to Ledbury Poetry as a UK-wide literary event brand with a multi-format programme and similar audience profile.
- The Poetry Society: UK membership organization promoting poetry through events, competitions (including the National Poetry Competition), and education. Directly comparable to Ledbury Poetry's competition and community-engagement activities.
- StAnza: Scotland's Poetry Festival: Annual poetry festival in St Andrews featuring readings, workshops, and performance poetry. The closest direct peer to Ledbury Poetry as a festival dedicated specifically to poetry rather than broader literature.
- Ilkley Literature Festival: Long-running regional UK literary festival in Yorkshire featuring author events and workshops. Comparable to Ledbury Poetry as a regional UK literary festival operator with similar programming mix.
Broad incumbents
- Poetry Foundation: US-based major poetry organization publishing Poetry magazine and running programs and events. Comparable as a scaled, established poetry brand operating across publishing, events, and education, though US-focused.
- London Literature Festival (Southbank Centre): Major annual literature festival run by the Southbank Centre in London featuring readings, talks, and workshops. Comparable in format and audience, but operates at significantly larger scale as part of a broader arts institution.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ledbury Poetry social profiles
Digital presenceLedbury Poetry compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ledbury Poetry financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ledbury Poetry leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ledbury Poetry funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ledbury Poetry M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ledbury Poetry
What does Ledbury Poetry do?
Ledbury Poetry runs the annual Ledbury Poetry Festival, the largest and joint-oldest poetry festival in the UK, featuring live readings, conversations, workshops, music, films and events for audiences of all ages. It also operates the international Ledbury Poetry Competition for English-language poets aged 18 and over, and delivers Learning and Inspiration educational programs for young people.
Is Ledbury Poetry a public or private company?
Ledbury Poetry is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ledbury Poetry founded?
Ledbury Poetry was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ledbury Poetry based?
Ledbury Poetry is headquartered in Ledbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Ledbury Poetry's main competitors?
The Troubadour is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Edinburgh International Book Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Aldeburgh Literary Festival, Hay Festival, The Poetry Society, StAnza: Scotland's Poetry Festival and Ilkley Literature Festival. Broad incumbents are Poetry Foundation and London Literature Festival (Southbank Centre).
Does Ledbury Poetry have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ledbury Poetry.
What industry is Ledbury Poetry in?
Ledbury Poetry's product category is Literary Arts & Cultural Festival Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGACAF, Spoken-Word Poetry Slams, with a secondary code of EDAMAMAM, Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops.