News

The latest news from Friendly Street Poets

FSP 2026 AGM summary report

Summary report from convenor, Nigel Ford, of the 2026 FSP Annual General Meeting held at the Box Factory, 10th April, 2026

Three members of the Committee did not continue: Veronica Cookson, David Cookson and Sue O’Brien. I’d like to thank them for their wonderful service to the FSP Committee, especially for all the work they undertook to help make Friendly Street Poets’ 50th Anniversary year and celebrations such a success. Special thanks to Veronica Cookson for taking on the Secretary role for her 2 year tenure.

Three members nominated to return to the Committee: Nigel Ford, Erica Jolly & Fred Willett.… Click for more

In case you missed it – or if you would like to see it again: The FSP 50th Anniversary Poetry Love In on video.

As part of the FSP 50th Anniversary celebrations, The Poetry Love In was held at the Box Factory on 7th November 2025. It was a big night with an all-star line up of FSP poets on the microphone. If you missed it, or of you were there and would like to re-live the experience, click on the link below to see a video of the night, thanks to Jude Aquilina.

click here to watch the video on YouTube

Jude is also putting together a video of the Anniversary Dinner so if you have photos from the night she could use, send them to her at: jude_poet[at]yahoo[dot]com[dot]au.… Click for more

Richard Tipping book launch: Headlines to the Heart

Wednesday 12 November 2025
6:00pm for 7:00pm start

Ern Malley
137 Magill Road, Stepney, SA 5067

Richard Tipping, co-founder of Friendly Street Poets in 1975, is in Adelaide for the 50th Anniversary of FSP and has brought his latest book of poetry, Headlines to the Heart, for his South Australian launch. 

Headlines to the Heart is the poet’s own selection of the most memorable poems from half a century of deeply-felt living. Humorous, erotic, perceptive and full of spoken ideas which stick in the mind, Tipping’s poetry has been widely published and anthologised, including The New Penguin Anthology of Australian Poetry edited by John Kinsella, The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry edited by Phillip Mead and John Tranter, and the New Oxford Book of Australian Verse edited by Les Murray.… Click for more

Schedule of FSP 50th Anniversary events

2025 marks 50 years of operation of Friendly Street Poets. To celebrate this momentous milestone, we will be hosting a series of special events, summarised below. Put them in your calendar and keep an eye out for more details of specific events closer to the time. Everyone is welcome, but some events require pre-booking.

Sunday 26th October 2025
Launch of the New Poets 26 and Single Poet 2025 books.
Effective Living Centre, 26 King William Road, Wayville.
Doors open at 2.00pm for a 2.30pm start.
Click here for the Facebook event and more information.

Friday 7th November 2025
The Poetry Love In
Box Factory, Regent Street South, Adelaide.… Click for more

Reminder – CHRONICLE: a celebration of Friendly Street Poets’ first 50 years

Submissions are now closed

As part of our 50th year, FSP invites all our poets to contribute to CHRONICLE: A celebration of Friendly Street Poets’ first 50 years..

We want to know what it means to us all to have had Friendly Street Poets as a meeting place
and forum. The things you remember. The people. The oddities. The events or social
movements that have shaped Friendly Street Poets. The highlights and lowlights.

What we’re looking for is your memories in short vignettes, poetry or prose to a
maximum of 500 words.

The more contributors the better.

We are aiming to launch the book at the December 2025 City Meeting of FSP.… Click for more

The Poetry Laboratory

Tuesday 13th May 2025
7:15pm for 7:30 start

Brookside Cellars Community Arts Centre
17 Moore St, Tranmere (off Glynburn Rd), SA 5073

$5 entry
Cash only, includes refreshments

An evening when great poetry and great poets are put under the microscope. Come along and be entertained, informed and even make your own poetic contribution.

Our first evening will feature a presentation by that poetry force of nature, Avalanche, on the life and work of ee cummings (that’s right, no capital letters).

Following this will be an open mic opportunity to read a poem or two, either cummings’ poetry or your own inspired by/about/relating to cummings and his work.… Click for more

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