SIGN Language poetry will be a new feature of this year's Ledbury Poetry Festival, as the annual celebration of the written word formally celebrates deaf and disabled poets for the first time in its 21 year history.

Festival artistic director, Chloe Garner says, “It is about time the Festival took this ground-breaking step to make events more inclusive, to celebrate the fantastic work written by deaf and disabled poets and to reach out to new audiences among the deaf, disabled and sign language communities.

"The Festival in particular is excited to convey the rich and immersive qualities of sign language poetry to hearing audiences”.

She added: "The publication of Stairs & Whispers, a major anthology of poetry and essays from deaf and disabled writers prompted the Festival to make a special event out of this book featuring readings, performances, films and discussion. The second event is equally exciting. Air Poems in the Key of Voice is an event that will make the first-ever attempt to translate sign language poetry for hearing audiences.

"Kyra Pollitt is a British Sign Language interpreter, translator and artist and is therefore uniquely placed to make this innovative and exciting translation piece to premiere at Ledbury Poetry Festival."

She said: “I am interested in the gaps between ways of seeing the world, in the spaces between ways of communicating, in what is lost or altered inexorably in translation. I call this translation art. My work emerges from over twenty years encountering the unique sensorial perspective of the most visual people on earth – members of sign language communities.

" This multi-media, many-layered event will combine sign language poetry by Paul Scott, song/vocal gestures by Victoria Punch and film poetry. Air Poems in the Key of Voice will offer hearing audiences something of the rich, immersive, spine-tingling experience conjured by sign language poetry."

Ms Garner added: “One of the reasons the Festival has not offered BSL-interpreted events before is linked to operating on a tight budget and also to the challenge of translating poetry between sign language and hearing audiences. But the Festival is actively looking at how to address this. These two events are the start of that exciting exploration.”

Phillippa Slinger, Festival Manager, adds, “I really hope that audiences will support these events and the poets who are part of them. I firmly believe that they will be considered highlights of the Festival, as often happens with the more unique and unusual events that happen at Ledbury.”

Both events will take place on Saturday July 8.

Tickets and further details on, 01531 636 232 or book online at www.poetry-festival.co.uk