2023

Scrievin & Scran, An Evening of Spoken Word

Friday 27th January 2023, 7:30 pm to 9:45 pm

Venue: The Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine, North Ayrshire KA12 8PZ

Chase away those January blues with the return of this hugely popular event, brought to you by Tidelines Book Festival. A warming evening of spoken word, with a half-time hot pie included in the ticket price, this event will be hosted by poet, storyteller and current Scriever at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Simon Lamb. Featuring guest appearances from local writers and a couple of open spots up for grabs, expect an evening of wit, wisdom, and the odd surprise.

“What a great evening, I never knew poetry could be so much fun!” (audience feedback, January 2019)

Tickets cost £10 and include a hot pie – please choose the correct meat/veggie/other option when booking. For ‘other’ please email [email protected] with your name & dietary needs after booking so we can meet everyone’s requirements).

Book your ticket here.

For information on open spots for local writers, please email [email protected].

About Simon Lamb

The current Scriever at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Simon is a poet, performer and storyteller who enjoys delighting and igniting his audience with his distinctive voice and infectious energy. Simon won Gaiety’s Got Talent in 2015 with his show-stopping A Miserable Night at the Theatre, and his debut poetry collection – A Passing On of Shells – is forthcoming from Scallywag Press in spring 2023 with illustrations by former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell.


Darren McGarvey: The Social Distance Between Us

Friday 24th March 2023, 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Venue: The Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine, North Ayrshire KA12 8PZ

Tidelines Book Festival is delighted to welcome Orwell Prize winning author, BAFTA nominated broadcaster and celebrated hip-hop artist, Darren McGarvey, to the Harbour Arts Centre, Irvine, for one night only as part of his 2023 tour.

“If all the best people are in all the best jobs, why is Britain such a f***ing bin fire?” McGarvey poses this awkward question and more in a new show centred around his book ‘The Social Distance Between Us’. 

With its unpredictable ask-me-anything format, audience members shape the performance, making no two nights of the tour the same. McGarvey’s 60-minute high-wire act confronts the scandal of class-inequality with passion, humility, and an optimal dose of humour. Not to be missed.

Tickets £10 (suitable for age 14+). Book your ticket here.

Author photo by Steven Reynolds.