Speech Bubble

Join us for a relaxed and friendly evening of open mic performance poetry showcasing the best spoken word talent on campus, plus a special guest performance from Bridie Squires.

About the event

Organized by LU Arts, Speech Bubble is a long-running, relaxed, and friendly evening of performance poetry at Loughborough Students' Union. Open to students, staff, and the public, it showcases the best spoken word talent on campus through open mic slots and sometimes features a professional poet.

Whether you're performing or simply enjoying the show, Speech Bubble offers an inclusive and supportive space to celebrate creativity and the power of words.

This year, the event is hosted by the Creative Writing Society, a welcoming and inclusive student community for anyone passionate about storytelling. They host twice-weekly writing sessions offering a relaxed space to explore your creativity, share ideas, and receive feedback. Beyond writing, they run a variety of fun socials, from film nights and board games to nature walks and pub meetups.

This event is open to everyone (18+) - students, staff and members of the public.

About our guest performer

Bridie Squires is a poet, playwright, producer, and performance artist from Nottingham. A former journalist and editor at LeftLion Magazine, she became Nottingham Trent University’s first Writer in Residence in 2019 and founded the spoken-word collective GOBS in 2020.

She has performed her poetry at Southbank Centre, Badisches Staatstheatre, and We Out Here Festival, alongside Lemn Sissay, Holly McNish, and Linton Kwesi Johnson. Bridie has also produced for Nottingham Poetry Festival, the Young Creative Awards, and is the Production Manager for British Gestalt Journal.

Her work includes commissions like Mardy for BBC Radio 4, audio drama Self-checkout for BBC Sounds, and her debut poetry collection, Duck on Bike (2023). Bridie has received Arts Council England funding for Casino Zero, her one-woman loop station play. Currently, she’s developing Casino Zero and GOBS Collective in collaboration with Nottingham Playhouse.

Open mic opportunity

Any Loughborough University student or staff member can perform at this event but please book a slot in advance as places are limited. All abilities are welcome so it doesn't matter if you've never performed your work before. We welcome performers from all backgrounds and you can expect a friendly and supportive audience on the night.

Please fill out our online form if you are interested.

Accessibility

This event is taking place on the ground floor of the Students' Union in The Lounge and there is step-free access into the building. There are gender neutral, accessible toilets close by. If you have any specific access needs then please let us know in advance via the booking form or email us at LUArts@lboro.ac.uk.

More information can be found of LSU here on the AccessAble website.

Parking

Please note that visitors are required to register their vehicle and pay to park on campus. There is a flat evening rate of £1 after 6pm. There are various ways in which you can register and pay (both in advance and on arrival). Parking outside Cope Auditorium is not available to non-permit holders prior to 6pm.

More information on visitor parking

Photography

Photography and/or filming may be taking place at this event. If you do not consent to your photo being taken/being filmed and used for publicity purposes, then please alert the photographer/videographer on the day.