Guernsey Arts Seeks Poets for 80th Liberation Anniversary Commemoration

Guernsey Arts has announced a 2025 Poetry Open event, intended to commemorate and celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Bailiwick’s Liberation. The Islands of Guernsey experienced the relief of Liberation from occupying forces in 1945. To mark this significant milestone, Guernsey Arts has initiated a series of events and is inviting islanders to submit poetry for inclusion in a commemorative anthology. Submissions should focus on themes related to next year’s anniversary, with a particular emphasis on post-war events. • The evacuation and subsequent return of evacuees • Deportation and the fate of deportees • The occupation period and the reconstruction of the island • The German Forces and their situation following liberation • The liberating forces and the planning involved in the islands’ liberation Jade Kershaw, Community & Public Realm Officer, stated: “Guernsey Arts is thrilled to be able to create the platform for this community led project. “We hope Islanders will be inspired to look into such a poignant moment in our shared history and use their creativity to provide a different perspective 80 years on.” The submitted poems are intended to form a commemorative 80th Liberation anniversary book, available in both physical and digital formats. Readers can follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook, and submit story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Further information on the BBC’s approach to external linking is available.