John Cooper Clarke announces new UK tour and poetry collection, ‘Have It’
John Cooper Clarke has announced that he is set to embark on a new UK tour, alongside his latest book of poetry, Have It.
The punk poet revealed the news in a press release on December 1st, with his new tour in 2026 set to relive his “latest and greatest works” for fans all over the UK.
The Bard of Salford will combine a selection of his most classic and beloved poems alongside recitals from his upcoming collection, Have It, which is set to be released in September 2026.
Clarke’s 20-date tour will span the course of October and November next year, kicking off on October 7th at the Southend Palace Theatre, before he travels to cities including London, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester. The tour will conclude at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh on November 27th.
Since becoming a literary beacon of the punk movement in the 1970s, the poet has spent the last half a century continuing to be an omniscient influence on all styles of music, with contemporary bands including the Arctic Monkeys previously citing him as an inspiration.
Most recently, Clarke collaborated with Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Luvcat on her song ‘He’s My Man’, released at the beginning of October.
In a review of the single, Far Out said: “With his [Clarke’s] voice on board, it becomes a co-sign to greatness. It’s a co-sign to Luvcat’s poetry, to her serious and varied influences and also to her position as a new northern powerhouse set to lock in a legacy.”
The news of Clarke’s latest poetry collection comes after his last release, What, was released back in 2024.
Tickets for Clarke’s 2026 UK tour will go on sale from December 5th at 10am local time, while his book Have It will be published on September 3rd, 2026.
John Cooper Clarke 2026 UK tour dates
October
- 7 – Palace Theatre, Southend
- 10 – Lighthouse, Poole
- 11 – Bristol Beacon, Bristol
- 14 – Theatre Royal, Brighton
- 15 – London Palladium, London
- 17 – City Hall, Sheffield
- 20 – Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
- 21 – Old Fire Station, Carlisle
- 23 – Victoria Hall, Stoke-On-Trent
- 24 – Town Hall, Birmingham
- 28 – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
- 31 – Varieties Music Hall, Leeds
November
- 4 – The Playhouse, Whitley Bay
- 6 – Grand Opera House, York
- 12 – 3 Olympia, Dublin
- 15 – Mandela Hall, Belfast
- 18 – Opera House, Blackpool
- 21 – O2 Apollo, Manchester
- 25 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester
- 27 – Queens Hall, Edinburgh
