Dr John Cooper Clarke

One of Britain's most outstanding poets, Dr John Cooper Clarke, comes to Edinburgh's The Queen's Hall in 2026. 

2025 saw Dr John Cooper Clarke achieve historical feats as he became the first poet to headline a UK arena – the biggest indoor arena in Europe, Manchester’s Co-op Live. The celebrated poet also received the prestigious 2025 Northern Music Award in March of this year in recognition of his phenomenal influence in the music world.

Dr John Cooper Clarke’s anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades, and his no-nonsense approach to his work has seen his career spanning cultures, audiences, art forms and continents. His critically acclaimed 2020 memoir ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ explored his extraordinary life, filled with remarkable personalities. 

His latest collection, ‘Have It’, will be a completely new collection of work and follows on from 2024’s ‘WHAT’, an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Across his 20-date 2026 tour, Dr John Cooper Clarke will be introducing this new body of work alongside his beloved, hilarious and classic fan-favourites.