Change is good. Change is necessary. And sometimes, change comes with a vibe upgrade that just feels right.
So here's the announcement I've been sitting on: Pen Power is moving to the Private Dining area of The Wardrobe, Leeds, and I'm honestly buzzing about it. If you've been with us from the start, you'll know our first session at Society was amazing—we held something special there. But they’ve ceased trading mid-week, which led us to this fantastic new iconic spot. Enter The Wardrobe: iconic, intimate, and dripping with creative history.
This isn't just a venue change, it's an evolution. A bold new chapter for Pen Power, and I couldn't be more excited to bring you along for the ride.
Why The Wardrobe?
Let me paint you a picture. The Wardrobe isn't just another arts venue in Leeds, it's a legend. Tucked away in the heart of the city, this place has hosted some of the most genre-defying, boundary-pushing artists and performers for years. It's a space where poetry, music, theatre, and raw expression collide. The walls practically hum with the echoes of every voice that's ever graced that stage.
When I walked into The Wardrobe for the first time to scope it out for Pen Power, I felt it immediately. That intangible thing you can't manufacture, atmosphere. The lighting, the acoustics, the way the space wraps around you like a warm embrace. It's intimate without being claustrophobic, professional without being stuffy. It's exactly the kind of environment where vulnerability feels safe, where creativity feels possible, where your voice, no matter how quiet or loud, can be heard.
Society served us well. We built the foundations of Pen Power there, and I'm grateful for every session, every participant, every poem that found its feet in that space. But The Wardrobe? This feels like coming home to a place we didn't even know we were looking for.
What's Changing (And What's Not)
Alright, let's get into the logistics, because I know some of you are already checking your calendars.
Here's what's new:
- Venue: The Private Dining area of The Wardrobe, Leeds (St. Peter's Street, Leeds city centre)
- Schedule: Last Thursday of every month (no more Tuesdays, sorry Tuesday lovers!)
- Next Session: Thursday, 26th February 2026
Here's what's staying exactly the same:
- Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (two hours of pure creative flow)
- Price: £7.50 for introductory spots, £15 for regular attendees
- Capacity: Still keeping it intimate at a maximum of 15 participants
- Age: 18+ only
- Format: Breathing exercises to arrive gently, creative prompts to unlock your voice, and a safe, judgment-free space to share your work (if you want to)
The heart of Pen Power isn't changing. The magic, the connection, the raw honesty, that's all coming with us. We're just doing it in a space that elevates everything we've already built.
The Last Thursday Philosophy
You might be wondering why we've shifted from weekly Tuesdays to monthly Thursdays. Here's the thinking: creativity needs breathing room. When we're meeting every week, there's a beautiful momentum, but there's also pressure, pressure to produce, to always have something new, to keep up. By moving to the last Thursday of every month, we're creating space for you to live, to gather experiences, to let ideas marinate.
Think of it as your monthly creative reset. The last Thursday becomes this anchor point, a ritual to close out the month, to reflect, to release whatever you've been carrying, and to set intentions for what's coming next. It's the perfect rhythm for deeper work, for building anticipation, for making each session feel like an event rather than just another Tuesday.
Plus, let's be real: the end of the month can be heavy. Bills, deadlines, the weight of everything we're juggling. What better time to carve out two hours for yourself? To breathe. To write. To remember that your voice matters, your story matters, and you deserve space to express it.
What You Can Expect at The Wardrobe
If you've never been to The Wardrobe before, let me walk you through what the experience will be like.
You'll arrive at this unassuming entrance on St. Peter's Street, easy to reach whether you're coming from the train station or catching a bus into town. Step inside, and you'll immediately feel the shift from the busy Leeds streets to this creative sanctuary. The bar is open (liquid courage is always an option, no judgment), and the staff are sound, welcoming, warm, the kind of people who get what we're doing.
We'll be in one of their intimate performance spaces. Picture exposed brick, warm lighting, comfortable seating arranged in a circle so everyone can see and be seen. There's no "front" and "back" in our sessions, we're all equals in this space, all learners, all teachers.
I'll provide all the materials you need: pens, paper, prompts. You just need to bring yourself, and whatever's on your mind and heart.
We'll start, as we always do, with mindful breathing. This isn't woo-woo nonsense (okay, maybe it's a little woo-woo, but it works). We arrive gently. We ground ourselves. We give ourselves permission to be present, to let go of the outside world for these two hours.
Then, we write. I'll offer prompts: some playful, some deep, all designed to unlock something in you that might've been stuck. And here's the beautiful part: you get to choose how much or how little you share. Read your whole piece, read a line, or just sit and soak in everyone else's work. There's no wrong way to participate.
By the end of the session, you'll leave with something tangible: words on a page that didn't exist two hours ago: and something intangible: a sense of connection, of being heard, of tapping into a part of yourself you might've forgotten was there.
The Pen Power Community
Here's what I'm most proud of: the community we've built around Pen Power. Every session brings together this beautiful mix of poets and beginners, introverts and performers, people healing through words and people celebrating through them. We've had participants who've gone on to perform at open mics, publish their work, or simply carry more confidence into their daily lives.
That's the power of this work. It's not just about writing better poems (though that happens). It's about finding your voice in a world that often tries to silence it. It's about learning that your perspective is valid, your story is worth telling, and you don't need permission to take up space.
Moving to The Wardrobe doesn't change that: it amplifies it. This venue understands the assignment. They've been championing authentic voices for years, and now we get to be part of that legacy.
Your Next Steps
The next Pen Power session in the Private Dining area of The Wardrobe, Leeds is Thursday, 26th February 2026, from 6:30 to 8:00 PM — and remember, it’s the last Thursday of every month going forward. We've got 15 spots available, and they go fast: especially for this first session at the new venue.
Here's how to secure your spot:
- Head to d3creations.uk
- Find the Pen Power event page
- Grab an introductory ticket for £7.50 (first-timers) or a regular ticket for £15
- Mark your calendar for the last Thursday of every month going forward
If you've been thinking about joining but haven't pulled the trigger yet, this is your moment. New venue, new energy, same commitment to creating a space where your voice can be heard. Whether you're a seasoned writer or you haven't picked up a pen since school, you're welcome here.
And if you've been with us from the Society days? I can't wait to see you at The Wardrobe. Let's christen this new space together, shall we?
The Bigger Picture
This move represents something bigger than just a change of address. It's a statement about where Pen Power is heading: toward sustainability, toward growth, toward creating something that can serve this community for years to come. The Wardrobe partnership opens up possibilities: potential collaborations with other artists, opportunities to expand into different formats, and the chance to tap into their existing audience of creative souls.
But at its core, Pen Power will always be about the same thing: giving you permission to express yourself, tools to do it effectively, and a community that's got your back.
So here's to new beginnings. Here's to The Wardrobe. And here's to every voice that's going to fill that space: including yours.
See you on the 26th. Let's make some noise. 🎤✨
Tickets are live now at d3creations.uk. Got questions? Drop me a message. Let's do this.