Alice Oswald: A journey through her poetry
New College Library’s latest exhibition, beginning in Michaelmas Term 2026, celebrates the work of the poet and New College alumna Alice Oswald.
Alice Oswald is one of Britain’s foremost and most celebrated contemporary poets, and an alumna and honorary fellow of New College, Oxford. She was the Oxford Professor of Poetry from 2019 until 2023, and the first woman ever to hold this position.
Oswald’s work is uniquely focused on the natural world, classical mythology, astronomy, and the interplay between poetry and other art forms. Winner of several prestigious awards—including the T. S. Eliot Prize, the International Griffin Poetry Prize, and the Ted Hughes Award—her poetry has been actively collected by New College Library for a number of years. Today, we hold over 40 items authored by her, including rare and unusual publications.
In this exhibition, we showcase some highlights from this collection, one of the largest and finest collections of her work in the country.
Our exhibition is free and open to all.
Current New College members with access to the library can enjoy our display anytime New College Library is open. Others who would like to visit our display should email the library (library@new.ox.ac.uk) to book a viewing for Monday to Friday, 9 am till 5 pm.
Our exhibition runs from 1 October 2026 until 28 February 2027. We look forward to seeing you.