London

Connect with the power of poetry as 10 of the country’s most outstanding spoken word poets perform at London Bridge on 3rd October for National Poetry Day. National Poetry Day recognises poetry’s capacity to bring people together with a national celebration across the UK every October. This year it marks its 25th anniversary with a…

An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. October’s headliner is the brilliant Belinda Zhawi! Plus we’ll have feature sets from Tyrone Lewis and Tanaka Fuego. The notorious Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this is your…

Join stand-up poet, presenter and facilitator Laurie Bolger, reading from her debut poetry collection, Boxrooms. Exploring everything from friendship and community to vegetables and cups of tea, Laurie Bolger’s Boxrooms (Burning Eye Books) makes poetry into your friend. With extraordinary warmth the poems build into a conversation looking at the meaning of relationships. ‘a joyful exploration…

Rowan McCabe is the world’s first Door-to-Door Poet. Knocking on strangers’ doors, he asks what is important to them. He then goes away and writes a poem about this, free of charge, before bringing it back and performing it on their doorstep. Through a funny and thought-provoking mix of spoken word and theatre, find out…

Join spoken word artist and writer Isaiah Hull, reading from his debut poetry collection, Nosebleeds. Exploring family, life and the real world, Isaiah Hull’s Nosebleeds (Wrecking Ball Press) is visceral and raw, a voice far older than the poet’s young years. Hull’s writing is soul-searching and down to earth, a hard-hitting collection, written to be performed but making…

Join Apples and Snakes’ word-wizards at Bloomsbury Festival as they cook up amazing ways to play with storytelling and poetry. SPIN features Jan Blake, Paul Cree, and Amina Jama, a trio of leading performers each with their own distinct style. For children and families. A fun and interactive show celebrating words. For children and families…

Join us for London’s biggest spoken word night! An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. September’s features: Elmi Ali, Ollie O’Neill, and Jake Wild Hall. The renowned Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this…

Multiple slam champion and Poetic Theatre Makers alumni Jasmine Gardosi reads from her debut pamphlet Jasmine Gardosi is a former Birmingham Poet Laureate finalist and BBC Slam finalist. A previous BBC Arts Young Creative and Poet in Residence for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, she has appeared across BBC Radio and at Glastonbury Festival. Her work…

A hip-hop garden festival for families Join underground hip-hop hero Kenny Baraka AKA The Green Man on his mission to make the world greener. Mixing wicked raps and music with wonderful stories, he will tell you how we can work together to create a garden and make music to play to it! You’ll also get…

Join us for London’s biggest spoken word night! An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. The notorious Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this is your chance to own the stage alongside some of…

Words First is the BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Asian Network and BBC Contains Strong Language national talent search for the best emerging spoken word artist in the UK. This is your chance to see the most exciting artists from the London who have made it through to the first round, hosted by poet Rachel Long and…

Join us for London’s biggest spoken word night! An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. The notorious Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this is your chance to own the stage alongside some of…

Award-winning poet and new Young People’s Laureate for London Theresa Lola reads from her debut poetry collection. In Search of Equilibrium (Nine Arches Press) is an extraordinary and exacting study of death and grieving. Lola identifies where the algorithms of the body and the memory fail, and finds the words that will piece together the binary code of…

Join writer, musician and dub poet Roger Robinson as he reads from his latest poetry collection, A Portable Paradise. Exploring diverse themes from family life to violence in London, memories of Trinidad to reflections on creativity, A Portable Paradise (Peepal Tree Press) explores the idea that earthly joy is often kept just beyond our reach, denied by racism, misogyny, physical…

Come and join us for London’s biggest spoken word night! An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. The notorious Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this is your chance to own the stage alongside…

Join poet Thembe Mvula reading from her debut poetry collection We That Wither Beneath, exploring universal themes of home, love and loss. Drawing from her experiences as a first generation immigrant, Thembe’s poems transport the reader from seas to living rooms that form portals into sensory stories about family, loved ones and the self. She explores how…

Join our SPINE Festival Artists in Residence Billy and Theresa Lola at Shepherd’s Bush Library for a free creative workshop! We will read a poem and write our own manifestos on the small ways we hope to make the world and our lives a better place for our wellbeing This event is part of SPINE…

Sharing is Caring! Let’s make a collaborative large scale process artwork developed over 3 days, incorporating words and images discovered during the week of Spine Festival. Work with SPINE Artists in Residence Billy and Theresa Lola to learn how to work with colours, words, images and layers to make an exciting and fresh mural that…

If our mental health was a shape what would it be? What shapes do we have, what shapes do we need and what shapes do we want? Make fun cut outs and collage in this therapeutic activity where you will learn to make fun abstract compositions inspired by your own mind and emotions! This event…

Encourage a sense of wellbeing with funny and energetic rhyming activities including songs, colouring in and more! This event is part of SPINE Festival 2019. Produced by Apples and Snakes, SPINE is a multi-disciplinary arts festival giving young people the chance to engage with workshops and live performances for free at their local library. Taking…

A fun and energetic activity that will appeal to our minds and our emotions whilst we listen to music and make a big collaborative colouring in artwork. Collaboration is cool, Sharing is caring! Join SPINE Artists in Residence Billy and Theresa Lola at Shepherd’s Bush Library. This event is part of SPINE Festival 2019. Produced…

Visualise fun rhymes about times when you were happy and sad and turn them in to big colourful shapes with painting, collage and other therapeutic activities! Promoting well-being and happiness through creative action with Artists in Residence Billy and Theresa Lola at Shepherd’s Bush Library. This event is part of SPINE Festival 2019. Produced by Apples and…

Come and join us for London’s biggest spoken word night! An institution of the London spoken word scene, Jawdance brings you acclaimed feature acts alongside up-and-coming artists in poetry and music. The notorious Jawdance open mic is for poets, part-time poets, partial-to-an-open-mic poets, or even I’ve-written-what-I-think-is-a-poem-but-I’m-not-a-poet poets… this is your chance to own the stage alongside…