National Poetry Day is the annual UK-wide celebration of poetry, a day to share and discover and enjoy. We hope to share the second life of our poetry & music project Come On In with Speaking Volumes later in the year but for now we’ve rounded up a long list of what we’ll be doing tomorrow. The theme this year is “Vision”: think of the future, and of changing perceptions. Don’t forget to use the #ShareAPoem on social media and tag us too @StrongBackProd on Twitter and @strongbackproductions1972 on Instagram – we can’t wait to see all your recommendations in return!
What we’ll be watching: The 24-Hour Poetry Lock In on Instagram Live with @leenanorms
Starting at midday today and finishing at noon on the 2nd October, you have all the time to watch workshops and conversations with fantastic poets such as Nikita Gill, Raymond Antrobus and Repeat Beat Poet (whose session on creating community in poetry is one we will definitely be watching!)
Poet in The City – What is an Activist?
In their first live digital event Poet in the City talks to an incredible lineup – Khadijah Ibrahiim, Joelle Taylor and Amina Atiq who are changing perceptions around contemporary social issues. Follow the link above to get a link to the live stream on Youtube starting at 1pm. There will also be a Q&A so get your questions ready in the comments section.
What we’ve been reading: In Search of Equilibrium by Theresa Lola
The debut collection from the Young People’s Laureate for London is a visceral examination of death and grief, full of experimentation with the form. Our favourite poems are Lean Back as instructed by Fat Joe and Sight Test. Also check out her poem Despite the Noise from last year’s National Poetry Day.
What we’ve been listening too: A Manual for Dreaming Womxn on BBC Sounds
There’s a lot of reasons why you should look up Rachel Long, author of one of our new favourite collections My Darling From the Lions, out earlier this year, and founder of Octavia Poetry Collective for Womxn of Colour, based at the Southbank Centre. In this workshop-for-radio learn how to use your dreams as a creative resource alongside poet and psychoanalyst Nuar Alsadir, poet and playwright Caroline Bird and literary editor Kishani Widyaratna. An inspiring and dreamy listen!
Opportunities
Feeling inspired by all the poetry goodness surrounding you? The Roundhouse Poetry Slam is open for entries from all poets aged 18-25. Deadline midday 26th October – good luck!
Read more from our Artistic Director Dominique about our upcoming programmes in Rye!
https://buff.ly/4fMIIAW
THIS WEDNESDAY! Join the London Sea Shanty Collective, Hackney Voices and other singers to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres' life-saving work ..
StrongBack Productions is thrilled to have been awarded a grant from a private Estate Fund in support of their SongMaps Rye Programme.
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