Highlights for 2010

Jean 'Binta' Breeze returns from Jamaica in February & resumes work on her 'New and Selected Works' (due from Bloodaxe Books in Autumn 2011). Jean will be undertaking a programme of performances & workshops through out the year, highlights of which include:

Feb. 25th: Hampshire, with the acclaimed flautist Keith Waithe

Feb. 22nd - 19th Apr.: a series of workshops for Leicester Adult Education programme

Mar. 8th: Y Theatre, Leicester - a special performance for International Women's Week - to be filmed & edited into a DVD for publication with her forthcoming book

Apr. 30th: Freeword, London - masterclass workshop as part of the 'Spoken World All Stars' programme promoted by Poet in the City

May 5th: school performances for Lincoln Book Festival

May 15th: a performance for Peckham Library Services

Jun. 27th: Jean makes her debut at the Glastonbury Festival

Jul. 5th: Southbank Centre, London - as part of a programme celebrating Caribbean poetry in the UK

Jul. 21st: Stockton-upon-Tees - as part of an Apples & Snakes programme


Linton Kwesi Johnson will be taking on selected dates in the UK & abroad, including special appearances in London & Scotland, i.e.

Jan. 29th: Unison AGM, London

Mar. 20th: StAnza Festival, St. Andrews


Patience Agbabi will be continuing in her role as the newly appointed Laureate of Canterbury, including developing a new body of work inspired by Chaucer. In the New Year Patience will also be linking up with the English Media Centre to film a contribution to a new multi-media resource for GCSE English Literature. Other public performances include:

Feb 18th: Freeword, London as part of the launch of 'RED' - a new anthology from Peepal Tree edited by Kwame Dawes

Feb. 23rd: City & Islington College, London

Feb 24th: Goldsmith's College, London - with Bernadine Everisto

Mar. 2nd: Kent University

May 22nd: Whitstable

May. 29th: Stratford Theatre, London - with John Hegley

In 2010 Patience has also been appointed as poet-in-residence at Chatham Dockyard as part of a programme entitled 'Chains' - involving the commission of a new series of sonnets or a corona


Other highlights for the New Year include 57 re-connecting with the TUC, London for a special event for International Women's Week, featuring Zena Edwards among others

57 is also pleased to announce that selections from the Poetry Video Jukebox are now available on YouTube, representing a unique exploration of the relationship between poetry & place & poetry & film, including films & interviews featuring:

Ian McMillan, with the film of the poem 'The er Barnsley Seascapes'
Peter Finch, with the film of the poem 'The Way It Grows'
Jean 'Binta' Breeze, with the film of the poem 'The Wife of Bath speaks in Brixton Market'
Tom Leonard, with the film of the poem 'Unrelated Incidents'
Jane Draycott, with the film of the poem 'Single Lens'
Paul Farley, with the film of the poem 'Liverpool Disappears for a Billionth of a Second'
Imtiaz Dharker, with the film of the poem 'These Are The Times We Live In'
Billy Childish, with the film of the poem 'Chatham Town Welcomes Desperate Men'
Clare Pollard, with the film of the poem 'Thinking of England'
Iain Sinclair, with the film of the poem 'Continuous Sky'

with more t.b.a.


It was a solemn start to 2009, Xmas having witnessed the final farewell of Adrian Mitchell, who will be much missed by family, friends & the whole community. Through the year 57 will be party to public commemorative events, culminating in a huge event on the South Bank, London on the 9th of December - please see Adrian's individual entry for more details. Adrian's new collection for adults 'Tell Me Lies' is now out (from Bloodaxe), to be followed by the appearance of his new & collected works for kids 'Umpteen Pockets' (from Orchard)

Other event highlights for 2009 included:

Linton Kwesi Johnson - with performances taking place in Belfast, Cardiff, London, France, the Caribbean & the USA - please see Linton's individual entry for more details - including a forthcoming appearance for the TUC, Congress House, London - on Oct. the 7th - where he shares the platform with Jean 'Binta' Breeze

Patience Agbabi - with performances for Poets in the City, Kings Place, London, plus events in Newham, Brentwood, Swindon, Islington, St Andrews (for Stanza), Portugal (for the British Council), Lincoln, plus special performances for Ledbury Poetry Festival, Acton Festival & Latitude ... please see Patience's individual entry for more info

Jean 'Binta' Breeze - with workshops & performances for Lyrical Lounge in Leicester, plus performances in Doncaster, London, Hinkley (for the National Association for Teachers of English), with events coming up in Italy, Belgium (Reel Festival), Nottingham & the Big Chill - for more info please see Jean's individual entry

with much more t.b.a.

Stop Press: 57 was party to the launch of the late, great Michael Donaghy's Collected Poems and Prose (Picador) on the 14th of March at the Southbank, London - featuring recordings made by Michael for 57 & the iPoems system being set to music by the composer Terry Mann - & in an associated launch event at Newcastle University where the film of Michael in performance 'Black Ice and Rain' (see the Poetry Video Jukebox) was screened

Early 2009 also saw 57 participating in the 'E-Poetry Module' as part of the MA in Creative Writing & New Media, taught by Peter Howard, run through De Montfort University, Leicester - aiming to facilitate a critical understanding of electronic poetry practices in the context of historical artistic movements within literature & other audio & visual arts, & to enable students to create, distribute and promote E-poetry in a variety of delivery platforms including the web

In Spring 2009 57 also released new content for the iPoems system - including the selected works of Jane Draycott, John Hartley Williams, Lorna Goodison & Cecil Rajendra, plus generous samplings of the work of Shamshad Khan, El Crisis, Mark Gwynne Jones, Paul Lyalls & Jacob Sam-La Rose - along with their new entries on the Poetry Jukebox

Watch this space!


Below are the highlights of 57's touring programme for the UK & abroad for 2008 – featuring:

Jean 'Binta' Breeze will be touring the UK & internationally - promoting her recent publication ‘The Fifth Figure’ (Bloodaxe) & engaging in an extensive media programme. Jean's programme includes:

February 25th: in discussion with Linton Kwesi Johnson as part of the Cultural Xchanges programme at De Montford University, Leicester

February 28th - March 5th: Pisa, Italy - recording with Dennis Bovell

March 7th: Bernie Grant Centre, London

March 8th: Trafalgar Square, London - as part of the One Million Women March - to mark International Womens Week

March 9th: Barbican, London - supporting Linton Kwesi Johnson and the Dennis Bovell Dub Band

May 23rd: Cargo, London: Apples & Snakes Album Launch

July 4th: Cambridge Sixth Form College

August 1st - 4th: Big Chill Festival

Aug. 8th - 10th: Phrased & Confused Festival, Leicester

Sept. 24th: Soho Theatre, Apples & Snakes

Oct. 1st - 3rd: Sheffield Futures, workshops

Oct. 9th: Lewisham, London - for National Poetry Day & as part of Black History Month

Oct. 10th: Battersea Arts Centre - for World Mental Health Day

Oct. 11th: University of Birmingham, workshop

Oct. 14th - 20th: South Africa - with Mutabaruka, taking in Joburg, Durban & Cape Town

Oct. 25th: Luton Library Theatre - with Patience Agbabi & Dorothea Smartt

Oct. 29th: Sheffield Futures, workshop

Oct. 30th: Southbank, London - with Linton Kwesi Johnson & Dennis Bovell as part of Poetry International

Oct. 31st: Wormwood Scrubs, London

Nov. 1st: The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, London

Nov. 3rd: Derby Central Library

Nov. 29th: Soho Writers Theatre, London - workshop

Dec. 1st - Feb. 1st: Jamaica


Adrian Mitchell - ‘the dogfather’ of performance poetry will be taking on selected dates in the UK & abroad promoting his recent collections ‘The Shadow Knows’ (Bloodaxe) & for children ‘Daft as a Doughnut’ (Orchard). Adrian's programme includes:

March 12th - 17th: St. Andrews, Scotland - Writer in Residence for StAnza

April 26th: Woodford Memorial Hall, South Woodford, London E18 - as part of the Redbridge Book and Media Festival

April 30th: Soho Theatre with Apples & Snakes

July 14th: Latitude Festival

July 16th - Aug. 20th: Bespoken Word, BBC Radio 4 - the broadcast of special performances by Adrian from the Troubadour Coffee House, London

Sept.: Shetland's Writer in Residence

Oct. 22nd : Manchester Poetry Festival

Please see Adrian's individual entry for more details


Patience Agbabi - will be promoting her new collection - Bloodshot Monochrome (Cannongate) & the release of her new & selected works on the iPoems system. Key dates include:

April 25th: Southbank Centre, London as part of the Spirit Level programme

May 10th: Aberdeen Word Festival

May 22nd: Costa Cafe, Liverpool with Writing on the Wall

May 28th: Soho Theatre, with Apples & Snakes

Aug. 15th: Edinburgh Internatioanl Book Festival

June 26th: BookSlam, London

July 13th: London Liming, Southbank

Aug. 15th: Edinburgh Internatioanl Book Festival

Oct. 2nd: Portsmouth, Theatre Royal

Oct. 7th: Leicester, Y Theatre

Oct. 9th: BBC Radio 4 - Blood, Sweat, Tears and Poetry - a special programme written & presented by Patience to mark National Poetry Day

Oct. 9th: Manchester Literature Festival

Oct. 10th: Ilkley Literature Festival - with Lemn Sissay

Oct. 11th: Essex Literature Festival

Oct. 20th: HMP Bronzefield, Surrey

Oct. 23rd: Off the Shelf Festival, Sheffield - with Lemn Sissay

Oct. 25th: Luton Library Theatre - with Jean 'Binta' Breeze & Dorothea Smartt

Nov. 10th: Dragon Hall, Norwich

Nov. 11th: Michaelhouse Centre, Cambridge

Nov. 15th: New Writing Partnership, Norwich - workshop

Nov. 24th: Winchester Discovery Centre - with Keith Waithe

Nov. 25th: Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester - A Level workshops

Dec. 17th: St Martin-in-the-Fields, London - for the Royal Commonwealth Society



Highlights of 2007 included:

Linton Kwesi Johnson - the internationally acclaimed poet & reggae artist will be undertaking his first UK tour for over 5 years - marking his new collection from Penguin – ‘Selected Poems’ – Autumn 2007. Please see Linton's individual entry for details

Adrian Mitchell - ‘the dogfather’ of performance poetry will be taking on selected dates in the UK & abroad promoting his recent collections ‘The Shadow Knows’ (Bloodaxe) & for children ‘Daft as a Doughnut’ (Orchard). In Autumn Adrian celebrates his 75th birthday with Lewes Literature Festival - see Adrian's individual entry for more details

Brian Patten - the popular poet & performer will be touring the UK throughout 2007 marking the publication of two monumental new books - the ‘Selected Poems’ (Penguin) & the ‘Collected Love Poems’ (Harper Perennial)

Plus extensive performance & media programmes featuring
Patience Agbabi & Courttia Newland among many other artists

In Autumn 2006 57 launched its revolutionary new production - iPoems -along with the new 57 Video-Jukebox (please see the Articles section for more info.). The occasion was marked by a series of special events, including:

Oct. 3rd: Soho Theatre, London - a reception for artists, media & friends

Sept. 13th: The ALG (Association of London Goverment) - a presentation for the LLDA (London Libraries Development Agency)

Nov. 18th: NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education) Conference, Brunel University, Middlesex - where again 57 will make a special presentation


In 2006 Jean 'Binta' Breeze will be promoting her new collection - The Fifth Figure - from Bloodaxe (due out in September). This new work represents an extended sequence commissioned by NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts)

Jean performed in Jamaica in January with Linton Kwesi Johnson. Jean's events programme for 2006 includes:

Feb. 23rd - 25th: Pisa, Italy

March 10th: Keswick, Theatre by the Lake - with Patience Agbabi & Shamshad Khan

March 16th: York, St John's University

March 18th: Harrow Arts Centre - with Keith Waithe

March 19th - 26th: Pisa, Italy

April 15th: The Verb, BBC Radio3

April 22nd: Guildhall Building, Southampton - with Adrian Mitchell

May 26th: 20th Century Theatre, Notting Hill, London - as part of the huge ‘Dignity’ fundraising programme for Zimbabwean women

June 10th: Trinity Arts, Gainsborough

July 4th-7th: Monchengladbach, Germany

Aug. 19th: Edinburgh International Book Festival

Aug. 21st: Dumfries & Galloway

Sept. 1st-2nd: Peterloo's 8th International Poetry Festival

Sept. 30th: The Drum, Birmingham - as part of a special memorial event for Louise Bennett

Oct. 3rd: Soho Theatre, London - for the launch of iPoems and the 57 Video-Jukebox

Oct. 11th: Leicester - for the launch of The Fifth Figure

Oct. 12th: Off the Shelf Literature Festival, Sheffield - with Adrian Mitchell

Oct. 14th: Reading Town Hall for the Reading International Solidarity Centre

Oct. 16th - 26th: Japan - with Dennis Bovell

Oct. 30th: Brighton

Nov. 15th: Lancaster Litfest - with Liz Lochhead

Nov. 23rd: Jamaica

Dec. 3rd: Indiana University, USA

with more t.b.a.



Adrian Mitchell will be touring the UK & internationally - promoting his recent collections from Bloodaxe - The Shadow Knows - & from Orchard - Daft as a Doughnut (for kids) - as well as his recordings with 57 - The Dogfather - & the Poetry Archive, including special performances for World Book Day (March 1st & 2nd) in the Isle of Man; April 22nd: Guildhall Building, Southampton - with Jean 'Binta' Breeze; & at the Bristol Old Vic (May 21st) with John Hegley - as part of 'A Great Night Out' - a special fundraising event for Kenyan Orphanages, & then to come:

Sept. 19th: Bedales Arts

Oct. 3rd: iPoems launch: Soho Theatre, London

Oct. 12th: Off the Shelf Literature Festival, Sheffield - with Jean 'Binta Breeze

Oct. 14th-15th: Cheltenham Festival of Literature

Oct. 19th-20th: Cuisle - Limerick City International Poetry Festival

with more t.b.a.


Courttia Newland will be touring the UK & abroad - with events being planned in association with the WestWords Festival, London (Feb. 28th); World Book Day (March 2nd); the British Council (Oman, 17th - 22nd March); plus special events to mark a new publication - Music for the Off-Key - from Peepal Tree Press. Courttia's new play - Hands - will also be broadcast by the BBC in Spring, with more t.b.a.


Other events are being planned featuring Zena Edwards (57's nomination for an Arts Foundation Fellowship for 2006);
Patience Agbabi (who has a new collection in the pipe-line); Mark Gwynne Jones (for The Harley Gallery & Creative Partnerships, Nottingham); Matthew Sweeney (early October only), plus much more t.b.a. - watch this space!


Highlights for 2005 included:

Jean 'Binta' Breeze is working on a new collection & new radio play for the BBC - 'Carmella's Island' - & will be making special appearances in performance & in the media in the UK & internationally, inc.

Jan 19th: Runnymede Trust Conference, London

Feb 4th: Uppingham College

Feb 18th: Apples & Snakes, London

Feb. 22nd: De Montfort University, Leicester

April: Southwalk Literature Festival - as writer in residence

May 3rd: Swindon Literature Festival

May 10th: Launch of 'A Meeting of the Continents: The International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books' - Camden Council Chambers, London - with Zena Edwards, Roxy Harris, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Parm Kaur, Couttia Newland, Lawrence Scott & Keith Waithe
(020 7272 4889)

May 16th: Lincoln Book Festival - with Keith Waithe

June 13th: Globe Theatre, London - as part of a special programme for Human Rights Watch entitled 'Cries from the Heart' also featuring Linton Kwesi Johnson, Andrew Motion, Lemn Sissay among many others

June 18th: Italy - with Dennis Bovell

July 1st: Italy - with Dennis Bovell

July 4th: Cambridge

July 6th: Leicester - with Apples & Snakes

July 8th: 'New Word Order', Royal National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Way, London WC1 - a special event in recognition of the contribution of poets & poetry to the anti-war movement in Britain & the wider movement for global justice - also featuring Mahmood Jamal, Adrian Mitchell & Michael Rosen

July 21st: Goodenough College, London

July 15th: Portsmouth - with Apples & Snakes

Aug. 1st: European Academy, London

Aug. 13th: Kilkenny Literature Festival - with Lemn Sissay

Sept. 16th: Y Theatre, Leicester

Oct. 8th: Parc & Dare Theatre, Treorchy, South Wales

Oct. 13th: Ilkeston Library

Oct. 31st: Pittsburgh University, USA

Nov. 18th: BBC Radio 4 broadcast 'Carmella's Island' - produced by Pam Fraser Solomon

Nov. 24th: The Albany Theatre, Deptford, London - with the Dennis Bovell Dub Band - in association with Apples & Snakes

with more t.b.a.

For highlights of Jean's 2004 programme - please see her individual entry



In the early part of 2005 Adrian Mitchell will be working in the USA on a new theatre production for young people - this following the recent launch of a new pantomime 'Aladdin' in Belfast. He will be making selected appearances in the UK & internationally there after, inc.

May 15th: tEXt Festival, Exeter

July 8th: 'New Word Order', Royal National Hotel, 38-51 Bedford Way, London WC1 - a special event in recognition of the contribution of poets & poetry to the anti-war movement in Britain & the wider movement for global justice - also featuring Jean 'Binta' Breeze, Mahmood Jamal & Michael Rosen

Sept. 25th: Poetry Olympics Twenty05 - on Sunday 25th September 2005 from 7pm, the Royal Albert Hall will host a special anniversary incarnation of the Poetry Olympics. In Summer 1965, the Hall was filled to overflowing for the historic gathering of world voices (filmed as Wholly Communion) which celebrated the renaissance of performance poetry and international times

Forty years on, Poetry Olympics Twenty05 will reunite a few of that evening's bards still at work – Adrian Mitchell, Christopher Logue, Spike Hawkins and Michael Horovitz – alongside other leading lights of today's community of poets, songwriter-singers and musicians, including Sujata Bhatt, Eliza Carthy, Rachel Fuller, Jerry Hall, John Hegley, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Fran Landesman, Stacy Makishi, Grace Nichols, Beth Orton, Pete Townshend, and The William Blake Klezmatrix (Madeline Solomon, Peter Lemer, Annie Whitehead and MH). Plus special guests tbc. BBC presenter James Naughtie will be one of several MCs

For Tickets, from £5 (Gallery Concs) to £40 (Grand Tier Boxes), see www.royalalberthall.com – or telephone 020 7589 8212.

Sept. 19th: Galloway & Dumfries, Scotland

Oct. 7th: Newsnight, BBC2 - Adrian performs the poem 'Human Beings' for National Poetry Day - as voted for by members of the public

Nov. 4th - 6th: Aldeburgh Poetry Festival

Nov. 19th: Hastings 'Word About Town' Festival

with more t.b.a.

For highlights of Adrian's 2004 programme - please see his individual entry


Merle Collins, the distinguished Grenadan poet & novelist, makes a special appearance in the UK during October 2005, taking in selected dates, including:

Oct. 6th: Walsall Library

Oct. 10th: Camden Library

Oct. 13th: Sheffield 'Off the Shelf' Literature Festival




In 2005 Lemn Sissay continued his whirlwind touring programme of the UK &, increasingly, abroad - including special performances of his recently premiered one-man play - Something Dark - as commissioned by Apples & Snakes - & broadcasted on BBC Radio 3

Highlights of Lemn's 2005 programme included:

Jan. 13th: Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare

Jan. 30th: 'Something Dark' - broadcast by BBC Radio 3

Feb. 8th: Hackney Empire, London

Feb. 25-26th: University of Coleraine, N. Ireland

Mar. 7th - 12th: Australia - with the BBC

Mar. 20th: Lincoln Drill Hall

Mar. 31st: Wigan Town Hall

Apr. 1st - 10th: New Zealand - with 'Something Dark'

Apr. 22nd: Dorchester Arts Centre

Apr. 28th: The Drum, Birmingham

June 2nd: Decibel, Manchester - with 'Something Dark'

June 13th: Globe Theatre, London - as part of a special programme for Human Rights Watch entitled 'Cries from the Heart' also featuring Jean 'Binta' Breeze, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Andrew Motion among many others

July 14th: Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

July 17th: National Association of Youth Theatre, Epping

Aug. 1st: BBC Radio 4 broadcast 'Song Lines of Steel' - a new lyrical travelogue recorded in Australia

Aug. 13th: Kilkenny Literature Festival - with Jean 'Binta' Breeze

Aug. 22nd - 27th: Edinburgh - with 'Something Dark'

Sept. 15th: Kendal; Something Dark

Sept. 22nd: Wigan

Sept. 23rd: Maidenhead, Norden Farm; Something Dark

Oct. 6th: British Council, London - a special performance for National Poetry Day

Oct 10th – 15th: South Africa

Oct. 21st and 22nd: Belfast Festival; Something Dark

Oct. 25th: Liverpool Library

Oct. 27th: Canterbury, Gulbenkian Theatre; Something Dark

Oct 28th: Liverpool, Unity Theatre; Something Dark

Oct. 29th: Cambridge, with Something Dark

Nov. 9th: South Bank Centre, London; performance

Nov. 17th: Amsterdam, Something Dark

Nov. 19th: Derby, Guildhall; Something Dark

Nov. 24th: Spread the Word, London

Dec. 8th: Exeter; Something Dark

with more t.b.a.


For highlights of Lemn's 2004 programme - please see his individual entry



John Cooper Clarke takes on selected dates in the New Year as part of the Poetry Live! programme, inc.:

Tuesday the 18th of January: Newcastle
Wednesday the 19th of January: Bradford
Thursday the 20th of January: Wolverhampton
Friday the 21st of January: Sheffield

Wednesday the 2nd of February: Bath & Bristol
Thursday the 3rd of February: Leicester
Friday the 4th of February: Leeds

Monday the 7th of February: Cambridge
Tuesday the 8th of February: Nottingham
Friday the 10th of February: Croydon

Then back on the road with The Fall, Chuck Berry & Little Richard

with more t.b.a.



57's writers & performers made special appearances throughout 2005, further highlights of which included:

Sept. 13th - 21st: Liz Lochhead, Sao Paulo, Brazil - with the British Council

April 26th: Kamau Brathwaite makes a rare UK appearance in Cambridge to deleiver the Judith E. Wilson Memorial Lecture. Kamau will be in the UK until mid-Summer & then returns for a brief spell in Autumn, with more t.b.a.

Courttia Newland was in Moscow & Sochi 13-20 March 2005, working with the British Council on 'The Road' - a project involving writers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, Romania & Russia - works which will appear on a new website entitled 'The Road Quilt', he also holds residence at Birbeck College, London up until Summer & then an Autumn residency at Trinity College, Dublin. Also in Autumn - Courttia co-runs a fiction course at The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre, Yorkshire & contributes to the 'White Open Spaces' project - commissioned by Pentabus Theatre & hosted by The John Osbourne Arvon Centre, Shropshire. Courttia's new play - Whistling Maggie - opens at the Oval House, London on the 29th of November

Zena Edwards will be making special appearances in the UK & internationally. She appears in a new show for young people entitled 'Broken Words' promoted by Apples & Snakes, & she has written new lyrics for NITRO's production 'SlamDunk'. She has also been commissioned to write & perform for BBC Radio 4's 'Bloodlines' production as part of the Africa 2005 programme - to be broadcast in Summer. For Autumn - Zena visits the Musicport Festival, Whitby & is writer-in-residence for the Word About Town Festival, Hastings. Zena is also 57's nomination for an Arts Foundation award, to be announced on the 1st of December

More to follow ...



Highlights of 2004 included:

Wasafiri Magazine
20th Anniversary Celebrations
A Tour of International Writers
Autumn 2004

Founded in 1984 at the University of Kent by editor Susheila Nasta - Wasafiri Magazine has played a key role in changing the face of contemporary writing in Britain. By making space for writers drawn from across Britain’s black, Asian & migrant communities, Wasafiri has been at the forefront in establishing new & developing talent, as well as drawing attention worldwide to a number of now distinguished literary figures

To celebrate its 20th anniversary - in association with 57 Productions – Wasafiri is pleased to announce a special series of promotional events taking place between September & December 2004. The Wasafiri Anniversary is also marked with special events on the 11th of September at the Royal Festival Hall, London with a programme of readings, talks & discussions – featuring: Caryl Phillips, Marina Warner, Jackie Kay, Moniza Alvi, Earl Lovelace, Kamau Brathwaite among many others

For more information on Wasafiri see - www.wasafiri.com - or regarding the tour – please contact 57. This programme is supported by the Arts Council England National Touring Programme

Wasafiri 20th Anniversary Touring Programme includes:

Oct. 15th: Cheltenham Festival of Literature

featuring:
Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze
David Dabydeen
Aamer Hussein
Mimi Khalvati
Lawrence Scott
Keith Waithe

Venue: Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50
Box Office: 01242 227 979
Forum: 2.30pm
Performance: 8pm


Oct. 21st: Birmingham Book Festival

featuring:
Maggie Gee
Romesh Guneseskera
Pauline Melville
hosted by Kaylois Henry

Venue: The Orange Studio, Cannon Street, B2
Box Office: 0121 236 5622
Time: 7.30pm


Nov. 4th: University of Leeds: in association with Peepal Tree Press

featuring:
Lorna Goodison
Manzu Islam
Daljit Nagra
hosted by Dorothea Smartt

Venue: University of Leeds, Workshop Theatre, Woodhouse Lane, LS2
Box Office: 0113 245 1703 or 020 7882 3120
Time: 7.30pm


Dec. 2nd: Museum of London

featuring:
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Andrea Levy
Shyama Perera
hosted by Margaret Busby

Venue: Museum of London, London Wall, EC2
Box Office: 0870 444 3852
Time: 7.30pm



Lorna Goodison: among the best-known poets of the Caribbean. In the UK her ‘Selected Poems’ are published by Carcanet. For the collection To Us, All Flowers are Roses, she was awarded a Gold Star by the Booklist. Lorna is also a recipient of the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for North & South America. She now earns her living as a teacher of creative writing in Canada. Lorna will be making a rare tour of the UK in Autumn 2004, including the following dates:

Nov. 3rd: Goldsmith's College, London
Nov. 4th: University of Leeds - for Wasafiri Magazine
Nov. 5th: Lincoln, Central Library
Nov. 7th: Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea
Nov. 8th: Willesden Green Library, London
Nov. 9th: University of Birmingham
Nov. 10th: Poetry Society, London
Nov. 11th: recording for www.poetryjukebox.com


In Summer & Autumn 2004 Liz Lochhead will be touring Scotland with the singer-songwriter Michael Marra - with special events in the UK & abroad to promote the new collection - The Colour of Black & White - & the reissue of Dreaming Frankenstein (both Polygon), with more t.b.a.


In Summer 2004 Adrian Mitchell will be touring Australia & taking in special dates in the UK - announcing his new collections - The Shadow Knows (Bloodaxe) & for kids - Daft as a Doughnut (Orchard), inc.

May 17th - 23rd: Sydney Literature Festival, Australia

June: Glastonbury Festival

July 9th: Ledbury Poetry Festival

July 14th: Tom Paine Festival, Lewes

Oct. 8th - 9th: Durham Literature Festival

Oct. 16-17th: Cheltenham Festival of Literature

Nov. 4th: Poets for Peace, Conway Hall, London WC2 - a benefit for Iraqi children - with a special programme featuring Adrian, Terry Jones, Brian Patten, Jean 'Binta' Breeze, Michele Roberts, Christopher Logue & hosted by Jonathan Pryce - Box office: 020 7734 8932

Dec. 9th: London Review of Books

In early 2004 Adrian also premiered his new adaptation of The Mayor of Zalamer - at The Everyman, Liverpool



57's writers & performers make special appearances throughout 2004, further highlights of which include:

Zena Edwards: in residence at The Poetry Cafe, plus a series of special performances - taking in recordings for defpoetryjam in New York, & work around the new SlamDunk production - as lyricist for NITRO. Summer sees special performances at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham & at Womad, Reading. In Autumn Zena visits Switzerland & Berlin - the latter as part of the British Council 'Literature & Music' programme


Matthew Sweeney: performing work from the new book 'Sanctuary' (due out in Autumn from Cape), taking in dates including:

Oct. 17th: Bristol Poetry Festival - with Liz Lochhead

57 also visits Bristol Poetry Festival with a special programme on:

Oct. 10th: with Neil Rollinson & Stacy Makishi

Mark Gwynne Jones: working on new commissions, multi-media projects & making his debut with the Arvon Foundation

with much more t.b.a.


Recent highlights include:

Kamau Brathwaite
September 2004

A giant in world literature - Kamau Brathwaite - will be making a rare visit to the UK in early Autumn - making selected public appearances & presenting new & known works in what he calls ‘shaddas … poetry w/multimedia multidiscip contxt’’

In the UK for 3 weeks only – from the 8th to the 28th of September - here to headline Wasafiri Magaizine’s 20th Anniversary programme at the South Bank Centre London – on the 11th of September – when he gives his European premier of ARK – a new long poem concerning the events & fall-out of 9/11

This visit represents a unique opportunity to connect with one of Caribbean poetry’s most inspired sons. He also arrives with a new collection - TIME OF SALT - under his belt - “which in my vu is by far the bess thing I do so far so far”, plus ‘Words Need Love Too’ (House of Neshi/Salt) & ‘ LX: the love axe/l’ (Peepal Tree) - a new manifesto for a revolutionary aesthetic

the dates include:

Sept. 11th: South Bank, London - for Wasafiri Magazine
Sept. 13th: The Verb, BBC Radio 3 - broadcast date t.b.c.
Sept. 21st: Lincoln, The Drill Hall
Sept. 26th: Manchester, Imperial War Museum
Sept. 27th: Lancaster, Duke's Theatre


Other highlights so far for 2004 inc.

ABCtales
Wednesday 23rd June
Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, London WC1

John Hegley, Iain Sinclair
Zena Edwards, Michael Donaghy, Sarah Maguire
plus special guest ABCtales.com writers

ABCtales is a literary event with a difference – a celebration of the spirit of place – especially Bloomsbury & London – North, South, East & West – & Luton – & a new virtual environment for literature – www.ABCtales.com

With a programme defying all convention, featuring the laureate of Luton & Islington - John Hegley; the ‘baroque’ prose stylist of the East End - Iain Sinclair; the siren of Tottenham - Zena Edwards; plus Sarah Maguire - poet & Director of Poetry Translation at SOAS; Michael Donaghy - poet & musician, Harringay/The Bronx - & special guest writers from ABCtales.com

www.ABCtales.com was founded by John Bird (The Big Issue), along with Gordon Roddick (The Body Shop) & Tony Cook (Red Pepper & Praxis Films). ABCtales offers everyone the chance to share their stories and read fresh new writing for free

In recognition of real social & 'digital’ divides ‘ABCtale-catchers' tour the country encouraging people - including prisoners, homeless people, refugees & the elderly - to tell their stories & join the ABCtales community of readers & writers

Since launch, ABCtales had attracted thousands of writers from around the world & won numerous awards including the Yell Award for 'Best Arts & Music Site' 2001 & the New Statesman 'Online Community Award' 2001. ABCtales has around 100 stories & poems added every day! Check it out!


March 20th: National Black Writers & Publishers Conference 2004, Manchester - hosted by Cultureword, including a panel of publishers & performance poetry promoters speaking about what excites them, the state of the market & what they are looking for. The panel will include: Smith Doorstop, Peepal Tree, 57 Productions, Apples & Snakes & Crocus. Chaired by SuAndi


Highlights of the Autumn 2003 programme included:

The Poetry Jukebox Touring Launch
October 2nd – November 27th 2003

Oct 2nd: Bloomsbury Theatre, Gordon Street, London WC1 (8pm)
John Cooper Clarke, Lemn Sissay, Michael Donaghy, Sarah Maguire, Adrian Mitchell, Zena Edwards, Neil Rollinson, Moniza Alvi, Choman Hardi, Dorothea Smartt, Francesca Beard, Salena 'Saliva' Godden, ... plus special guests
Box Office: 020 7388 8822

Oct. 9th: Ilkley Literature Festival, Kings Hall:
Liz Lochhead, Grace Nichols, Moniza Alvi
Box Office: 01943 816 714

Oct 18th: Cheltenham Festival of Literature:
Fred D’Aguiar, Liz Lochhead, Adrian Mitchell
Box Office: 01242 227 979

Oct 19th – Bristol Old Vic/Poetry Festival:
Roger McGough, Zena Edwards, Peter Finch
Box Office: 0117 942 6976

Oct 31st – Sheffield ‘Off the Shelf’ Festival, University of Sheffield:
John Cooper Clarke, Francesca Beard, Levi Tafari
Box Office: 0114 273 4716

Nov 8th – Phoenix Theatre, Leicester:
Brian Patten, Zena Edwards, Neil Rollinson
Box Office: 0116 255 4854

Nov 16th – The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster Litfest:
Adrian Mitchell, Rita Ann Higgins, Choman Hardi
Box Office: 01524 621 66

Nov 27th - The Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool:
John Hegley, Lemn Sissay, Salena ‘Saliva’ Godden
Box Office: 0151 709 5297


Please see Catalogue for details of the 'Poetry in Performance' CD series & other titles