Guest Artists

As part of our tour we are inviting a range of other writers and performers to join us – enabling us to share as broad a range of voices and viewpoints as possible.

In 2015 we are very excited to be joined by these, amazing artists:

AMBROSE MUSIYIWA

Leicester, Upstairs at the Western

Ambrose Musiyiwa (image by Kevin Ryan)

Ambrose Musiyiwa facilitates CivicLeicester, a community media channel that uses video and photography to document and highlight conversations taking place in and around Leicester. He is the author of The Gospel According to Bobba (CivicLeicester, 2015 http://amzn.to/1fcisBj), a slim volume of poems that, among other things, defines the good life, celebrates the joys of a cup of tea and biscuits, and presents a way of dealing with challenges and fears.

Ambrose Musiyiwa
y. https://www.youtube.com/user/CivicLeicester
f. https://www.facebook.com/CivicLeicester
t. https://twitter.com/CivicLeicester

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KATHLEEN BELL

Leicester, Upstairs at the Western

Kathleen Bell

Kathleen Bell’s  recent pamphlet at the memory exchange (Oystercatcher, 2014), was  short-listed for the Saboteur awards. She has poems in the current issues of New Walk, PN Review and Under the Radar, and has recently been included in the anthology A Speaking Silence, literary magazine Hearing Voices and the on-line poetry magazines The Stare’s Nest and Litter. She writes fiction as well as poetry, and teaches Creative Writing at De Montfort University.

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ALICE DENNY. 

Brighton, The Writers Place

Alice Denny

I am a Brighton-based poet who has been performing for about two years as
a result of the encouragement I received, initially from NWS. Although I
never discuss my age, I am what you might call a ‘late developer’. I have
two adored children, both now grown and independent and now live alone in
my Brighton flat with no cats (yet) following a career as a community
psychiatric nurse and family therapist. Although it was never a conscious
decision, my poems tend to reflect my life as a (transgender) woman,
marginalisation, feminism, love and an abhorrence of persecution and
bullying in all its forms. I am also a campaigner for floral dresses.

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MARCIA CALAME.

The Drum, Birmingham.

Marcia Calame

“By allowing my pen to take over, my mind’s ink will just simply flow.” 

M. Calame Marcia is a diverse poet on page and on stage, with poems in many anthologies such as, ‘A sense of touch’ representing the Midlands-Poetry for the people by the people; and ‘Rippled Splendour,’ which received the Editors choice Award. She has been involved in many Theatre performances, co-produced by Apples and Snakes and r:evolve; has performed on stage from Glastonbury Festival to International Women’s day. Marcia is currently writing a book and involved in new various projects for 2015-2016.

http://www.writeoutloud.net/profiles/marciacalame

MISSYCAL@facebook.com

Google: Marcia Calame.

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SUZAN SPENCE.

Bilston Town Hall, Bilston, Wolverhampton. 

Suzan Spence

I am the artistic director of Drama AND SOME cic a theatre company. We toured our first play ‘Black Country Blues’ co-written with Robert Warrington last July.

I am currently writing two one-woman plays, one of which includes rhyme. I trained in acting and musical theatre so often I enjoy writing poetry in the voice of characters. I have visited Jamaica often in the last few years and find inspiration in the language and landscape.

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GRACE DORE

Grace Dore

Bilston Town Hall, Bilston, Wolverhampton.

Grandmother, artist and poet – Grace really enjoys life and being creative – painting, writing, dancing and singing ! Her passion for the Arts began years ago as a child at school with her love of writing poetry. At home she loved drawing and creating cartoon stories, bringing characters to life.
Even though her energy went into art, words and poetry always played a huge part in her life. After going to art college, and years of caring for her family, she has embraced the written word, writing and performing poetry from her innermost feelings, experiences and political, worldwide issues.

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Here’s a venue-by-venue run down of who we collaborated with as part of Three the Hard Way (part one) in 2014 – including the remarkable, Shruti Chauhan – who now joins us as part of our all new exciting line up!

Upstairs @ the Western

Shruti Chauhan is a young, experimental poet and writer, raised in Leicester and exploring the spoken word scene. She is
interested in working across mediums and languages. Aside from writing, Shruti takes vocal training in Indian classical music and enjoys dancing.

The Core at Corby Cube 

At Corby Cube we’ll be performing as part of a double-bill with Showcase Smoothie – an exciting collective of culturally diverse, young men, exploring experiences of mental health issues.

Showcase Smoothie is led by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. It is partnered by renaissance one (the literature company), University of Leicester, Brightsparks (Voluntary Arts in Mental Health Group), Akaaba Ayeh (the specialist BME mental health agency), Leicester Adult Education College, The Y Theatre, Sunflower Sessions and Beauty and Utility Arts. Showcase Smoothie is Directed by Lydia Towsey and Tim Sayers, Patronised by Jean Binta Breeze MBE; Championed by Peter Miller, CEO of LPT; Professor Lord Patel of Bradford, OBE and Dr Mohammed Al-Uzri and Project Managed by Katherine Brown. The Showcase Collective’s tour is Curated by Melanie Abrahams. The project is funded by Arts Council England. For a full list of Showcase Smoothie’s key artists, creatives and project facilitators please see: http://www.showcasesmoothie.com

Omnibus, Clapham 

At the Omnibus we’re partnering with the wonderful Poetry App and Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation – to present a double bill of panel and show. We’ll  be  joined by several wonderful artists – including poetry visionary and super-star, Michael Horovitz OBE…

MICHAEL HOROVITZ OBE  is a key player in contemporary British poetry and a leading visionary and voice of the last half century.

In 1959 he founded New Departures – “the most substantial avant-garde magazine in Great Britain” (Times LiterarySupplement) and while still a student, published William S. Burroughs, Samuel Beckett and Stevie Smith. He continued to edit it for fifty years, coordinating many ‘Live New Departures’, ‘Jazz Poetry SuperJams’ and – now infamous – ‘Poetry Olympics’ festivals (www.poetryolympics.com).

He recently recorded for Gearbox Records with Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Paul Weller.

Quotes:

A “Cockney, Albionic, New Jerusalem, Jazz Generation, Sensitive Bard” ~ Allen Ginsberg

“A dreamer, a maverick … transmedial crusader” ~ Martin Amis

“The great-grandfather of British poetry” ~ Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze MBE

 

Eleanor Carter is the director of The Poetry App. Once an MA Creative Writing graduate in Leicester, she is now residing in London and writing furiously on the curiosities of city life whilst sampling it’s rum collection. The Poetry App, created by the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation is the No.1 poetry app for education in the iTunes store. Read great poetry alongside great actors, write and record your own thoughts and delve into a world of verse.

Katie Bonna has performed at festivals including Latitude and Larmer Tree. At poetry nights including Homework, Bang Said The Gun, Hit The Ode and Come

Rhyme With Me. And at venues including the Roundhouse, BAC, SOHO Theatre, the Old Vic Tunnels and Bristol Old Vic.

Shrewsbury Library

Mia Cunningham: 

My year as Shropshire’s first Young Poet Laureate (2013-2014) 

This year has been incredible. I’ve had so many amazing opportunities and experiences since becoming Shropshire’s first Young Poet Laureate. I have performed at literary festivals such as Wenlock Poetry Festival with well-known poets John Hegley and Emma Purshouse, Wellington Literary Festival and also Oswestry Literary Festival. I have been lucky enough to work closely with Shropshire Libraries in Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury, facilitating poetry workshops for children from the ages of 6-16. I was poet-in-residence at Ludlow and Bridgnorth libraries as part of Mythmakers in partnership with artsalive, Lively Libraries. I performed at Birmingham Library and Birmingham REP. I have worked closely with spoken word performance groups, Beatfreeks and Level Up. I’ve also taken part in charity events such as the mayor of Wellington’s charity ball, the Big Busk in Shrewsbury, the opening of FRESh (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Shropshire), multi-cultural fun day in Shrewsbury and the inter-faith remembrance service in Telford. At Shrewsbury library I was a support act for touring poets, Three the Hard Way and Elvis MacGonagall. I was invited to perform at the Royal Shakespearean Company in Stratford upon Avon and also got the fantastic opportunity of going on Saturday Live, BBC Radio 4. Recently, I was part of an event at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury with poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and Welsh poet laureate Gillian Clarke. I’ve been featured in magazines, newspapers, local radio and anthologies. As you can see, I have had the most amazing year as Shropshire’s first young poet laureate and I will continue to promote the joy of poetry to young people.

Alison Dunne 

Alison Dunne

Poet, writer, bookdoctor & performer Alison Dunne was part of our first Three the Hard Way line up, touring with us in 2014.

She has had work published in many magazines and by Virago as well as having a poetry pamphlet out with Koo Press in Aberdeen.

Alison has over 20 years experience in teaching creative writing. She is an experienced bibliotherapist and currently specialises in wellbeing work in the mental health sector. Alison also works for Writing School Leicester as a tutor and has worked in many areas including with young parents, refugees and asylum seekers, Gypsy Roma and Travellers, older people and school children. Alison has done a great deal of work in prisons and has worked for many years in the field of Literature Development, working most recently for two years as Leicester Libraries’ Reader Development Manager.

Alison has undertaken key work in local literature festivals. As a performer Alison has appeared at The Edinburgh Festival, Bloomsbury Theatre, The Poetry Society and a huge number of regional venues with work exploring experiences of motherhood and the intricacies of relationships.

For more information http://www.ivoryfishbone.wordpress.com

What have people said about Alison Dunne?

‘Alison Dunne is my poetry heroine. Her lifting of life’s intricate domestic veil, revealing all its nuances is a joy to behold. Seeing her performing live is a heartbreaking and affirming experience.’
Ralph Dartford, Relationship Manager, Arts Council England.

‘Alison is a professional and has a great touch when working with members of our communities. She is great at communicating with our group members and handles situations with humour and great skill.’
Angie Wright, CEO B-inspired, Braunstone Community Project, Leicester.

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