What's on
2012 EVENTS
Photo of FLOetic Lara
9 FEBRUARY: 'TILT'S LONDON LIMING' MEETS 'COME RHYME WITH ME'
a mashup of spoken word, music, song, drinks and food
Tilt’s London Liming teams up with Come Rhyme With Me to present an array of delicious spoken word, song and music appetisers and poetic main courses from the award-winning INUA ELLAMS, FLOetic Lara, JASMINE COORAY , JAMES MASSIAH, MARIA FERGUSON & DOUGIE HASTINGS, and hosted by DEAN ATTA, DEANNA RODGER and MELANIE ABRAHAMS. Plus soca, Brazilian, reggae and dance tunes by DJ CLIFFY. More info HERE
9 FEB: Creative Salon for writers and practitioners
a renaissance one and Apples & Snakes co-production
A new CREATIVE SALON for writers, practitioners and producers, offering a fun and relaxing forum with the emphasis on creativity, connecting and sharing skills, performance and experience.
When: Thursday 9 February 4pm – 6pm at Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road London E1 6LA
Who is it for? for emerging poets, spoken word artists and those who work in, support, or are interested in, poetry and spoken word formats. In true salon style it is cosmopolitan, and all are welcome.
The February session features tips and presentations from poetry writer, performer and galvaniser DEAN ATTA and consultant, fundraiser and former Deputy Education Manager at the Poetry Society, ANGEL DAHOUK.
How often? Every other month, the next salon will be on 12 April 2012.
2011 HIGHLIGHTS
Photo of Francesca Beard
8 DEC: Tilt's LONDON LIMING
spoken word & music meets carnival at Rich Mix
Tilt’s London Liming: where spoken word meets carnival is on 8 December 7.30pm at Rich Mix
featuring Michael Horovitz, Charlie Dark, Francesca Beard, Sureshot, James Ingham and host Melanie Abrahams. Music by DJ Cliffy.
Photo of Grace Nichols
10 NOV: Literary Leicester Festival
Grace Nichols and John Agard: 7.30pm - 8.30pm
renaissance one presents Grace Nichols and John Agard at the exciting Literary Leicester festival presented by the University of Leicester. From Guyana to the shores of England,Grace Nichols and John Agard have provided the world with an honest and searing insight into the poetry artform, their beloved country and Guyana's connection with the world. Both poets are studied on the GCSE curriculum.
Grace Nichols’s first poetry collection, ‘I is a Long-Memoried Woman’, was published in 1983 and won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize.
John Agard is a playwright, poet, short-story
and children’s writer. ‘The Young Inferno’ (2008), a
poetic reworking of Dante’s Infern for young people,
won the 2009 CLPE Poetry Award.
Time: 7.30pm - 8.30pm at the Peter Williams Lecture Theatre, Fielding Johnson Building South Wing, University of Leicester.
Tickets free and available from Embrace Arts on 0116 252 2455. Event in association with the University of Leicester
Photo of Jacob Sam-La Rose
7 NOV: CHRISTIAN CAMPBELL & JACOB SAM-LA ROSE
Book Launch: 'Running The Dusk' and 'Breaking Silence'
Monday 7 November 7pm at Free Word Centre
renaissance one with Peepal Tree, Bloodaxe and Free Word launched the first full-length poetry collections by Christian Campbell - 'Running The Dusk' - and Jacob Sam-La Rose - 'Breaking Silence'. The evening offered readings by both poets of their new work and a Q & A, set within a salon style environment.
Both poets are active, resonant and connecting within the international literature scene; they explore the poetry form, modernity and their Caribbean heritage and links, in ways that is invigorating to the poetry form, and its possibilities.
What they say...
“Running the Dusk gives us a new voice for Caribbean arts and letters...the gutsy work of a long-distance runner who possesses the wit and endurance, the staying power of authentic genius.” Yusef Komunyakaa
About Jacob Sam-La Rose ‘Passionate about poetry and its power to change people’s lives, he’s a lesson to us all. He’s also a damn fine writer.’ Patrick Neate
Jacob Sam-La Rose has often been cited as ‘a one-man literary industry’ for his galvanising ethos within literature . He is the Artistic Director of the London Teenage Poetry SLAM, an editor for flipped eye press and a facilitator of many literature and participation projects. His work has appeared in Identity Parade and Michael Rosen’s A-Z: The Best Children’s Poetry from Agard to Zephaniah, and his pamphlet Communion was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice in 2006.
Christian Campbell studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and lives in Toronto. He has received grants and fellowships from Cave Canem, the Arvon Foundation, the Fine Arts Work Center and elsewhere. He lives in Toronto. He was in England in 2011 as a winner of the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize 2010, one of the most important and established poetry awards in the UK.
20 - 25 October: Gary Younge Spoken Word Talk Series
Talk on identity: Who Are We - And Should It Matter In the 21st Century?
Gary Younge’s recent book 'Who Are We - and Should It Matter in the 21st Century?' offers a timely overview of identity and affiliation in changing times. This tour presents Younge in a lively spoken word format that includes readings of extracts from the book, searing presentation and a Q & A. He tours to Birmingham, Nottingham, London, Sheffield and Bristol.
JEAN 'BINTA' BREEZE TOUR: THIRD WORLD GIRL
ENGLAND BOOK TOUR, JUNE TO NOVEMBER
Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze tours her new Book-DVD Third World Girl to the following cities and venues:
ENGLAND TOUR DATES
21 June LEICESTER Hansom Hall
23 June BIRMINGHAM Birmingham Central Library,
9 July LEDBURY Ledbury Poetry Festival
19 July LONDON New Beacon Books, London
6 October ILKLEY Ilkley Playhouse
15 October RUTLAND open all day from 11am
Rutland Museum, Catmose St, Oakham LE15 6HW 01572 758 440
In association with The Lyric Lounge and Writing East Midlands
22 October MANCHESTER Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6JA
In association with Manchester Literature Festival and Speakeasy MORE INFO HERE
Tour produced by renaissance one in partnership with Bloodaxe, and with Birmingham Libraries, BASS Festival, Punch Records, Birmingham Council, Writing East Midlands, The Lyric Lounge, Ledbury Festival, Ilkley Literature Festival, Writing School Leicester, Leicester Adult Skills and Writing Service, New Beacon Books, George Padmore Institute, Manchester Literature Festival, Contact Theatre, Speakeasy. Supported by Arts Council England. Third World Girl is published by Bloodaxe (2011)
TV ARTS FEATURE
renaissance one on Vox Africa
Earlier this year renaissance one teamed up with Vox Africa who produce the 'Shoot The Messenger' magazine show, to develop three arts segments presenting the best in spoken word.
The first segment in March offered an insight into Caribbean spoken word and Jamaican folklorist Louise Bennett click here to watch
The April segment featured writer-performer Adisa click here to watch
The May-June segment featured Jean 'Binta' Breeze
The show is broadcast on Sundays at 13:00 GMT on Sky Channel 218 and on demand via www.voxafrica.co.uk. Watch it here
JEAN 'BINTA' BREEZE: London Book Launch
Tuesday 19 July at 6.30pm
Jean 'Binta' Breeze - what they say 'A major, perhaps even a great voice. For stature, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze invites a Caribbean comparison with Maya Angelou, except that her range is broader still. Her poetry shifts effortlessly through standard English to a native Jamaican which has no equal in its emotional depth' The Herald
Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze launches her new Book-DVD Third World Girl in London at New Beacon Books. New Beacon was one of the first venues to host Jean when she arrived from Jamaica as a young aspirant poet and communicator and it has cut a dash as a trailblazing publisher, a cultural mouthpiece, and a home-from-home for many.
Event in association with New Beacon Books, George Padmore Institute and Bloodaxe
23 JUNE: THIRD WORLD GIRL
Revolutions in Poetry and Music
Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, Kimberley Trusty, Adisa, Michael Brome aka Sureshot and music by Psykhomantus
This event showcases Jean Binta Breeze’s new Book-DVD Third World Girl along with poems, tunes and lyrics responding to a theme of revolution from some of the finest spoken word performers. Curated by Melanie Abrahams for BASS Festival 2011, the event offers dub poetry by Ms Breeze, ‘verbalism’ by Adisa, the potent lyricism of Kimberley and Sureshot, and dazzling turntablist feats by Psykhomantus (2009 DMC Supremacy Champion), and is an unmissable event! Supported by BASS Festival 2011 and in partnership with Birmingham Libraries.
23 June 7pm – 9.30pm
Venue: Birmingham Library Theatre
, Birmingham B3 3HQ Tickets £4 BOOK HERE
View all Bass Festival events here
19 MAY: DAN RHODES and BARRY YOURGRAU
Idler Academy
renaissance one and Canongate launched Dan Rhode's new novel Little Hands Clapping, with readings by Dan and special guest writer/multimedia performer Barry Yourgrau
photo of Robin Ince
TILT'S 'IS IT SOMETHING I SAID?'
31 March: a sheebeen of scurrilous and edgy words at Kings Place
IS IT SOMETHING I SAID? Comedians explore straight talking and taboo themes.
Outstanding comedians DAN ANTOPOLSKI (Dave Award Winner, Triple Perrier Award Nominee), SUSAN MURRAY (The Now Show, Jongleurs Competition), ROBIN INCE (Time Out Award & Chortle Award Winner) and poet and performer FRANCESCA BEARD explore straight talking and present new work in an intimate environment.
A part tribute to the searing honesty and political conviction of Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and other outspoken figures and a part spoken word meets comedy experiment, the event is curated by producer Melanie Abrahams.
Photo of Tim Clare
Thursday 8 March: Tongue Fu
Dr Martin Shaw, Malika Booker, Tim Clare & more [copy]
"It's poetry, but not as you know it…amazing to listen to” The Guardian
Thursday 8 March 7.30pm at Rich Mix
Come and experience renowned storytellers and poets in a special all women line-up to celebrate International Women's Day: JAN BLAKE, ANNA FREEMAN, BRIDGET MINAMORE + guests, who all perform to improvised accompaniment from the genre-defying Tongue Fu band (Nostalgia 77, UNKLE). Hosted by CHRIS REDMOND as heard on BBC Radio 4’s Pick Of The Week. In association with renaissance one. More info here.
Click here to join the Facebook page
This event is part of the WOW Festival (Women of the World)
SPRING 2011 & LAST AUTUMN: HIGHLIGHTS
Dan Rhodes by Doro Bay
DAN RHODES and BARRY YOURGRAU
May 2011
On 19 May renaissance one and Canongate launched Dan Rhode's Little Hands Clapping paperback, with readings by Dan and special guest writer/multimedia performer Barry Yourgrau
DAN RHODES is the author of five other books including Anthropology, Don’t Tell Me the Truth About Love and, writing as Danuta de Rhodes, The Little White Car. He has been named one of the Twenty Best of Young British Novelists by Granta magazine and one of the Best British Novelists Under Forty by the Daily Telegraph. In 2010 he won the E.M. Forster Award.
New York-based writer and multimedia performer BARRY YOURGRAU’s latest book is Gangster Fables, short stories with variations on gangster motifs and he is also published in Monkey Business: New Voices from Japan. He has performed on MTV and National Public Radio and his The Sadness of Sex movie has been an online success.
"I can never remember my dreams, so Barry Yourgrau's stories are a pretty good substitute" David Byrne
A renaissance one production in association with Canongate
About LITTLE HANDS CLAPPING
Winner of the E M Forster Award 2010
Once upon a time, in a room above a German museum, there lived an old man... A caretaker by day, by night he enjoys the sound of silence, broken only by the occasional crunch of a spider between his teeth. However, the old man's solitude is disturbed as unusual activities at the museum start to attract attention. A pair of young and outrageously beautiful lovers, a baker's son with a passion for the euphonium, and a dog.
'Totally sick and brilliant in all the right ways. He sucks you into his world and before you know it, you’re willingly trapped. So very smart. I loved it' Douglas Coupland
“A macabre, brilliant and terrifying novel. Good strong stuff” Guardian
AUTUMN 2010
CARYL PHILLIPS: ENGLAND BOOK TOUR
Last autumn renaissance one produced a tour by award-winning writer Caryl Phillips for the paperback of his latest novel, In the Falling Snow, a story of contemporary Britain (Vintage, 2009).
ABOUT THE BOOK
The streets of modern-day England are hectic, multicultural, and difficult to read if you are a white-collar, middle-aged man. Phillips exquisitely captures the important themes for the times by including the experiences of the third generation.
The tour ran from 20 - 25 October 2010 and covered literature festivals and universities including Off The Shelf and Manchester Literature Festival and cities Leicester, Sheffield, London and Manchester.
CARYL PHILLIPS was born in St Kitts and lives in New York. A Professor of English at Yale University, he is the author of twelve works including Booker prize shortlisted novel Crossing the River and the Commonwealth Writers Prize winning novel A Distant Shore.
TOUR DATES
20 October: Leicester 02 Academy
21 October: Manchester Metropolitan University as part of Manchester Literature Festival
23 October: Southbank Centre as part of Tilt's 'Something I Said? Spoken Word Festival in association with Southbank Centre (Event shared with Maggie Gee, and chaired by Gary McKeone)
25 October: Sheffield,The Showroom as part of Off the Shelf Festival
Tour produced by renaissance one in association with Embrace Arts, Everybody's Reading, Writing East Midlands, Manchester Literature Festival, Southbank Centre, Off The Shelf Festival & Tilt.ca