Lyra - Bristol Poetry Festival is taking place from 22 April - 1 May 2023 at over 10 venues across the city, after receiving a funding grant from Arts Council England. Headliners include Hollie McNish, John Agard, Anthony Anaxagorou, Vanessa Kisuule, Tony Walsh, John Hegley, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, and many more.
The festival theme City of Words explores Bristol through the lens of poetry including its people, communities, history, physical spaces and future. The festival ties in with the city-wide Bristol 650 anniversary project, the 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott, and Windrush 75.
On April 30, on the 60th anniversary of the Bristol Bus Boycott, the legendary poet John Agard will headline an event at Bristol Old Vic featuring spoken word, a house DJ, calypsonian musician Tobago Crusoe and more, as each artist explores what their Caribbeanness means to them, hosted by Edson Burton and Melanie Abrahams.
Other events connected to the theme include a talk from Ros Martin about Bristol’s Black Writers, past and present, a film screening of Black British Poetry, curated by Be Manzini, and an online panel discussion on how cities have been portrayed in poetry, chaired by Madhu Krishnan.
The annual Grand Slam Finals at St. George’s Bristol, where wordsmiths compete to become Lyra Slam Champion, is this year headlined by Vanessa Kisuule and Tony Walsh.
For the first time ever, Lyra are hosting an exhibition of poetry at Bristol Beacon showcasing poetry from different community groups, current and former City Poets, and a public contribution wall where you can add your own poems. This will run from April 21 - May in Bristol Beacon’s Glass Room.
Lyra’s 2023 Festival Poet is poet, theatre-maker and curator Malaika Kegode who will engage in community outreach work, host activities, deliver a workshop, perform at St. George’s Bristol, and judge the annual Lyra Bristol Poetry Slam.
The programme includes readings, performances, workshops, family activities, walking tours, talks, poetry slams, panel discussions, open mics, an audio event and a film screening. In the month leading up to the festival Lyra are running numerous community outreach activities, including workshops, reading groups and advice surgeries, information about which can be found here.
The festival features 100% wheelchair accessible venues, BSL Interpreted events, Captioned events and many free / low-cost events.
Lyra Festival is Co-Directed by Professor Lucy English and Danny ‘Craft-D’ Pandolfi.
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