Poetry in protest

Join award-winning poets Professor Jackie Kay Hon FBA, Jason Allen-Paisant and Monika Radojevic as they delve into the more political side of poetry. They will be sharing their own words and the words of those who have inspired them; exploring poetry’s role in challenging norms, fostering resilience and bringing about change.

Join us at the bar from 18:00, with the event beginning at 18:30.

Speakers:

Jackie Kay is a poet, novelist and writer of short stories, she has enjoyed great acclaim for her work for both adults and children. Her novel, Trumpet, won the Guardian Fiction Prize. She has published three collections of stories with Picador, Why Don’t You Stop Talking, Wish I Was Here, and Reality, Reality; three poetry collections, Fiere, Bantam and May Day; and her memoir, Red Dust Road. From 2016-21 she was the third modern Makar, National Poet for Scotland. She lives in Manchester and is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Salford and is an Honorary Fellow of the Academy.

Professor Jason Allen-Paisant

Jason Allen-Paisant is a scholar, award-winning poet, and writer. He explores the ways in which Afro-diasporic artists and communities shape their futures through embodied, living philosophies. His work overlaps between poetry and philosophy.

His first book of poems won the poetry category of the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature and his second, , is a Poetry Book Society Choice and the winner of the 2023 Forward Prize for Best Collection as well as the 2023 T. S. Eliot Prize.

He is currently Professor of Critical Theory and Creative Writing in the Department of English, American Studies, and Creative Writing at the University of Manchester and a British Academy-funded researcher.

Chair:

Monika Radojevic

Monika Radojevic is an award-winning poet and writer and the founder of Feminist Invoicing. She is currently writing a short story collection and her debut novel under Penguin Random House.

This event will have live subtitles provided by StageTEXT, delivered by MyClearText.

Free, booking required.

Event schedule:

• Registration: 18:00-18:30
• Event starts: 18:30
• Audience Q&A: 19:30
• Event ends: 19:45

This event will take place both in-person at the British Academy's home at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, St James, London, SW1Y 5AH and will be live-streamed via Vimeo. A link will be sent to online attendees.

As tickets are free, people sometimes book and don't attend, so we have to issue more tickets than there are seats available to allow for this. Entry into the event is on a first-come, first-served basis and we recommend arriving in good time to avoid any disappointment.

If you have any questions about this event, please refer to our Public Events FAQs. If your question is not answered, please email [email protected] or call the Events Team on +44(0)20 7969 5210.

The event will be live-streamed and recorded, and there may be photography taking place. Please speak to a member of the team if you do not wish to feature in photographs.

Image: Headshot of Jackie Kay Hon FBA. Credit Denise Else.

Host or Publisher British Academy