The Deptford Literature Festival online programme offers a number of livestream, online only, and streamed as live events. All online events are captioned.
Livestream
Friday 15 March
NEOPRENE GENIE presents SOFT SOFT
Time: 7.30-9.45pm / Price: £10, free tickets for low-income Lewisham residents / Access: Captioned
Neoprene Genie presents this evening as an offering. Soundscapes, self care offerings and immersive musical poetic sharings from a host of international artists, curated by Tice Cin with love.
Featuring: Tice Cin, Kareem Parkins-Brown, Karen Nyame KG, Joe Kinwu, dream beach, Lex Amor, Maymana of Fungi Futures, Misbah, Asmaa Jama, Mandisa Apena, Annie Hayter, Olivia Douglas, Oshanti Ahmed, Maeve Slattery for Botanically Meadhbh, and Yomi Odubanjo.
This event also remembers and honours our friend and loved one Gboyega Odubanjo. If you are able, please support the Gboyega Odubanjo Foundation: bit.ly/3uawb89
Book livestream ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/neoprene-genie-presents-soft-soft-livestream-tickets-811257822987
This event is also taking place in-person at the same time, at The Albany, Deptford.
Book in-person ticket: thealbany.org.uk/shows/soft-soft/
Saturday 16 March
2024 DISABLED POETS PRIZE with JAMIE HALE, PASCALE PETIT + STEPHEN LIGHTBOWN
Time: 12-1pm / Price: Free / Access: Captioned
Join Jamie Hale, founder and judge of the Disabled Poets Prize and fellow judges Pascale Petit and Stephen Lightbown for the announcement of the winners and shortlisted poets of this year’s Prize. Stephen will be introducing the Best Single Poem awards and Pascale the Best Unpublished Pamphlet, followed by readings from the winning and placed poets in each category. There will also be a reading from a special award for an exceptional work performed in British Sign Language awarded by BSL Poet Laureate Kabir Kapoor.
The Prize is supported by the Author’s Licensing + Collecting Society and the partners are CRIPtic Arts, Spread the Word, Verve Poetry Press, The Literary Consultancy and Arvon Foundation.
No booking required.
Video link coming soon…
Online
The below events will be taking place online only via Zoom.
Saturday 16 March
BLACK GAY INK with TROY FAIRCLOUGH + SELALI FIAMANYA
Time: Workshop: 2.30-4pm Event: 4.15-4.45pm / Price: Free / Access: BSL
Black Gay Ink will be running a workshop and event, open to all. The workshop will explore writing and attitudes to your work from an LGBTQI+ point of view.
2.30-4pm: Workshop: Exploring Writer’s Block with Troy Fairclough
Join Black Gay Ink’s founder Troy Fairclough to explore how writer’s block can be a gift. Many writers face ‘Writer’s Block’ but how do Black, gay writers navigate this? How can this hurdle turn out to be a gift? The workshop will give tips and advice for emerging writers, writing across all genres.
More info & book now: eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-gay-ink-exploring-writers-block-with-troy-fairclough-tickets-815866969067
4.15-4.45pm: In conversation with Selali Fiamanya
Selali Fiamanya, an alumnus of Black Ink Gay, will discuss with Troy his debut novel Before We Hit the Ground, the process of getting his novel published, and the role that community-based writing organisations play in supporting underrepresented writers to get their stories out. There will also be the opportunity to find out more about the work of Black Gay Ink.
More info & book now: eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-gay-ink-in-conversation-with-selali-fiamanya-tickets-815870690197
CRIPtic x SPREAD THE WORD SALON with DANIEL SLUMAN + ZOË McWHINNEY
Time: Workshop: 5.30-6.30pm Event: 6.30-7.30pm / Price: Free / Access: BSL, live captioned
Join poet Daniel Sluman and Visual Vernacular performer and poet in British Sign Language Zoë McWhinney for a special Festival edition of the CRIPtic x Spread the Word Salon for D/deaf and disabled writers writing in any genre, new or more experienced.
5.30-6.30pm: Workshop with Daniel Sluman
Join Daniel in a relaxed and supportive setting where you’ll be looking at language through the lens of our own bodies and our bodily experience, talking about the things we have in common and using writing exercises to create your own original work. For writers of any ability, including those just starting out.
6.30-7.30pm: Performance + Q+A with Zoë McWhinney + Open Mic
Zoë will be performing and discussing with Daniel her iconic and visual-based bilingual poetry and Visual Vernacular inspired by her own personal life as an ocularcentric human being. There’s also the opportunity for five writers to share their work at the open mic. If you’d like to be considered for an open mic slot, please book a ticket to the event by Friday 23 February and we’ll send you more information.
More info & book now: eventbrite.co.uk/e/criptic-x-spread-the-word-salon-with-daniel-sluman-and-zoe-mcwhinney-tickets-809051694397
As Live
A selection of Deptford Literature Events will be recorded on the day and streamed as live. These events will be available to watch online from Sunday 17 March, at the below times.
MEET THE EDITORS with ALIYA GULAMANI, EISHAR BRAR, MARIANNE TATEPO
Time: 11am / Location: The Studio, Deptford Lounge / Price: Free / Access: BSL.
This event will also be streamed as live with captions.
Come and connect with some of the leading editors and publishers working in the publishing industry today – Aliya Gulamani, Commissioning Editor at Unbound, Eishar Brar, Editorial Director at Knights Of, and Marianne Tatepo, Publishing Director for Penguin Random House non-fiction imprint, Square Peg (Vintage).
You’ll get an insight into what an editor does, how they work with writers and the opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the publishing industry. The event will be hosted by Spread the Word’s Bobby Nayyar.
Book now: eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-editors-streamed-as-live-tickets-809055525857
This event will also be taking place in-person at Deptford Lounge on Saturday 16 March, 10-11am
Book in-person ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-editors-with-aliya-gulamani-eishar-kaur-and-marianne-tatepo-tickets-807645027017
DEPTFORD FEEDS ITSELF: FOOD, DISPLACEMENT and REDEVELOPMENT in DEPTFORD
Time: 1pm / Price: Free / Access: Captioned
During the last fifteen years, the food culture of Deptford has changed. This is not just a natural evolution, but the result of planning, redevelopment, increasing rents, immigration raids, and new residents. Is this a good thing? Join Bridget Minamore, Jonathan Nunn, Rees Nicolas and others, as they discuss the past, present and future of Deptford’s food.
The updated and expanded second edition of London Feeds Itself edited by Jonathan has just been published by Open City and Deptford based publisher Fitzcarraldo Editions.
Book now: eventbrite.co.uk/e/deptford-feeds-itself-streamed-as-live-tickets-815236413057
This event will also be taking place in-person at Deptford Lounge on Saturday 16 March, 12-1pm.
Book in-person ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/deptford-feeds-itself-food-displacement-and-redevelopment-in-deptford-tickets-807709319317
YOUR NEXT READ with ASHANI LEWIS, OISÍN McKENNA + SARAH MARSH
Time: 3.30pm / Price: Free / Access: Captioned
Join local writer and editor and host, Sara Jafari, in this easy going and engaging event where you’ll be introduced to the work of up and coming writers, Ashani Lewis (Winter Animals), Oisín McKenna (Evenings and Weekends) and Sarah Marsh (A Sign of Your Own) and participate in a conversation about their path to publication.
Book streamed as live ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/your-next-read-streamed-as-live-tickets-809066558857
This event will also be taking place in-person at Deptford Lounge on Saturday 16 March, 2.30-3.30pm.
Book in-person ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/your-next-read-with-ashani-lewis-oisin-mckenna-and-sarah-marsh-tickets-807647524487
MUSIC + WORDS with ANIEFIOK ‘NEEF’ EKPOUDOM, EMMA WARREN, JACQUELINE CROOKS + NATTY KASAMBALA
Time: 5pm / Location: Studio, Deptford Lounge / Price: Free / Access: Captioned
Sit down with host Natty Kasambala and South London writers Aniefiok ‘Neef’ Ekpoudom (Where We Come From: Rap, Home and Hope in Modern Britain), Emma Warren (Document Your Culture), and Jacqueline Crooks (Fire Rush) for a conversation about music and writing.
They’ll be exploring the intimate connection between music and story, how it informs their work and how South London’s often hidden and untold music scenes relate to a communities’ identity, sense of place, history and activism.
Book streamed as live ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/music-and-words-streamed-as-live-tickets-809160158817
This event will also be taking place in-person at Deptford Lounge on Saturday 16 March, 4-5pm.
Book in-person ticket: eventbrite.co.uk/e/music-and-words-with-jacqueline-crooks-aniefiok-ekpoudom-emma-warren-tickets-809160158817
Published: 5 February 2024