This poetic celebration will mark 70 years of the Windrush generation and features one of the Caribbean‘s finest writers, Kei Miller, winner of The Forward Prize 2014 (Best Poetry Collection) for The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way To Zion. Miller was named one of the Next Generation Poets in 2014 and was winner of the overall OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature in 2017 for his novel Augustown.
This event will feature contemporary poetry and a selection of Windrush themed poems held within Nottingham Black Archive.
Kei Miller will be supported by Nottingham‘s Young Poet Laureate, Georgina Wilding and Panya Banjoko, Saraa Rain, Ioney Smallhorne and Fonzse.
Kei Miller is a poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, broadcaster and blogger. His many books include the novel Augustown (W&N, 2016) and poetry collection The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion (Carcanet, 2014) which won the Forward Prize (Best Poetry Collection of 2014). In 2010, the Institute of Jamaica awarded him the Silver Musgrave medal for his contributions to Literature. He has been an International Writing Fellow at the University of Iowa and a visiting writer at York University in Canada, and the Department of Library Services in the British Virgin Islands, and a Vera Rubin Fellow at Yaddo. He has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Glasgow and is currently a Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Exeter.
Panya Banjoko is a Nottingham based poet. Her work has been published in various anthologies. She has performed widely, including the 2012 Olympic Games, and as part of the award winning film, Brit I Am, directed by Andi Osho. She is patron for Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and her debut collection Some Things will be published by Burning Eye Books in June 2018.
Saraa Rain is a spoken word artist and playwright from Nottingham. She has written and performed at festivals, spoken word events and theatres throughout the UK and is currently on the SOHO theatre lab. Saraa’s writing confronts social issues; influenced by honest personal reflections and her experience as a social worker.
Ioney Smallhorne is Nottingham born and bred. Longlisted by the Jerwood Fellowship short listed by Caribbean Small-Axe prize. Studying a MA in Creative Writing/ Education at Goldsmiths. A film maker who enjoys translating poems onto the screen. Sometimes funny, at times vulnerable, Ioney tends blends the political with the personal.
Fonzse is a Nottingham based Grime, Hip Hop/Rap Artist who started producing music in 2006. His current releases include Life, Released on Datpiff, Soundcloud & Youtube and Conscious Decisions (Album/LP) produced by Adim & released on iTunes, Bandcamp, Google Play, Spotify.
Georgina Wilding, Young Poet Laureate, is a poet and learning designer from Nottingham. Her poetry focuses on social commentary and expression. She is founder of Mud Press and writes for television and radio.
