John Agard and Philip Nanton – Caribbean Sensations
24th October @ 19:00 – 20:00
Join us in a special event of poetry, musicality and conversation to showcase the Caribbean culture that has helped to transform Britain. Featuring the acclaimed poet John Agard who has been a recipient of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry and whose poetry has been enjoyed by many generations of the public through the national curriculum, alongside poet and broadcaster Philip Nanton who created the spoken word CD and book Island Voices, it celebrates wordplay, crossing cultures and the art of liming (going with the flow).
John Agard is an internationally acclaimed poet, playwright and short story writer who grew up in Guyana, where his love of language stemmed from listening to cricket commentaries on the radio as well as books. As an admired cross-cultural voice, he is well known for his inspiring work with young people and adults, particularly his visits to schools. His poems have been studied at GCSE for decades which means that thousands of intergenerational families have grown up with his words and writing. Agard was the first Poet in Residence for the BBC and he has been featured in numerous poetry and Windrush seasons on TV and radio. A recipient of many prizes, including the Smarties Book Prize and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, he was in 2021 awarded the prestigious BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s literature. His poems have been studied at GCSE for decades which means that thousands of intergenerational families have grown up with his words and writing.
Philip Nanton is a poet, a spoken word artist who often incorporates humour within his practice and a broadcaster who has presented programmes for BBC Radio 3 and 4. He was born in St.Vincent and the Grenadines and after spending substantial time in the UK, has been based in Barbados since 2000. His career began in British local government policymaking and he has been an overseas consultant in many regions including Britain, the Caribbean and Africa. Nanton has taught poetry to teachers across the Caribbean countries. He is the author of various books and cds including Island Voices from St. Christopher and the Barracudas has been widely acclaimed and has been performed at many literary festivals and shows including Miami International Book Fair, Bocas Literary Festival. In 2021, his biography of the jazz virtuoso and award winning poet Shake Keane Riff: The Shake Keane Story was published by Papillote Press.
This event is presented and sponsored by Renaissance One, co-produced by Wey Valley Academy, supported by funding by Arts Council England and sponsorship from Authentic Education.
Tickets £12.00 (£8.00 Students)
Tickets are not available for general purchase until 29th August.
If you are a Festival Friend, tickets are available from 18th August, please log in to your account here to order your tickets.
