The highly anticipated The Last Word Festival is back celebrating ten colourful years offering an enthralling lineup of narratives and viewpoints presented by some of the most essential voices from across the UK. As always, the beloved and renowned Roundhouse Poetry Slam will be commencing a nationwide search for the UK’s next young, pioneering spoken-word performers. Applications are available for individuals aged 18 to 25 to compete for a cash prize and the coveted title of Slam Champion.
To coincide with the launch of their much-anticipated debut album, Speakers Corner Quartet perform on the main stage with very special guests and Apples and Snakes celebrate their 40th Anniversary as the UK’s leading supporter of spoken word poetry with a takeover event.
Marking 35 years since the influential poetry organisation formed; creating a space for emerging artists to hone their craft, Apples and Snakes acknowledges this exciting achievement by curating an immersive production taking over the newly renovated Battersea Arts Centre. Rallying Cry, just like Apples and Snakes is a call for vibrant, non-apologetic voices that disrupt the norm, fighting for equality. Apples and Snakes’ Associate, Roger Robinson celebrates over 3 decades of writing and spoken word poetry, having performed with influential bands, touring internationally with the British Council, been featured in the National Portrait Gallery’s New Generation Poets collection and having been chosen by the arts organisation Decibel as one of their top 50 influential Black British writers. A project that witnesses emerging and established spoken word talent collaborate, Robinson talks about what audiences can expect.