Poetry Place: In The Beginning opens Black History Month in Manchester with a powerful evening of spoken word, live poetry and open-mic performance at Aviva Studios.
Presented by Factory International, the event brings together two distinctive contemporary voices, Griot Gabriel and Maureen Onwunali, for a showcase that celebrates the power of poetry to explore identity, culture, memory and the Black experience.
The evening forms part of The Poetry Place, a regular platform for poets, performers and audiences to come together through spoken word and live literature.
For this special Black History Month edition, the focus turns to writers whose work reflects Black life, creativity and cultural expression.
Griot Gabriel is known for poetry and performance rooted in storytelling, identity and lived experience, drawing on the long tradition of the griot as a keeper of history, memory and community knowledge.
Maureen Onwunali is a poet and writer whose work explores themes including identity, belonging, migration and the complexities of contemporary Black life.
Together, they bring two different voices and approaches to the stage, demonstrating the range and vitality of Black poetry in Britain today.
The evening also includes an open mic, giving emerging poets and members of the community the opportunity to share their own work alongside the featured artists.
This creates a space not only for established voices but also for new writers, performers and audiences to participate in a wider conversation around Black culture and creativity.
Taking place on the first day of Black History Month 2026, Poetry Place: In The Beginning offers a lively and accessible way to begin the month through poetry, performance and community storytelling.
The event takes place at The Social, Aviva Studios, Manchester, on Thursday 1st October 2026 at 8:00pm.
The running time is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, and the event is suitable for ages 14+.
Tickets are free, but advance booking is required.
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