Acclaimed poet, novelist and former Scottish Makar Jackie Kay comes to Manchester Literature Festival for a special evening celebrating more than three decades of extraordinary writing.
One of Britain’s most respected literary voices, Kay will perform poems from her landmark new collection, Selected Poems 1991–2026, bringing together work spanning 35 years of poetry, storytelling and reflection.
Her writing has explored some of the most important themes of contemporary Black British life, including identity, family, adoption, race, belonging, love, memory and community.
Born in Edinburgh to a Scottish mother and Nigerian father and adopted by a white Scottish couple, Kay has often drawn on questions of family, ancestry and identity in her work.
Her groundbreaking collection The Adoption Papers won the Forward Prize and established her as a distinctive new voice in British poetry. Later works including Fiere, Bantam and May Day have continued to explore both intimate personal experiences and wider political and social questions.
Kay is also the author of the acclaimed novel Trumpet and the memoir Red Dust Road, which follows her search for her birth parents and her journey to Nigeria.
From 2016 to 2021, she served as Scotland’s Makar, the country’s national poet, becoming one of the most prominent Black literary figures in Scotland.
Known for performances filled with warmth, humour and emotional honesty, Kay has built a reputation as one of Britain’s most engaging live poets.
This Manchester Literature Festival event provides an opportunity to hear her reflect on a remarkable body of work that has helped reshape British poetry and broaden the stories represented within it.
An Evening with Jackie Kay takes place at HOME in Manchester on Sunday 25th October 2026 from 7:30pm to 8:45pm.
Tickets are £17, with a ticket-and-book option including Selected Poems 1991–2026 also available.
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