Acclaimed Jamaican poet Kwame Dawes joins the Southbank Centre’s celebrated Out-Spoken poetry night for a special October edition bringing together live poetry and music.
Out-Spoken has become one of London’s leading platforms for contemporary poetry and performance, championing a wide range of literary voices and creating space for writers whose work pushes beyond the traditional boundaries of the page.
At the centre of this October event is Kwame Dawes, one of the most important contemporary poets of the African and Caribbean diaspora.
Born in Ghana and raised in Jamaica, Dawes has built an international career spanning poetry, fiction, criticism, teaching and literary publishing. His work frequently explores memory, family, migration, race, history and the cultural landscapes of the Caribbean.
He has published numerous collections of poetry and has played a major role in developing and supporting Black writers internationally through his work as an editor, teacher and literary organiser.
Dawes has also served as Poet Laureate of Jamaica, recognising his extraordinary contribution to Caribbean literature and poetry.
For Black History Month audiences, his appearance offers an opportunity to hear directly from a major literary figure whose career has helped expand the international profile of Caribbean and Black writing.
He appears alongside acclaimed poets Alice Oswald and Max Porter, creating an evening in which different poetic traditions and approaches come together on the same stage.
The event forms part of the Southbank Centre’s long-running partnership with Out-Spoken, which champions diversity of voice in writing and performance through live poetry nights, music and workshops.
Out-Spoken: October takes place at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, on Friday 23rd October 2026 at 7:30pm.
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