Birmingham celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of Benjamin Zephaniah with an afternoon of poetry, music, dance, creativity and community at Midlands Arts Centre.
Benjamin Zephaniah Day: A Festival of Rhythm, Unity and Revolution is co-hosted by Qian Zephaniah and honours one of Birmingham’s most distinctive and internationally recognised cultural voices.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Benjamin Zephaniah became known around the world for poetry that was immediate, accessible and rooted in the rhythms of reggae and dub. His writing addressed subjects including racism, identity, injustice, politics, animals, community and everyday life while resisting the idea that poetry belonged only within academic or literary institutions.
That spirit of accessibility is reflected in the festival programme.
Local poets Casey Bailey and Zakariye will be among those performing, while an open mic gives new and developing writers the opportunity to take to the stage. Registration for the poetry open mic begins at 11:30am, with performers of all experience levels welcome and each participant given up to five minutes.
Alongside the performances, visitors can take part in a free drop-in arts workshop between 12:00pm and 3:00pm in MAC’s Entrance Foyer.
The combination of established artists, emerging voices and community participation reflects Zephaniah’s own belief in the ability of creativity to reach beyond traditional cultural boundaries.
His work connected Birmingham with wider Black British, Caribbean and international stories, while his distinctive voice ensured that a generation encountered poetry in a form that felt contemporary, political and alive.
The event is supported by the Benjamin Zephaniah Foundation, helping ensure that his values and creative legacy continue to inspire new generations.
Taking place during Black History Month 2026, Benjamin Zephaniah Day provides Birmingham with an opportunity not simply to remember a much-loved poet but to continue the conversations about equality, resistance, creativity and community that ran throughout his work.
It promises to be an uplifting afternoon celebrating a Birmingham voice whose words reached far beyond the city that helped shape him.
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