Join Lyra – Bristol Poetry Festival 2026 for a powerful closing event celebrating poetry, music and storytelling from artists of African heritage.
Presented in partnership with Ujima Radio, and in association with Poetry Africa, this dynamic evening brings together established, emerging, national and local poets and spoken word artists for a vibrant showcase reflecting the festival’s theme “Wonder & Wanderers.”
The programme features performances from award-winning poet Theresa Lola, whose collection Ceremony for the Nameless explores identity, memory and the meaning of names, and Joladé Olusanya, whose work Jabez Incarnate reflects on faith, migration and inheritance through a Nigerian-British lens.
Audiences will also experience performances from Bristol-based artists including Muneera Pilgrim, Blackout Ja and Ripton Lindsay, alongside a virtual reading in partnership with Poetry Africa in Durban, connecting Bristol to a global network of poetic voices.
Hosted by Corrd The Seeker, the event also includes a short video poem from Zewande Bk. Bhengu, adding an international dimension to this closing celebration.
Blending poetry, music and spoken word, this event offers a rich exploration of heritage, belonging and diasporic experience, bringing the festival to a powerful and resonant close.
Event Details:
Start Time: 6:00pm
Finish Time: 7:30pm
Ticket Prices:
£5 / £3 / FREE
All Lyra Festival venues are wheelchair accessible
Age Guidance:
16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult on a 1:1 basis)
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