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The Black Poetry Shutdown

Sunday 4th October 2026

Some of the most exciting voices in contemporary Black British poetry and spoken word come together for The Black Poetry Shutdown, a major live event at the Black British Book Festival 2026.

 

Taking over the Barbican for one hour of poetry, performance, rhythm and storytelling, the event brings together an exceptional line-up of Black poets and spoken-word artists from across the UK.

Performers include Malika Booker, Jah Digga, SANITY, Kadija Sesay, Rachel Long, Casey Bailey, John Bernard, Ty’rone Haughton and Nick Makoha, with the evening hosted by Nat & Stella of Poetic Temple.

The line-up reflects the breadth of contemporary Black poetry in Britain, bringing together established literary voices, performance poets and writers whose work explores race, identity, family, politics, migration, love, community and the realities of Black British life.

Among those appearing is Malika Booker, an acclaimed British-Guyanese poet whose work has made an important contribution to contemporary Caribbean and Black British literature.

Rachel Long, founder of the Octavia Poetry Collective for women of colour, has become one of the leading voices of a new generation of Black British poets, while Nick Makoha is known internationally for poetry exploring migration, memory, war and the African diaspora.

Birmingham poet and former Poet Laureate Casey Bailey brings another distinctive voice to the programme, alongside poet and performer Ty’rone Haughton and a wider group of artists whose work demonstrates the continuing strength of Britain’s Black spoken-word scene.

The event is part of the Black British Book Festival, Europe’s largest celebration of Black literature, bringing more than 80 authors and cultural figures to the Barbican across over 35 events in 2026.

The Black Poetry Shutdown takes place at the Barbican Centre on Sunday 4th October 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

A Festival Pass includes entry to one headline event, including The Black Poetry Shutdown, plus access to the wider festival programme subject to capacity.

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