A dynamic night of live poetry and music, showcasing exciting acts from Notts, the UK and beyond in a warm, inclusive setting. BSL signed.

“Fierce and bristling with life” – The Guardian

“The very best of contemporary poetry” – The Book Hive

Award-winning publishing house Bad Betty Press presents poetry and music.

Featuring poetry from Rachel Long, Aditya Narayan, Aaron Kent, Mandisa Apena, Zoe Mcwhinney and music from Umbilica.

Hosted by Georgina Wilding and Jake Wild Hall.

BSL interpreted by Steph Lehrle. A digital transcript of poems and lyrics will be available to download at the start of the event.

Supported by Arts Council England.

Book a ticket for just the show, or combine it with a workshop ticket to save on both. Combined tickets also give you access to Karen Mccarthy Woolf's masterclass.

VENUE & ACCESS:

This event is part of NAE's Friday Night Socials. It takes place in the Performance Space of New Art Exchange, on the first floor. NAE has a lift and accessible toilets. The building is fitted with induction loops for enhanced sound. Disabled parking is available on request. Full accessibility info here.

New Art Exchange (NAE) is the UK’s largest gallery dedicated to contemporary visual arts from the Global Ethnic Majority. Based in Hyson Green, Nottingham, NAE champions inclusivity and equity in the creative industries, nurturing and celebrating talent from diverse backgrounds About Us page on our website.

ABOUT THE ACTS

RACHEL LONG

Rachel Long’s debut collection,My Darling from the Lions(2020), was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection, The Costa Book Award, The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, The Rathbones Folio Prize, and the Jhalak Prize Book of the Year by a Writer of Colour. Long is a guest lecturer at Goldsmiths College, London. She was born in London, and now lives in Margate.

ADITYA NARAYAN

Aditya Narayan is a spoken-word poet performing for over 2 years in the UK. His work explores migration, language, identity and belonging. In 2025, he won the Roundhouse Slam and the Loud Poets Grand Slam, establishing himself as an exciting emerging voice within the scene. This year, he also became the Scottish National Slam Champion. His debut show, My Name Is a Two-Person Sport, sold out at London’s Roundhouse Studio Theatre, and his work has also featured on BBC Radio 4.

AARON KENT

Aaron Kent is a working-class poet, publisher, and teacher from Cornwall. Alongside his wife he runs the indie publishing press Broken Sleep Books, and advocates for the degentrification of the creative arts. His debut Angels the Size of Houses was released by Shearsman in 2021, followed by The Working Classic with the87press in 2023. He has had work published in The Poetry Review, Poetry London, and The Rialto among others, and has worked with MIND and Stroke Assocaition ads a mental health advocate.

MANDISA APENA

mandisa apena is a cancer sun from south london. they write their dreams down (sometimes), they meditate (badly) and they have once three-day-hiked a mountain - most of their poems revolve around themes in this realm. they have a self published poetry book called 'and twice as bitter' (2016), and have been described as 'hilarious' ‘sexy’ and 'quite strange'.

ZOË MCWHINNEY

Zoë McWhinney is a BSL poet and Visual Vernacular performer based in South East London. She has performed at renowned venues such as The Roundhouse and the United Nations in Geneva and made history as the first Deaf poet published in British Sign Language in Modern Poetry in Translation magazine. Her recent work includes adapting Ilya Kaminsky’s Deaf Republic for The Royal Court Theatre, in partnership with Dead Centre theatre company. In addition to her writing, Zoë works as an actor and director.

UMBILICA

Umbilica (she / they) is a queer poet, songcrafter and musician whose poetry chapbooks ‘And They Say That We Are Strange’ (2025) and ‘PleasureLand’ (2021) were published by Big White Shed. They have performed in GOBS' Earth Showcase, featured at Nottingham Poetry Festival and Derby Poetry Festival, and have performed poetry to music audiences without getting booed offstage.She has been a facilitator of songcrafting and writing workshops, a tutor of young musicians, a leader of IWD Derby Rebel Women’s Choir and in 2019 released the album of songs ‘Where The Land Meets The Ocean’. She was one of three co-founders of performance collective She Speaks and plays in dream-pop band Grawl!x. She lives with one beloved partner and one belligerent cat.

ABOUT BAD BETTY:

Bad Betty Press is an award-winning independent poetry publisher, and curator of live literature events taking place across the UK. London-born, Nottingham-based, Bad Betty was set up in 2017 with the aim of showcasing risk-taking poetry, supporting poets’ artistic development and celebrating stories less often told.

Bad Betty was Highly Commended in this year's British Book Awards' Small Press of the Year category, has been a Midlands Finalist t

Description supplied by the event organiser.