7-9pm, Tuesday 14 January 2020
The Bishop Kingston, 2 Bishop’s Hall, London, KT1 1PY
Free Entry
Contemporary UK-based writers present new works, each in tribute to a writer who is part of the English PEN Writers at Risk programme, writers living under oppression around the world.
Sam Jordison for Narges Mohammadi
Paul Ewen for Selahattin Demirtas
Sara Upstone for Dawit Isaak
SJ Fowler for Shakthika Sathkumara
Adam Baron for Ahmed Mansoor
James Miller for Nedim Turfent
Helen Palmer for Galal El-Behairy
Nicholas Foxton for Stella Nyanzi
Writers, poets, novelists, playwrights and artists come together to continue English PEN’s relationship with contemporary literature. Each of the writers will present brand new poetry, text, reportage, performance on the day. The new works celebrate and evidence the struggle of fellow writers around the world, in solidarity.
This is the third incarnation of the English PEN fest in Kingston and the 6th overall. The event is intended as a call to membership for writers, artists and readers in a time where we face perilous challenges to our freedom of expression and fundamental rights and hard fought liberties, both internationally and here in the UK. As the world changes so remarkably, and so rapidly, and on a global scale, it is vital the political will of our time and this generation of young, dynamic writers is directed purposefully to the work of English PEN, the writer’s charity. The hope is this festival, away from creating new members of PEN, begins involvements and connections which will have exponential resonance for decades to come.
The event is free to attend but attendees are encouraged to join English PEN. The event is part of the wider English PEN Modern Literature Festival, curated by SJ Fowler.