About this Event
POETRY & POLITICS IN BRIXTON
SPOKEN GUNPOWDER: Fire Words. Radical Imagination.
Poetry, politics and radical imagination collide in Brixton. Join us for spoken word, music, open mic and bold conversations about power, democracy and change.
BRIXTON — WE’RE BRINGING THE MIC BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
The mic is back. The conversation continues. And this time, we’re turning up the heat!
Following our first gathering, Poetry & Politics in Brixton returns for its next chapter — bringing together poets, artists, musicians, residents, activists, organisers and curious minds for an evening of creativity, connection and conversation.
What happens when poetry meets politics? When the spoken word meets lived experience? When creativity challenges power, questions the status quo and dares to imagine a different future?
Something happens. And we want you to be part of it.
Because politics isn’t just what happens in Parliament or the Town Hall. It’s our housing, our streets, our identities, our opportunities, the cost of living and our children’s futures. It’s the inequalities we face, the communities we build and the power we have to shape the world around us.
We believe everyone deserves a space to explore these issues in their own voice, on their own terms — through poetry, music, storytelling, performance and open conversation.
And this time, we’re bringing a little gunpowder for the imagination.
🔥 SPOKEN GUNPOWDER: REMEMBER, REMEMBER…
Inspired by the political symbolism of Bonfire Night, this gathering invites us to use words, art and radical imagination to challenge power and rethink representation and democracy.
Four centuries after the Gunpowder Plot, we’re asking a different kind of question:
What would a truly democratic House of the People look like?
Who gets heard? Who gets represented? Who holds power? And what could happen if the people most affected by decisions had a greater say in shaping them?
No barrels of gunpowder. We’re gonna burn Parliament with words.
This is poetry as protest, culture as connection and imagination as a starting point for change.
🎙️ OUR HOST: MARK “MR T” THOMPSON
The legendary Mark “Mr T” Thompson returns as our host and Master of Ceremonies, bringing his trademark energy, wit and ability to get a room talking, listening and moving.
Expect powerful words, unexpected connections, fresh perspectives and a welcoming atmosphere where every voice matters.
🎤 THE OPEN MIC IS YOURS
This isn’t just an event to sit back and watch. It’s a space to take part, speak out and share what’s on your mind.
We’re opening the mic to poets, spoken-word artists, musicians, storytellers, activists and anyone with something to express.
Got a poem about injustice? A song about belonging? A story about your neighbourhood? A few lines about the world you want to see?
Bring it. The mic is yours.
Whether you’re an experienced performer or stepping up for the first time, we want to make room for your voice.
Want to perform? Email [email protected] to register your interest.
Not ready to take the mic? No problem. Come to listen, share ideas, meet people, challenge assumptions, enjoy the performances or simply be part of the room.
✊🏾 MORE THAN AN EVENT — A GROWING CIVIC PLATFORM
Poetry & Politics in Brixton is building a regular space where culture and civic life meet, where creative expression sparks meaningful conversations, and where community voices help shape what comes next.
Across our gatherings, we’ll explore the issues that matter to our communities — from identity, migration and belonging to housing, youth voice, women’s leadership, community safety, inequality and the future of Brixton.
Our ambition is simple: to create a space where creativity doesn’t stop at expression, conversation leads to connection, and imagination opens up new possibilities for collective action.
This isn’t about speaking for people. It’s about creating space for people to speak for themselves.
So come to perform. Come to listen. Come to share a story, challenge an idea, meet your neighbours or imagine a different future.
Come as you are. Bring your curiosity. Leave with something to think about.
🔥 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
🎤 Perform, collaborate or get involved: Email us: [email protected]
🎟️ Book your place and join us in Brixton.
SPOKEN GUNPOWDER. FIRE WORDS. RADICAL IMAGINATION.
Poetry & Politics in Brixton — the power to challenge, the courage to speak, and the freedom to imagine something different.
Event venue & nearby stays
Bureau of Silly Ideas, Arch 18, Valentia Place,, London, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.