Contains Strong Language, the much-loved UK poetry and spoken word festival, is coming to Australia this August, supported by the British Council. This is the first time the annual broadcast festival, founded by the BBC in 2017, is leaving British shores and this major coup will showcase Australian poetry globally.
Contains Strong Language will be presented by Red Room Poetry, and run as part of Poetry Month, Australia’s national annual celebration of poetry. Red Room is proudly partnering with the ABC and the BBC, with support from the Office for the Arts, the British Council and City of Sydney, to give Contains Strong Language 2024 a distinctly Aussie accent.
Events will be staged at iconic venues across Gadigal and Dharug lands in Sydney at the end of August, and broadcast by the BBC and ABC on both domestic and international services, sharing the power of Australian poets and poetry with the world. UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will lead a cohort of British poets who, with support from the British Council, will join local writers and spoken word artists in performances, masterclasses, live and online workshops and international writing collaborations.
Helen Salmon, Director, Australia, at British Council, says: “Since the inception of Contains Strong Language, the British Council’s support has remained steadfast, signifying our belief in poetry as the very essence of experience, with the power to connect cultures and ignite imaginations. We are delighted to continue the spirit of enriching collaboration between the UK and Australia with this exciting partnership”
ABOUT POETRY MONTH
Poetry Month is an initiative of Australia’s leading poetic organisation, Red Room Poetry. Red Room is the only organisation in Australia that consistently commissions poets and produces live poetry events nationally.
Red Room’s vision for the annual Poetry Month program is to grow the audience, affection and acclaim for Australia’s own poetic voices, and create access points for people to engage in poetry.
Visit Red Room Poetry for more information and to book tickets for events.