Join acclaimed journalist Beatrix Campbell as she reveals untold truths and hidden government agendas in her latest book, Secrets and Silence: Uncovering the Legacy of the Cleveland Child Sex Abuse Case.
In 1987, the Cleveland Child Sex Abuse scandal shook the UK as 121 children were removed from their parents care due to allegations of sexual abuse made by two paediatricians at the Middlesbrough Hospital. The scandal was a defining moment in child safety legislation. However, it was not the scandal we were led to believe it was. Beatrix Campbell’s Secrets and Silence: Uncovering the Legacy of the Cleveland Child Sex Abuse Case, empowers unheard voices of those who were embroiled in the scandal and shares their stories in their own words.
Beatrix will be in conversation with Liz Kelly, British professor and director of the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University.
For one night only, Jah Wobble, top geezer, legendary bass player and founding member of Public Image Limited with former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, makes his debut appearance at WoWFEST discussing his newly released expanded edition of Dark Luminosity: Memoirs of a Geezer.
Get ready for an enthralling night of storytelling as Jah Wobble, arguably the greatest bass player of his generation, recounts tales from his frank and fascinating memoir. WoW’s own Lord Borthbury will be on the decks playing music selected by Jah Wobble from his roadmap of musical memories.
This ain’t no conspiracy – Jon Ronson, award-winning writer and broadcaster, is (virtually) in town!
The Culture Wars have torn up the ‘normal’ dividing lines in society and ripped up old-style political playbooks. Jon Ronson is the international go-to for all info on the culture wars and the warriors on the battlefield.
Jon’s Radio 4 Podcast Things Fell Apart, now in its second series, reveals some truly astonishing stories as he draws out the threads of the origins of the culture wars and interviews some of its main players. Don’t miss this unique chance to hear from Jon himself, appearing live, virtually from New York, revealing further insights from his work – from COVID conspiracies and Antifa hysteria, to racial and gender identity politics, free speech and protests against lockdown that spiralled out of control, and answering your most pressing questions.
Things Fell Apart is an unmissable event for anyone who wants to hear Jon’s insights and incredible stories and explore the battle lines the culture wars are drawing between us.
May Day, the much-anticipated new poetry collection from Jackie Kay, one of the UK’s best loved poets, casts an eye over decades of political activism: the international solidarity of the Glasgow of Jackie’s childhood; her parents’ Socialist campaigns; the feminist, LGBT+ and anti-racist movements of the 80s and 90s, and the global pandemic and urgency of Black Lives Matter.
Join Jackie Kay for an unmissable evening as she delves below the surface of received narratives and brings to life a cast of influential figures: Fanny Eaton, Paul Robeson, Angela Davis and Audre Lorde. Woven throughout are a suite of lyric poems concerning the recent losses of Kay’s parents: poems of grief and profound change that are infused with the light of love and celebration.
‘Kay’s strength as a poet has always been her clear, plain style, and its fearless spoken poignancy’. – Daily Telegraph
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Beer & Cider Festival featuring a huge array of beers, ciders, real ales, lager, gins, prosecco and more.
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church sits proudly at the top of Bold Street in the city centre, but many have yet to venture inside this magnificent ruin. The church was bombed during WWII in the May Blitz of 1941, leaving just the exterior walls standing surrounded by a a picturesque garden.
For this weekend, there’ll be a clear roof marquee in place to provide covering for guests whilst still maintaining a view of the church surroundings.
There’ll be street food vendors on site and live music (aside from Friday day time) to add to the festival atmosphere. Drinks start from £2 a half.
They offer discount on tokens for all CAMRA members with a valid card at our Thursday evening and Friday daytime sessions.
Join Salena Godden for an intimate evening of readings and captivating conversation, discussing her latest collection, Love, Grief and Fury.
Three decades since her ground-breaking debut on the UK poetry scene Salena Godden unveils her boldest and most definitive collection yet.
With Love, Grief and Fury contains love poems for people and the planet, poems of grief brimming with compassion, and poems of fire and fury that kick some ass.
A woman walks into a tattoo parlour. But this is no ordinary woman, and this is Hackney in 2233. Jones’ body is covered in tattoos but she wants to add one final inking to her gallery – a thin line of ink mixed with blood that connects her body art together, creating a unique map.
As the two artists set to work, Jones tells them the story behind each tattoo. As Jones is no ordinary woman, these are no ordinary stories: each one represents a doorway to a life Jones fell into, a ‘remembering’. Some of these lives were in the past, others in the future, some are sideways, but each of them connects Jones to the two tattoo artists in some way, though they are unaware of it.
We visit the dystopian cities of the Quiet Men, the coal mines of 19th century Lancashire, join a gang of vigilante sex workers, enter the world of an INCEL murderer, haunt the old Maryville gay bar, and uncover plans to genetically modify female children. Each of the stories brings us closer to Jones’ truth, and how her life is intricately interwoven with that of the women tattooing her body.
Set across geographies and timespans,The Night Alphabet is a dazzlingly bold and original work, a deep investigation into human nature and violence against women.
Joelle will be reading from The Night Alphabet and in conversion with Roger Hill, freelance director, performer, writer, lecturer and broadcaster.
Irvine Welsh returns to WoWFEST for a no-holds-barred celebration of 30 years of Trainspotting and its cast of outcasts – Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie. Trainspotting quickly gained a cult following – which exploded across the world when Danny Boyle’s film of the same name hit the big screen.
It left an inedible mark on popular culture and fiction and still holds us in its grip today. Three decades on, with over a million copies sold in the UK alone and translated into more than 30 languages, join WoW to talk all things Trainspotting and more, including Irvine’s latest book, The Long Knives.
Irvine will be in conversation with Peter Hooton, frontman of the acclaimed Liverpool Band The Farm and co-founder of legendary fanzine The End.
Irvine Welsh DJ Set: After-party at Arts Bar Baltic
Irvine is hitting the decks for an exclusive after-party DJ set at Arts Bar Baltic! Irvine will be playing his favourite tunes all night long. See you there.
Arts Bar Baltic, 27 Parliament St, Liverpool L8 5RN
Friday 10th May, 11pm
Free Entry
Crack out the bunting! It’s Luke Wright’s Silver Jubilee.
Thwarted in his attempts to hold a street party by the philistines on the council and unable to shift the over-ordered commemorative plates, Luke Wright does what a poet does best, and takes a deep dive into himself. What follows is his most confessional show to date.
Wright was adopted as a baby and grew up believing that his adoption “wasn’t a big thing.” But one night he idly stumbled across his birth mother on Facebook. This window to a world that might have been his has thrown up deep questions about privilege, familial love, and destiny.
This show debuted to a packed arena at Latitude Festival before a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe where it was the toast of the critics.
“Breathtaking … with a sharpness and wisdom that lifts the soul, and soothes the battered heart.” ★★★★ The Scotsman
“A winning combination of honesty, humour, ire and wonder. He is at the peak of his powers.” ★★★★★ The Stage
For over twenty-five years, Luke Wright has built up a reputation for being one of Britain’s most popular live poets. He has won an unprecedented four Saboteur Awards (national awards for spoken word), a Stage Award, and a Fringe First. He’s sold out shows across the world and regularly tours with John Cooper Clarke and The Libertines.
Supporting Luke Wright will be Oliver James Lomaxm, a poet, educator, and trustee of the Working-Class Movement Library in Salford. Oliver James Lomax is a poet, educator, and trustee of the Working-Class Movement Library in Salford. He has published 5 collections of poetry including The Dandelion Clock (2020) and Burial of the Cameo (2023). Oliver has written poetry for film and television and in 2019 released his first spoken word single. He released his debut album ‘Working-Class Love Poem’ (Shadrack and Duxbury 2023) which he is currently touring across the UK. His poems are now taught in schools.
Two award-winning poets come together at WoWFEST to launch a debut novel! Andrew McMillan, whose Physical was the only poetry collection to ever win the Guardian First Book Award, will be reading from his debut novel Pity, and in conversation with multi-award winning poet Paul Farley.
Pity explores community, masculinity and post-industrialisation in Northern England amidst the backdrop of dying towns and loss of purpose. It is described as unmissable by the Sunday Times, Independent, New Statesman, Guardian and i-D, and acclaimed by a host of writers, including Ocean Vuong, Max Porter, Douglas Stuart, Liz Berry, Jon McGregor and Helen Mort.
Paul Farley will be hosting the launch and author Q&A.
