Emma Ofosua takes West African spoken word to three UK cities

Ghanaian poet Emma Ofosua will appear at three literary events across England this September, from Nottingham to London and West Yorkshire. Ghanaian poet, speaker and cultural architect Emma Ofosua will present, headline and join a panel discussion across three literary events in England this September, tracing a route from Nottingham to London to West Yorkshire. Ofosua, founder and executive director of Tuniq Africa and the All African Women Poetry Festival, and managing editor of Hadithi Magazine, opens the run on 12 September at the D.H.

Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8A Victoria Street, Eastwood, Nottingham, where she presents at The Optimist’s Incomplete, staged by Sevhage. On 17 September, she headlines Big Mouth Poetry’s open mic spoken word night at The Village Table, 40 Park Lane, Croydon, London. The run closes on 26 September at the Old School Room, Church Street, Haworth, where she joins fellow writers Tabitha Bast, Barsa Ray and Priscilla Adepa on a panel for Literary Sisters from Accra to Bradford at the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival.

“Poetry is the cell of all art forms,” Ofosua said, “and gives language to our shared human experience.” The three appearances reflect Ofosua’s continuing engagement with West African literary and cultural tradition on international stages, following her participation in the Literary Sisters Residency, which paired writers across Accra and Bradford in dialogue with the works of the Brontë sisters. Event details 12 September, 11:00am: The Optimist’s Incomplete, D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, 8A Victoria Street, Eastwood, Nottingham.

17 September, 6:30pm to 10:00pm: Big Mouth Poetry Open Mic, The Village Table, 40 Park Lane, Croydon, London. 26 September: Literary Sisters from Accra to Bradford, a panel with Tabitha Bast, Barsa Ray, Priscilla Adepa and Emma Ofosua Donkor, Old School Room, Church Street, Haworth, as part of the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival. About Emma Ofosua Emma Ofosua is a West African writer, performance poet, cultural curator and speaker whose work centres on identity, culture and memory, highlighting the resilience and courage of African women.

She is the author of I Wish You Courage in the Night Season and directs the All African Women Poetry Festival, a UNESCO- and British Council-partnered platform that convenes a four-day conference hosting 6–10 poets from six African countries and the …