Doors: 7:00pm | Start Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Strange Brew, 10-12 Fairfax St, Bristol BS1 3DB
Price: £8 (£6 concessions)
Tickets: https://hdfst.uk/E75685

Raise the Bar are teaming up with independent publisher Bad Betty Press for this exclusive Bristol event, featuring FOUR incredible poets. Former Bristol City Poet Vanessa Kisuule, Gboyega Odubanjo, Shareen K. Murayama and Molly Naylor.

RAISE THE BAR:

The South West's leading live poetry night, running regular events in Bristol and beyond since 2014.
‘From top to bottom, one of my all time favourite shows’ – Shane Koyczan
'One of the best poetry nights in the country' – Rafeef Ziadah
'Out-loud reactions are encouraged…shaking off traditional theatre etiquette' – Bristol 24/7

BAD BETTY PRESS:

Bad Betty Press is an independent publisher of new poetry, born in 2017. We love writing that is bad (meaning good) and beautiful (‘a Betty’ in 90s slang). We love the strange, raw and risk-taking. We believe strongly in art’s capacity to challenge its own definition, to curve away from the norm, making space for more and varied voices.

Our books include Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choices, Poetry School Books of the Year, a Telegraph Poetry Book of the Month, Laurel Prize longlistees and BAMB Readers Award shortlistees. We’ve been thrice shortlisted for the Michael Marks Publishers Award, named The Book Hive’s Indie Publisher of the Month, and described by The Big Issue as ‘the epitome of bold independence’.
Our books can be found at our events, our online shop and a growing number of fantastic booksellers, or ordered in to just about anywhere.

VANESSA KISUULE:

Vanessa Kisuule is a writer and performer based in Bristol. She has won over ten slam titles, been featured on BBC iPlayer, Radio 1, and Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Blue Peter, Don't Flop and TEDx in Vienna. She has performed all over the world, from Belgium to Brazil to Bangladesh. She has written for publications including The Guardian, NME and Lonely Planet and was the Bristol City Poet for 2018 - 2020.

MOLLY NAYLOR

Molly Naylor is a poet, scriptwriter, performer and director. Her stories and plays have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and she has performed at festivals and events all over the world. She has published two poetry collections and her third will be published by Bad Betty in spring 2022. She is the co-creator and writer of Sky One comedy After Hours. She wrote and performed the acclaimed solo spoken-word shows Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think Of You and My Robot Heart. Her first graphic novel was published in September 2021.
‘Naylor writes with a poet’s ear for rhythm and delivers with a stand-up’s comic timing’ -Irish Times
‘Brave, funny, tough and beautiful writing’ - The Guardian

SHAREEN MURAYAMA

Shareen K. Murayama is the author of the poetry chapbook Hey Girl, Are You in the Experimental Group? (Small Harbor Publishing, 2022). She is a Japanese American, Okinawan American poet and educator. She’s a 2021 Best Microfiction winner, a poetry reader for The Adroit Journal, and Assistant CNF Editor for JMWW. Her works have been published or forthcoming in The McNeese Review, The Willowherb Review, National Flash Fiction, The Margins, Bamboo Ridge Press, and elsewhere. She lives in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. You can find her on IG and Twitter @ambusypoeming.

GBOYEGA ODUBANJO

Gboyega was born and raised in east London and is an editor of bath magg. He is the author of two poetry pamphlets, While I Yet Live (Bad Betty Press, 2019) and Aunty Uncle Poems (Smith|Doorstop, 2021).

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