A Lovely Word at St James Gardens and online

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

Visit now

A Lovely Word

3 September 2020

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

A Lovely Word St James Gardens
A Lovely Word goes alfresco in St James Gardens.
Book now

Having branched out from its usual home at the Everyman Street Café into the ether, Liverpool’s spoken word stalwart A Lovely Word is now gearing up to relocate outdoors for another alfresco special on Thursday 3 September, taking place in Liverpool’s pleasant St James Gardens just below the imposing Anglican Cathedral, off Upper Duke Street. There will be three featured poets – poet and theatre-maker Heidi Henders, spoken word artist Just Joe and Day Mattar, whose pamphlet SKiNN will be published in May 2021 with indie press Broken Sleep.

A Lovely Word is now gearing up to relocate outdoors for another alfresco special on Thursday 3 September, taking place in Liverpool’s pleasant St James Gardens

Following the announcement on 9 July by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden that performing arts could resume outdoors from 11 July with a socially distanced audience present, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, who support A Lovely Word, teamed up with the Unusual Art Sourcing Company to bring the usual poetry open mic to this outdoor setting, complete with stewards and the same measures as you would expect at a restaurant or bar. The open-air event is free to attend and seating is ‘bring your own blanket/chair for your comfort’ with facemasks required and allocated seating plots to ensure safe social distancing. One member of your ‘bubble’ will be asked to provide a name/phone number for track and trace purposes.

The second A Lovely Word at St James Gardens will see featured poets perform alongside open micers both in the open and online (there are 10 physical slots and three online, restricted to four minutes each), and audience members are invited to watch in the park or via a live stream on YouTube. Readers are encouraged to sign up to perform on the open mic by emailing alovelywordpodcast@gmail.com and confirming your full name, mobile number and if you’d prefer to perform on ‘stage’ or online, shown on a screen on the gardens wall.

Where to go near A Lovely Word at St James Gardens and online

Creatures Comedy Club
Manchester
Theatre
Creatures Comedy Club

Whether you’re a die-hard comedy fan or just after a spontaneous night out, there’s something here for everyone. Open 7 nights a week.

The Loft
Manchester
Music venue
The Loft

The Loft is an intimate, industrial-style club tucked away on the edge of Manchester city centre. Known for its impeccable sound system and low-key vibe.

Stables Tavern
City Centre
Restaurant
Stables Tavern

The Stables Tavern is an olde style pub in the St John’s neighbourhood of Manchester, where the Rovers Return once stood.

Manchester
Restaurant
Ban Di Bul

Ban Di Bul is a longstanding Korean restaurant in the very centre of Manchester.

Bridge Cottage
Port Sunlight
Gallery
Bridge Cottage

Bridge Cottage is one of Port Sunlight’s most charming and architecturally distinctive Arts & Crafts homes. Often hold art Exhibitions and Tours.

A projected image of the Stockroom.
Stockport
Library
Stockroom

Stockroom is Stockport’s new centre for culture and creativity, with a library, a children’s play area and a whole host of exciting events.

A series of microphones hang from the ceiling with a muted warm light in the background.
Rochdale
Event venue
RISE Inavate Centre

RISE Inavate Centre will be used for a thought-provoking sound installation by Shilpa Gupta at Manchester International Festival 2025.

Interior Decorations - Viet Deli
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Viet Deli

Viet Deli is a small venue, not the kind of place for a sit down meal. Serving only bánh mì, traditionally street food in Vietnam.

Levenshulme
Restaurant
My Nawaab

Eye-catching banqueting hall in Levenshulme, with a wide-ranging buffet showcasing freshly-prepared Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

What's on: Literature

JE NE SAIS BLAH
LiteratureManchester
Je ne sais Blah at Cafe Blah

Je ne sais Blah is a brand-new spoken word night at the recently revenued Cafe Blah in the heart of Withington Village.

Free entry
Poet Tom Sastry.
LiteratureManchester
Verbose at The King’s Arms

Verbose is one of Manchester’s longest-running spoken word events, and welcomes Tom Sastry and Molly Naylor for June.

Free entry
LiteratureLeeds
Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited poets – this month the headliners include Rosie Garland.

Free entry

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.

A young boy with a white sash around his left arm cries.
Cinema in the North

Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.