Peter Barlow’s Cigarette & Carcanet present… at The Pen & Pencil

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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Peter Barlow's Cigarette & Carcanet present ~ Jay Gao & Jee Leong Koh

The Pen and Pencil, Manchester
21 August 2022

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

Poet Jee Leong Koh
Poet Jee Leong Koh.
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Two of our favourite Manchester institutions – Peter Barlow’s Cigarette and Carcanet Press – are teaming up to present an afternoon of alternative poetries with a summer special in the Northern Quarter welcoming two Carcanet poets Jay Gao and Jee Leong Koh, among others to be announced.

Two of our favourite Manchester institutions – Peter Barlow’s Cigarette and Carcanet Press – are teaming up to present an afternoon of alternative poetries.

Jay Gao is a poet, fiction writer and Contributing Editor at The White Review, and his writing has appeared in Granta, The Guardian, The Poetry Review and 3:AM Magazine. Originally from Edinburgh, he now lives in the States, where he earned his MFA at Brown University and is an incoming PhD student at Columbia University in New York City. His debut poetry collection Imperium is just out with Carcanet Press and he is the author of three poetry pamphlets: Wedding Beasts (2019), shortlisted for the Saltire-Calum MacDonald Award, Katabasis (2020), a winner of a New Poets Prize, and TRAVESTY58, just out. More on Jay Gao’s launch event for Imperium here.

Jee Leong Koh is the author of two Carcanet collections: Inspector Inspector, just out, and Steep Tea, named a Best Book of the Year by the Financial Times and a finalist by Lambda Literary. He has published four other books of poetry, a volume of essays, a collection of zuihitsu, and a hybrid work of fiction. Originally from Singapore, he lives in New York City, where he heads the literary non-profit Singapore Unbound and the independent press Gaudy Boy. More on Jee Leong Koh’s launch event for Inspector Inspector here.

The event will be livestreamed – book a ticket and a Zoom link will be sent out in the lead-up to the event.

Where to go near Peter Barlow’s Cigarette & Carcanet present… at The Pen & Pencil

Manchester
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El Capo

El Capo is another addition to the Northern Quarter’s sprawl towards Manchester’s Piccadilly Basin. Between Kosmonaut and The Whisky Jar on Tariff Street.

Manchester
Hilton House

Built in the late 60’s, Hilton House is a thriving contemporary office space and a beacon for local creatives.

The Whiskey Jar
Manchester
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The Whiskey Jar

Warehouse-chic bar and events venue in Manchester’s Piccadilly, on the edge of the Northern Quarter.

Manchester
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Northern Monk Refectory

Formerly known as Kosmonaut, this bar reopened on in 2018 as Leeds brewer Northern Monk’s first North-West venue. Expect real ale with a variety of cask and keg lines.

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Kosmonaut

Based in the Northern Quarter, Kosmonaut is a haven for middle-class millennials searching for their own little Williamsburg. Decked-out with the now-standard exposed brickwork and repurposed furniture, it has three large rooms, each with their own bar.

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Black Redstart Gallery

Black Redstart Gallery is located in the Northern Quarter and runs a busy programme of exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

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If you’re looking for quality coffee and a decadent brunch in a setting that nails the Northern Quarter brief, you’d struggle to do better than ASAP Coffee.

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Feel Good Club

Our flagship Feel Good Club in Manchester, open 7 days a week, providing a beautiful friendly environment for coffee, brunch, lunch, cocktails and beers with an amazing selection of non alcoholic beverages too.

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Ezra & Gil

One of our favourite spots for caffeine in Manchester. A spacious, stripped back location serving up great coffee a delicious menu of fresh cooked food. The counter is always full with a tempting selection of cakes and sweets, resistance is futile. By the way, Ezra means ‘Helper’ and Gil means ‘Happiness’.

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Tariff & Dale

Tariff & Dale is a bar and kitchen in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, taking its name from its location on the corners of both Tariff Street and Dale Street.

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