Sefton Borough of Culture evening with Kei Miller

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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Evening with Kei Miller – Sefton Borough of Culture

11 March 2021

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

Poet Kei Miller. Photo by Christine Fourie.
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To celebrate its title as Borough of Culture in 2021, Sefton has joined forces with Calderstones Park-based organisation The Reader to host a series of “evenings in”, featuring some great literature and welcoming, for its second event, writer Kei Miller.

Kei Miller’s memorable readings bring out the musical quality and emotional aspect of his poems, and this event will see him reading live from his last two books and talking about some of the poems found in them.

Probably most well known for his poetry, Jamaica-born Kei Miller has written several books across a range of genres, and counts award-winning essayist, short story writer and novelist among his skills. His 2017 novel, Augustown, won the Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, the Prix Les Afriques and the Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde, and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Already a recipient of the Silver Musgrave medal for his contributions to literature from the Institute of Jamaica in 2010, he was awarded the Anthony Sabga medal for Arts & Letters in 2018. Kei Miller has an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University and a PhD in English Literature from the University of Glasgow. He has taught at the Universities of Glasgow, Royal Holloway and Exeter, and was the 2019 Ida Beam Distinguished Visiting Professor to the University of Iowa.

Poetry-wise, Miller has four collections to his name, all published by Manchester’s Carcanet Press; the most recent being 2019’s In Nearby Bushes. These poems continue his evocations of contemporary Jamaica visited in The Cartographer Tries To Map A Way To Zion (2014), which looks at how places exist as much in the imagination as in their landscapes and which won the Forward Prize for Best Collection, preceded by A Light Song Of Light (2010) and There Is An Anger That Moves (2007).

Kei Miller’s memorable readings bring out the musical quality and emotional aspect of his poems, and this event will see him reading live from his last two books and talking about some of the poems found in them. Hosted on Zoom, the first hour of the session will see the audience split into small break-out groups to “take a deep dive” into the featured texts, guided by a Reader Leader. Then, following a short break, everyone will come back together when they will be joined by Kei Miller for a live reading and the chance to ask questions in a Q&A hosted by Andrew Forster, the Shared Reading projects manager at The Reader.

Join guest author Max Porter later in the month in this brand-new series, which launches with Joanne Harris at the end of February.

Where to go near Sefton Borough of Culture evening with Kei Miller

The Warehouse In Holbeck
Leeds
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The Warehouse In Holbeck

Run by acclaimed theatre company Slung Low, The Warehouse in Holbeck is home to boundary-pushing performance and community projects.

Leeds
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The Attic

Tucked away above the bustle of Merrion Street, The Attic is one of Leeds’ most distinctive small venues – intimate, unpretentious, and steeped in DIY spirit.

The Chevin is a great place for visitors to do lots of different activities and is open all year round with 5 free car parks. To help you find out whatís best for you we have divided this section up into some of these different activities.Please be aware that The Chevin is a working estate so you may see vehicles including timber-extraction lorries using some of the tracks.Self-guided WalksThe Chevin is a big place and there is a good network of paths to make your own circular walk, but if you want to follow a themed trail there is a Geology Trail, Heritage Time Trail and a route for Tree Spotters.Bikes & HorsesThere is an extensive bridleway network on the eastern parts of The Chevin that caters for a range of abilities.Orienteering and GeocachingTwo orienteering courses and a number of geocache sites are waiting to be discovered.Climbing & BoulderingThere are many fantastic crags for climbing and boulders for bouldering.Mobility Scooters & Wheelchairs
Leeds
Restaurant
Oporto

For many years, Oporto has been a beacon of alternative energy on Leeds’ Call Lane – serving up great food and drink alongside resident DJs and live music.

Manchester
Gallery
Black Redstart Gallery

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

RJC Dance Xmas Show
Leeds
RJC Dance

RJC Dance, based in Chapeltown, Leeds, champions youth and education, leading inclusive Black dance in the North through national partnerships.

Manchester
Gallery
texture mcr

Possibly one of the city’s most mysterious art galleries, texture is a small and perfectly-formed independent space in Ardwick.

The Beacon at Cliffe Castle Park
Bradford
Park
Cliffe Castle Park

Cliffe Castle Park hosts the Beacon, a stunning performance space that will be touring the district throughout Bradford UK City of Culture 2025.

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