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

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

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