Sonic Cultures: An Evening of Poetry with Jenny Mitchell and NAZ Project London

This October, Calico Projects is proud to present our Sonic Cultures programme for Black History Month 2026. Sonic Cultures seeks to highlight the value of music, spoken poetry, and other sonic forms as ways to remember history, celebrate culture, and express individual identity.

Join us at Sydenham Library for an evening of poetry writing and reading on Tuesday 27th October.

From 5:30-7:00pm, award-winning poet and facilitator Jenny Mitchell will lead a poetry writing workshop centred around exploring independence and freedom on both a personal and community scale. It will be a creative, non-judgemental space for creative, guided writing and genuine connection. Whether you're an experienced poet, a complete beginner, or somewhere in between - all are welcome!

From 7:00-8:30pm, NAZ Project London will host a special edition of their regular Front to Black group: an open-mic poetry night, headlined by Jenny Mitchell. Jenny will kick off the evening with a performance of her own poetry, and then the floor will open for anyone else to read their work! You're welcome to read original poetry or perform existing poets'. Open mic signups on the night. 

These events are free and 18+. Please book a ticket for each portion of the evening you'd like to attend. You're welcome to attend either or both.

About Jenny Mitchell: Jenny Mitchell is a multiple-award winning poet of three poetry collections: Her Lost Language, Map of a Plantation, and Resurrection of a Black Man. Jenny has had residencies at Sussex University, the British Library, and Cork City Libraries. She is a poetry co-editor for the Morning Star and a course facilitator for the Irish Writers Centre.

About NAZ Project London & Front to Black: NAZ is a charity working to address sexual health inequalities in Black, Brown, and Global Majority and LGBTQ+ communities. Front to Black was designed to spotlight the written and spoken work of Black and Global Majority writers to demonstrate that literature has the scope to explore the diversity of Black culture, give voice to its history, and use literature as a tool for collective future envisioning for the Black Community.

These events are made possibly by a grant from Lewisham Council.