BBC’s Contains Strong Language festival is set to be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Salford in the upcoming weeks.
It will be a special weekend for Salford, as it is the festivals first visit to the city. The festival will be bringing some of the UK’s most celebrated poets, performers and broadcasters to the home of the BBC in the North.
The famous poetry festival is taking place on September 24 to 27 across Salford and MediaCity, with many events across the weekend free to book here.
Over the past decade, Contains Strong Language has become one of the UK’s leading cultural festivals, championing poetry, spoken word and performance while connecting audiences with stories that challenge, inspire and entertain.
This milestone year brings together an exceptional line-up including John Cooper Clarke, Jackie Kay, Joelle Taylor, Len Pennie, Jason Allen-Paisant, Liz Berry, Owen Sheers, Alice Oswald, Testament, Andrew McMillan and Toria Garbutt, alongside rising talent from Manchester, Salford and across the UK.
The festival will have a strong local focus, bringing Manchester and Salford artists together with leading names from across the UK and beyond. Activities include BBC Radio Club projects in schools, collaborations with Salford Youth Zone, animations created by Manchester Metropolitan University students and workshops designed to inspire the next generation of writers and performers.
Director of Contains Strong Language, Sue Roberts, said: “As Contains Strong Language celebrates its tenth birthday, bringing the festival to Salford during the city’s landmark centenary year is a privilege. Over the past decade, the festival has shown that poetry and spoken word have a unique power to connect people, spark conversations and help us make sense of an ever-changing world.
Salfordian legend, John Cooper Clarke, is proud to be in the line-up.
He said: “Contains Strong Language… of course it does. It’s in Salford, what do you expect? Strong language and the city of Salford are a universally recognised double act and this year – in the tradition of great Salfordian names such as Graham Nash, Albert Finney and Mark E Smith – Dr John Cooper Clarke will be in-house and face to face with our current Poet Laureate Mr Simon Armitage… am I worthy? We’ll find out on Saturday 26 September.”
This years festival is also a chance to celebrate 100 years of Salford as well as the 15 years the BBC has had a home in the city.
BBC Head of the North of England, Heidi Dawson, said: “Bringing the UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival to the North West is a huge milestone for both Contains Strong Language and for the city of Salford.
“It’s a chance to showcase exciting new voices, connect with audiences across the region and celebrate the creativity that continues to thrive here.”
More event information can be found on the Contains Strong Language Website below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ep3fbp/performance#all
