The event, the second at the venue, takes place on 8th November at 8pm at The Queer Comedy Club is headlined by prominent queer poet Em Hunter, with a line up of established and exciting new voices.
Sparks brings together some of the brightest names in LGBT+ literature, performing a mixture of verse and rhyme, lyrics and love songs. At a time when tolerance and liberty are increasingly under threat, the event aims to celebrate the beauty of diversity and the searing truth of what life is like in the current political climate in an eclectic, warm and welcoming queer space.
Proceeds will be donated to Stonewall Housing: the leading national charity supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) people of all ages who live in the UK and are experiencing homelessness or living in an unsafe environment. Founded in 1983, the vital service provides advice, mental health advocacy and support for people fleeing domestic abuse as well as a safe accommodation scheme in London.
Headliner Em Hunter (she/her) is a slam winning LGBTQ+ poet. Her writing explores themes of social justice, identity, and her experience of navigating the world as a masculine-presenting lesbian. As well as performing on the Leicester Square stage at Pride in London, Hunter has performed live on BBC radio and headlined events and festivals throughout the UK. In 2022 she co-founded The Big Queer Poetry Show which has raised over £10,000 for Stonewall Housing and given a platform to underrepresented LGBTQ+ artists.
ALSO APPEARING…
Charlotte Redding is a rising star in poetry based in Sheffield, she tackles some of the most serious topics with a wry, light touch; her observations are touching, thought provoking and humorous in places.
Marc Burrows is an author, journalist and stand up comedian. Critically acclaimed for his beautiful biography ‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett’ that had a sell out run at Edinburgh Fringe as a live show and is now on tour, Marc’s bylines can also been seen everywhere from The Independent to The Big Issue.
Cleo Henry is a well published writer and researcher. They describe themselves as ‘thinking about queerness, archives and the apocalypse’ and their first pamphlet, The Last Lesbian Bar in the Midlands came out last summer. They have also been published in Ambit, Selkie and by Banshee Press, Cipher Press, Pilot Press and Broken Sleep Books.
Mia Rainey is is a poet, writer and children’s playworker from London. She is also a mental health advocate and strongly believes in the power of writing as a form of therapy.’
The event will be MC’ed by Sparks curator; stand up comic, podcast host and glitter Queen, Welsh girl Vix Leyton, playing poet wrangler and keeping the evening going.
