Brendan Hawthorne confirmed to perform for Wolverhampton at Rock the Beacon with Poets Against Racism on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August.

For the last 20 years Brendan Hawthorne has grown from a fledgling performance poet into a nationally published author. Brendan Hawthorne made history in becoming the first Poet Laureate  of Wednesbury.      His books record the rich dialect and history of his beloved Black Country.  He was also voted Black Country Creative Master in the Creative Black Country`s 100 Masters Competition that was showcased recently at The Light House in Wolverhampton where Brendan has since gone on to champion  Black Country Radio`s Black Country Festivals with his friend Dr Brian Dakin aka Black Country personality Billy Spakemon.    Brendan  is no stranger to the media either, being a regular on local radio and television and having had appearances on the One Show and a local interest segment on Flog It!    He has been interviewed by Adrian Chiles for a BBC documentary and became West Midlands Ambassador for Smooth Radio for a 2 year period.   Brendan`s work has gone into permanent public art displays and he has also appeared on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square as part of Anthony Gormley`s art installation where he "broadcast" work in his much beloved Black Country dialect.    Throughout those years he has selflessly inspired, encouraged and enabled other writers through workshops, mentoring and facilitating performance spaces to bring spoken word and acoustic music to audiences culminating in a much loved and well attended monthly showcase at Wednesbury Library.     Brendan has empowered people with learning difficulties and barriers to learning to work with creative writing processes and has designed various means of creative thinking processes.   His musical community play "Hard Graft" encouraged those with no stage or singing experience to become part of a sell out performance and is now working on a World War 1 radio play and inset pieces to help tell the story of local Beano and Dandy illustrator Charlie Grigg.   Brendan is currently an Ambassador for the Black Country Bugle and Wednesbury Poet Laureate.  Not bad for a dyslexic!   

For Further Information on Brendan:  http://www.brendanhawthorne.org    Or The Light House: www.light-house.co.uk