A local poet, who has performed regularly  over the years with poetry collective Poets Against Racism at Wolverhampton Literature Festival, is to join them for a brilliant night not to be forgot on 12th June at Nottingham Poetry Festival.

Combining with AccessAbility Arts, Poets Against Racism are flying the flag for accessible art, poetry and culture across the Midlands and inviting people to experience the power of poetry.

Local poet and playwright, Ian Henery, has regularly performed with poetry collective Poets Against Racism at venues across Wolverhampton over the years for Wolverhampton Literature Festival including the Slade Rooms, Dunstall Park  and Arena Theatre.

"Things changed, like a lot of things, during the years of COVID lockdown" said Ian Henery, who is due to host a number of free mental health workshops for men at Gatis Community Gardens in Wolverhampton.  "Poetry performances on Zoom do not have the same bite as being on stage and working an audience."

Ian`s latest play, Georgina and the Dragon, was written during lockdown and based in Wolverhampton.  "Rehearsals were at Gatis Community Gardens so we could maintain social distancing measures" he said  "and in the absence of live venues we planned to film it and stream it internationally following the rise of Black Lives Matter after the murder of George Floyd in America.  The cast and film maker were all from Wolverhampton.  It  was planned to be a 100% Wolverhampton production."

The play was endorsed by Poets Against Racism in Wolverhampton and Communities Against Racism Enterprise.  

"However, when lockdown was lifted and everyone was set free from isolation the creative community went out looking for work and the play was shelved" explained Ian Henery.

The play has been resurrected for Birmingham Fest 2024 and will be performed at Birmingham Black Box Theatre on 13th July.  Once again the play is supported by Poets Against Racism, Communities Against Racism and Black Country Stand Up To Racism.  

"As Martin Luther King once said", explained Ian Henery, "In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends".