Overhear  is delighted to announce a partnership with Wolverhampton Literature Festival, running across the city from 31st January to 2nd February.  Newly commissioned poems will be written about ten well-loved, independent city venues.  The resulting writing will be recorded and virtually ‘pinned’ to these sites for people to discover, download and collect in their Overhear library. 

Ten local writers are matched with ten exciting locations in this project centred around creativity, community and the celebration of city life.  Writers include Emma Purshouse, the first Poet Laureate for Wolverhampton, Ian Henery with over 30 years of experience as a poet and performer, and India born Kuli Kohli, author of Patchwork a poetry pamphlet published by Offa’s Press who promote the best in contemporary poetry in the West Midlands. The venues providing inspiration include established city institutions like the Arena Theatre, The Light House Cinema and Wolverhampton Market, through to valued independent pubs The Lych Gate Tavern and The Posada, plus Tony’s Deli, sure to provide plenty of food for thought.

The new writing will start being released from January 26th with announcements of new work to unlock over successive days throughout the Literature Festival.  But you don’t have to wait until then to get going, by downloading the Overhear app you’ll gain access to a wealth of pinned poems that were commissioned during October’s Birmingham Literature Festival, so the collecting can begin immediately.

Overhear will be delivering three weekend walking tours led by commissioned poets, superbly guided introductions to unlocking the writing on offer and seeing the city afresh. Steve Pottinger, part of the ‘Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists’ group, starts the series off on Sunday January 26th. Hannah Taylor, performance artist and curator, leads hers on Saturday 1st February and on Sunday 2nd February Jeff Phelps, author of Wolverhampton Madonna, takes his tour.

This project was made possible through an Arts Council England grant. It unites writing and technology through an app-based literature map, linking to festivals to support unique local talent and independent venues.  Overhear founder Tom Peels says:

“Overhear is about location and creative content.  It uses mobile technology to link the two, and we hope that it has potential to generate great value for independent venues and artists in the city.”

For more information about the poets, places and walking tours please visit www.overhearpoetry.com or follow on twitter @OverhearPoetry