Saboteur award winner Maria Ferguson will be performing her show Fat Girls Don’t Dance at the launch of a new monthly spoken word night in Lincoln on Thursday 15 June.

The WORD theatre project at Lincoln’s New Theatre Royal will feature Maria plus Peterborough’s poet laureate Charley Genever. The night will also include an open mic before the main acts, with a pre-show workshop beforehand with organiser Gemma Baker, and support act Charley Genever, to help hone poets’ performances. Five open mic spots are available, with the optional pre-show workshop costing £5.

The night will finish with Busker in the Bar, a chance to connect with other audience members and performers in the bar area over a few drinks and live music, this month from Lincoln musician Bethany Durrant. Gemma Baker also runs the monthly ATG slam at Lincoln’s performing arts centre.

Other headline acts lined up for the months ahead at the New Theatre Royal include Hollie McNish, Dizraeli, and Sophia Walker. The WORD theatre is partly funded by Arts Council England and the National Lottery.