Words on Tap

Open Mic Event

Contact: m_stoppard@hotmail.com

It's back to business for frothy literary event Words on Tap, showcasing another eclectic line-up of Yorkshire writers. This month sees performances from Michelle Scally-Clarke, Jane Steele, Gaia Holmes and Jonathan Eyre. Plus, open mic slots. FREE entry.

Michelle Scally-Clarke is a leading voice on the U.K performance poetry scene. Michelle has performed with, and been lauded by, many of the recognized senior U.K poets including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Benjamin Zephaniah, Lemn Sissay, Brian Patten, Simon Armitage and Jean Binta Breeze. She has made her name in theatre in productions such as Word Temple and Carnival Messiah, playing a lead role as Mama God. She has toured as a solo performer and with her band across the UK and at international festivals, including the Crossing Border festival in Amsterdam and had a starring role in Belgium’s largest ever literature festival. Website: www.michellescallyclarke.co.uk

Jonathan Eyre, 'a Poet in Learning', writes from the perspective of a nature hugging human, and as a person of disability, reaching parts others may not teach. Disability spotlights the attitudes of the other and oneself: it stands on the fudging line, holding onto what we dream humanity is. Jonathan is unpublished and has lived in Leeds since 1982, having previously escaped to the North to attend University in Manchester in 1974.

Jane Steele is a poet, novelist and fledgling actress. She knows 'actor' is a more modern term, but prefers 'actress' because it's camper. Her first poetry collection, 'Natural Light,' was published in November 2010. In 2007 she won a prize on the open mic at Ilkley Litfest, for a 3-minute monologue bringing Medusa to Wakefield. She came joint third in last year's inaugural SI Leeds Literary Prize.

Gaia Holmes lives in Halifax, UK. She is a part time creative writing lecturer at the University of Huddersfield and free-lance writer who works with schools, libraries and other community groups throughout the West Yorkshire region. She runs ‘Igniting The Spark’, a weekly writing workshop at Dean Clough, Halifax. In her spare time Gaia is a DJ for Phoenix FM, Calderdale’s community radio station. She plays accordion with the band ‘Crow Hill Stompers’. After a long delay, her 2nd poetry collection,Lifting the Piano with one hand is due out any minute now.

Entry: FREE

Time: 7:30pm