LivLitCycle

The sixth Liver Bards poetry event of 2025 is titled ‘Art is the Dealer of Heart’ and is coming to the basement of Ma Boyle’s on Tuesday 1st July, featuring Jeremy Dixon. Jeremy Dixon (he/him) is a prize-winning poet, editor and workshop leader. He is the author of the pamphlet In Retail (Arachne Press, 2019). His first full collection A Voice Coming From Then (Arachne Press, 2021) won the Wales Book of the Year Poetry Award 2022. His new pamphlet of Polari-inspired poems ‘Bold in the Life’ was published by Broken Sleep Books in April 2025. Please contact me (Ali) if you know you would like a poetry slot and will be there (5 minutes maximum). Come speak your truth and listen to others speak theirs. About the title ‘Art is the Dealer of Heart’: this is a quote from the artist Hossein Nuri who was born on 1st July 1954 in Iran. He became obsessed with painting in elementary school and showed his ability in various styles of painting at an early age. Before the Iranian revolution of 1979, he wrote a play which was a political satire in defence of human rights, so he was tortured as a 17-year-old by the Shah regime and consequently lost his ability to move his hands and legs. But he continued painting with his mouth and so far, he has organized more than a hundred exhibitions in Iran, France, China, Germany, Algeria, Lebanon, and Austria. The left-hand side of the Liver Bards publicity shows Nuri bringing his aesthetic depiction of Virgin Mary in front of the Danish embassy in Tehran ‘to respond to ugliness with beauty’ as he put it. The right-hand side shows Jeremy on Bold Street, and also my ‘Baby.Alien.Blue.’ artwork – commenting on Liverpool’s deep historical links with Transatlantic Slavery - on Bold Street in 1999, shortly before it was exhibited at Parr Street Garages as part of the first Independents Biennial. Bold Street is named after Jonas Bold, a slave merchant, sugar trader and banker. In 1802, Bold became Mayor of Liverpool. Hope to see you at Liver Bards. Ali #liverbards #poetry #liverpoolspeaks #aliharwood #artist #poet #educator

Itch is the poetry and spoken word night at Shakespeare North Playhouse (SNP) in Prescot held on the second Tuesday of each month from 7-9.30pm. Itch is an inclusive, welcoming community space for both performers and audience alike. Every event is full of variety, theatricality, virtuosity, some unpredictability and heart. I hope to see you at our next event this Tuesday 10th June 7-9.30pm at #shakespearenorthplsyhouse . Thank you to everyone who’s already signed up for a 5-minute spot. We have space for some more, though! Please email me at [email protected] if you’d like a spot. Tickets are available from the SNP website from £3. Here’s the link for details: shakespearenorthplayhouse.co… Thank you to everyone who makes each event happen, including all the team at SNP, plus previous excellent hosts Charlie and Emily for creating a great community. Your Itch host, Ali Harwood #shakespearenorthplayhouse #itch #spokenword #poetry #poets #prescot #merseyside #liverpoolspeaks #AliHarwood #artist #poet #educator

I’m looking forward to being a part of the @allearspoetry Poetry Expo with @officialjosephroberts plus many other poets and those that like to be around them on Friday 4th July at @yourecl . Here’s the link to tickets: allearspoetry.com/events Here’s a bit about me: Ali Harwood is an artist, poet and educator. As a poet, Ali enjoys being a headline poet - including appearances at @shakespearenorthplayhouse , Chester Poets and @williamsonart_ . He also hosts Liver Bards in Liverpool, Itch in Prescot, is a member of the @wirralpoetryfestival organising team and relished his role as host and poet at @cheltenhampoetryfestival and @wychwoodfestival last year. He continues to work on the Slavery Truth Project with members of the @stjamesinthecity community and the @liverpooldiocese - exploring and responding to Liverpool’s role in Transatlantic Slavery. As an artist, Ali was recently Artist in Residence at @kingsleyandco_ children’s bookshop in Bootle, @lpoolcityregion Artist/Creative of the Year and his canvases have been exhibited in locations including @liverpooltownhall , @westernapproacheshq and Birkenhead Priory. As an Educator, Ali has worked recently with the @literacy_trust , the Southport Learning Trust, Virtual School Liverpool, @llpartnership , the Reading Agency, @saverauk and @bristolrefugeefestival . #AliHarwood #artist #poet #educator #liverpoolspeaks

5 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER! Wirral Poetry Festival’s Open Poetry Competition 2025 closes on this Friday 30 May. Don’t miss the chance to win one of eight cash prizes and to have your poems read by Martin Figura and Helen Ivory! wirralpoetryfestival.org.uk. PS if you encounter any difficulties, please email us at [email protected]. We check emails every day. All the best, Ali and all at the @wirralpoetryfestival team