Monday 8 June:
This evening All Change in partnership with Arsenal in the Community and presents an extraordinary evening of poetry and music at Emirates Stadium with pupils from Thornhill Primary School and Hargrave Park Primary School, Hilldrop Community Centre’s Ukele Band, the Inspire! Family Choir, the When Saturday Comes – Saturday Socials poets …. poet Paul Lyalls and special guest Michael Rosen!
Part of Islington Giving Week (8-14 June 2015)
Sunday 7 June:
This week’s Free Word is PERNICKETY – look out for posters around the borough in various venues!
Saturday 6 June:
All Change and Arsenal in the Community return for the ever popular Granddads, Dads and Lads at the Emirates Stadium. This intergenerational event sees male family members enjoy a stadium tour combined with a poetry workshop with Paul Lyalls.
At 3pm – why not head down to Fizz Fest at St. Luke’s Centre to catch the Key Change’s #livinglyrix gig – Free Entry
Friday 5 June: #livinglyrics is a collective of young singers, MC’s, musicians and producers with lived experience of mental health issues. The group has been brought together by Islington-based Key Changes music charity for Word2015 and will perform a live mixtape of lyrical hip hop, song and spoken word developed through weekly writing sessions with established artists at Key Changes studios. The energising and inspiring set will draw on subjects important to the young people, exploring mental health and wellbeing in the context of the issues and causes within their community, at four events taking place during this year’s festival. Today’s event takes place at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust Early Intervention Service and is INVITE ONLY, but you can catch performances over the next two weekends: 3pm Saturday 6 June – Fizz Fest @ St Luke’s Centre and Sunday 14 June – Cally Festival (Story Street Stage)
Thursday 4 June: This evening take your pick from a variety of extraordinary live performance events…
…7pm at Thornhill Primary School join poets Paul Lyalls & A.F. Harrold, and Thornhill pupils for the annual Words are Birds show- a fun night of poetry and performance for all the family presented by All Change, launching a new poetry anthology by Year 3 & 4 pupils. Entry £3 donation on the door
…7pm at Platform – Cardboard Citizens and Lyrix Organix present Speakeasy? –
That open mic, stands there, so tempting – A chance to stand up for yourself and whisper or shout – Telling the world what it’s all about – If only you could get over those barriers in the way – Of you having your say- Preventing you from turning up on the day – So you stay in your room, locked away
Speakeasy? is the result of a collaboration between Cardboard Citizens, Lyrix Organix and the young people of Islington, working together to overcome our barriers to freedom of expression. Come on the day and have your say, and maybe show our main character the way. To book, email vicky@cardboardcitizens.org.uk or call 020 7377 8948. Pay what you think it’s worth.
.. or visit Free Word Centre for ELN Translation Pitch – New Literary Voices 7pm: Eight enthralling books by contemporary European writers, which have not yet been translated into English, will be pitched live to an audience and expert jury. With just three minutes per pitch, and complemented by extracts read by actors, this whirlwind journey of discovery will uncover brilliant new European literary gems. Tickets £5 (£3 Concessions) Click here to book
Wednesday 3 June:
From 3 – 28 June, Artangel presents Have Your Circumstances Changed? at the former FADS shop, 2-3 Archway Mall, London N19 5RG
Opening Times: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 17:00 and 19:15; Saturdays and Sundays 14:45, 17:00 and 19:15.
A triptych of performance duets showing the intimate routine of an older man’s daily life. Developed over the course of a year through a special cookery school held in collaboration with St Luke’s Day Centre and Age UK Islington Have Your Circumstances Changed? explores the delivery of care beyond what medicine can provide. This is a new site-specific performance developed collaboratively by Director Lu Kemp for Artangel
Entry: To offer the opportunity to experience the work to as wide an audience as possible we are operating a ‘pay what you can’ policy, with a suggested donation of £12 to secure your place to see all three performances. A limited number of tickets for each individual element will be available on the door on a first come first served basis daily. Click here for more information: www.artangel.org.uk
Tuesday 2 June: Today Islington Museum hosts the first session of Pop Goes the Weasel a project especially for people who have just been diagnosed with early stage Dementia. Tuesdays: 2, 9 & 30 June. Mondays: 15 & 22 June – 2-4.30pm
Islington Museum is working with musician Julian West to bring to life some of the fantastic artefacts in our collection. Islington has a long history of famous singers and songs. It was home to many influential music-hall all venues including Sadler’s Wells and Collins’s Music Hall. In this project we will be singing some music-hall songs, teaching each other tunes we know, and even writing some new words together as a group. Whether you’re a experienced singer or new to the idea, it will be a very relaxed group with an emphasis on enjoyment, self-expression and taking part. If you are interested in joining the group please contact Kara Jarrold at Sense on: 020 7014 9365 / 07771 845570 or e-mail: kara.jarrold@sense.org.uk
From 1-30pm today at Free Word Centre carers of people with dementia are invited to join Sarah Hesketh to view the Where the Heart Is exhibition and to participate in creative writing workshop. To book your place contact lauren@freewordcentre.com or call 020 7324 2573
Monday 1 June:
Week 2 of Word2015 begins with a new Free Word of the Week – SPRUNT – to make a quick, convulsive movement. Look out for posters in venues across the borough.
Last week over 250 older residents enjoyed Cubitt’s annual Spring Ball … 
…and younger people found creative ways to shake off the STRESS of exam season with Islington Community Theatre. .. 
Sunday 31 May: Returning for a fourth consecutive year, poet Paul Lyalls will be bringing his unique brand of poetic playfulness to Word2015 – popping up at events throughout the month, and accepting various word games and challenges along the way.
Paul has performed at ten Edinburgh Festivals, one Eton College, five Glastonburys and on a 73 bus! He is Poet in residence at the Roald Dahl Museum – and was the first poet to perform at Wembley Stadium too!
This year brings his Word Festival tally to four!
WORDS
Rhyme them, prime them, story time them
Polish and shine them, crime them,
Intertwine them, realign them, enshrine them
Even wine and dine them!
Word2015
Come and find them.
by Paul Lyalls
Saturday 30 May: All Change invites parents and children (age 0-12) to join us for a family singing workshop led by young parents. Learn to sing popular songs and original stuff too – and have fun singing together!
Free Admission
11am-12.30pm at Islington Museum, 245 St. John Street, EC1V 4NB
WORD 