Huge Walsall festival to help combat post-Covid gloom

The Walsall Festival of Words will take place at a number of venues in the town centre on June 8 and 9 featuring a number of poets, authors, musicians and performers.

Organisers said they put together the event, on a shoestring budget, after sensing people were ready to put the past couple of tough years behind them and enjoy themselves again.

Among the venues where free performances will be held include the New Art Gallery Walsall, the town’s Arboretum park, Victoria (Katz) pub, Asgard Games, The Table coffee shop, St Matthews Church and others.

Some of the acts performing over the two days include the Martian Social Club band, solicitor and poet Ian Henery and author Peter Ford talking about his latest book ‘Tarquin Jenkins and the Book of Dreams’.

Also in attendance will be legendary photographer Brian Griffin, who will give a live poetry read on the Wednesday of the event.

It is hoped this year’s event will be the springboard for more festivals such as this in the future.

Andrew Clayton, who is part of the organising team, said: “The last couple of years have been tough on communities and those who serve them.

“A small team of volunteers have created this because we want to and because we perceive a need around us for joy and festival.

“Walsall is crammed full of incredible creative people with experience, ingenuity, skill and tons of enthusiasm. In a world that can seem lacking in passion and colour, word-smiths of every kind bring illustration.

“We’ve had two years of staying home and being told to stay away from each other.

“Now everyone is doing stuff and we thought it was a brilliant time to celebrate the word. Not just the written word but the spoken word. The stories, the poems, the songs.

“But also if we’ve got authors coming down promoting their books and we’re doing signings and a launch.

“We’re also hearing about history and about games based on words and how writing happens.

“We’ve even got guest slots from people who have used dyslexia or their approach from an autistic perspective to inform their creativity.”

St Matthew’s ward councillor and Labour group leader Aftab Nawaz said: “I think it’s a wonderful idea because we’ve got some excellent local performers.

“It is needed on many levels. Post Covid it will bring people together and the spoken word is so powerful.

“We’ve got to a stage in the public realm we don’t have as much poetry as we should and the fact we are doing it in such open space as the town centre is fantastic.

“That is the cultural space we want to grow. I’m from a background where poetry is really part of one’s life.

“We should do this more often and get our kids reading poetry in the town centre. This is excellent.”