Contains Strong Language

The UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival of new writing returned to Hull in September 2018. Bringing over 30 events to the city over three days, leading poets and world class spoken word artists took to the stage alongside brand new voices.

Contains Strong Language was originally planned to return in 2019, but the interest and excitement generated last year forced a re-think. In returning to Hull, Contains Strong Language provides a legacy from Hull 2017 demonstrating that Hull’s reputation as a vibrant creative and innovative city – a poetry city, continues to grow.

The festival welcomed 18 poets – the Hull 18 – along with artists, local, national and international to join in this celebration of poetry and spoken word.

Contains Strong Language is the BBC’s national poetry and spoken word festival, with coverage on national and local radio and TV. It is a partnership between the BBC, Wrecking Ball Press, The Arts Council, Absolutely Cultured, 14-18 NOW and The British Council.

Past events

Dance Exchange Hull, 2019 © Tom Arran

Meet the funders

Installation View. Practice in Place. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists, 2020. © Jules Lister

Practice In Place

HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured

1:1 Advice Surgeries with Arts Council England

50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper

Creative Micro-Commission Programme

Model City, Absolutely Cultured © Chi He

Model City

Nnena Kalu, Wrapping. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Wrapping, Nnena Kalu

Frances Disley, The Cucumber Fell in the Sand. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Frances Disley: The Cucumber Fell In The Sand

Installation View. Jade Montserrat, Instituting Care. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Jade Montserrat: Instituting Care

Ella Dorton, Journey to the Centre of the Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas). Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Journey To The Centre Of The Couch (Couches & Other Good Ideas), Ella Dorton

The Witching Hour, Absolutely Cultured © LDi Studios

The Witching Hour

Man On The Moon Keisha Thompson. IETM Hull 2019 © Keisha Thompson

IETM Hull 2019 Artistic Programme

Installation view. Measures of Life, The Lumen Prize for Digital Art. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2018. © Tom Arran

Measures of Life by The Lumen Prize for Digital Art

Dominoes, Absolutely Cultured © Rob Battersby

Dominoes

Blade © Tom Arran

Blade

A Duckie Summer Tea Party/LGBT50 © Tom Arran

A Duckie Summer Tea Party / LGBT50

Chatty Hull, 2019 © Absolutely Cultured

Making work with and for communities

HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured

Arts Council England under £15k Applications: Top Tips with Deb Ashby

Remote Talent Development

Installation view, 2019. Ollie Dook, Proboscidea Rappings. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister

Proboscidea Rappings, Ollie Dook

Dance Exchange Programme, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured

Dance Exchange Hull

Language Café © Chris Pepper

Chatty Hull

Hull Takeover: Previews © The Herd/The Roaring Girls/Just Club

Hull Takeover: Previews

Athena Papadopoulos, A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale-Heart, courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist 2019. © James Mulkeen

A Tittle-Tattle Tell-a-Tale Heart, Athena Papadopoulos

Installation view. Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © Tom Arran

Place To Place: Liverpool Biennial Touring Programme

Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit © Jamie Reid

Jamie Reid XXXXX: Fifty Years of Subversion and The Spirit

Contains Strong Language © BBC