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

HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
1:1 Advice Surgeries with Arts Council England

Model City, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Volunteer Community Support and Crisis Response

Installation view, 2020. Lucy Clout, ZZZ. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2020. © Jules Lister
Lucy Clout, ZZZ

Lucy, 2019. Aniara Omann, Equanipolis. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Equanipolis, Aniara Omann

Installation View. Mike S Redmond and Faye Coral Jones (MSR FCJ), Ecstatic Rituals.Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist, 2019. © Jules Lister
Ecstatic Rituals

IETM Hull © Tom Arran
Emerging Cultural Leaders Mobility Bursary 2019 - Information Event

PRS Foundation's New Music Biennial 2019, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
PRS Foundation New Music Biennial 2019
Cut, Humber Street Gallery 2019. © James Mulkeen
Cut, Richard Houguez & Graham Jones

Candoco Dance Company © Hugo Glendinning
IETM Hull 2019 Plenary Meeting

Oh The Night! - imitating the dog. Urban Legends: Northern Lights, Absolutely Cultured © Tom Arran
Urban Legends: Northern Lights

Installation view. It Takes A Village. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2019. © James Mulkeen
It Takes a Village

Installation view. It Takes A Village. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artists 2017 © Hull News & Pictures
States of Play

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

50 Queers for 50 Years Workshop © Chris Pepper
Creative Micro-Commission Programme

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

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

Installation view, 2020. Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love. Courtesy of Humber Street Gallery and the artist. © Jules Lister.
Jamie Crewe, Solidarity & Love

HIPI Hang Out Forum, Absolutely Cultured © Absolutely Cultured
Arts Council England under £15k Applications: Top Tips with Deb Ashby

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

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

John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay © Chris Pepper
John Grant's North Atlantic Flux: Sounds from Smoky Bay

The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca © Hull Truck Theatre
The Last Testament of Lillian Bilocca

A Duckie Summer Tea Party/LGBT50 © Tom Arran