World-renowned dub poet and activist, Linton Kwesi Johnson, takes to the stage to bring this year’s StAnza’s festival to a close in this unmissable finale. A foundational figure for black poets in the UK, few poets can match Johnson’s impact and ongoing legacy in both poetry and music, or an oeuvre that covers so much of recent British history, perhaps most notably his work around the mass murder of black teenagers in New Cross, London, in 1981. But Johnson’s work is also acclaimed for its wit and warmth, its playfulness in the face of suffering and oppression. In 2020 Johnson was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize for defending freedom of expression for a lifetime spent committed to his work and tireless political activism. We’re honoured and proud to bring this year’s festivities to a close with a performance from a true living legend.

Linton Kwesi Johnson is a Jamaican-born, British-based dub poet and activist.

This event is dedicated to the memory of StAnza founder, Brian Johnstone.