Miners’ Strike Poetry Workshop
Join us to explore the power of poetry and delve into the history of the 1984-1985 miners' strike.
Using a selection of poems from the 1984-85 miners’ strike, poet and activist Matt Abbott will help you craft responses and reflections. Some things just can’t find their way into everyday conversation. And as we hurtle through the 21st century, the impact of those dark days in the mid-’80s is still vivid.
Whether you’re a seasoned poet or an absolute beginner, Matt will guide you with various techniques and prompts to shape your words on the page. Poetry says what many of us struggle to say elsewhere. So, let’s use it to say what needs saying!
Meet the Facilitator
Matt Abbott is a poet, educator, and activist from Wakefield. After success with indie band Skint & Demoralised in the late ’00s, he wrote and performed the spoken word stage show ‘Two Little Ducks’. This received 5* reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and on a UK theatre tour, and the show’s poems were published by Verve in 2018.
Matt’s debut kids’ collection ‘A Hurricane in My Head’ was published by Bloomsbury in 2019. He was longlisted for the National Poetry Competition 2023 and recently had work translated into Arabic. His coal-mining heritage has informed his activism throughout his career.
Our events are free to attend. The amount paid today will be refunded to those who attend on the night, minus Eventbrite fees.