Experience a special event with pioneering Jamaican reggae poet, performer, activist and critic, Linton Kwesi Johnson, hosted by Jackie Kay.

For the first time, Linton’s non-fiction, written over many decades, has been collected into one volume Time Come: Selected Prose. It showcases his thoughts on music and literature, on politics, and on the people who inspired him. Linton will perform a short set from his extraordinary collection Selected Poems before discussing his work, his contribution to Black British culture and the artists and activists that have inspired and nurtured him with host Jackie Kay.

Linton is a Jamaican-born reggae poet and activist who came to Britain in 1963. Widely regarded as the father of ‘dub poetry’, in 2002, he became the second living poet and the only Black poet to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. He has recorded several albums and toured the world. In 2020 he was awarded the PEN Pinter Prize.

Credits and Partners

Presented by Manchester Literature Festival in partnership with Manchester Poetry Library and hosted by Jackie Kay.

Manchester Literature Festival is a celebration of imagination, ideas, stories, and voices from around the world. It is part of Manchester’s rich cultural tapestry and is committed to bringing together the most exciting storytellers, poets, and thinkers for everyone to enjoy.

Learn more about Manchester Literature Festival here.