Please note this is a location based event at Dagenham Library

Come along to this welcoming event hosted by S-Bars along with Guest Poets, Leah Kaya Couglan and Arun with the fabulous support from Pen to Print. The aim for this event is to celebrate LGBT+ History Month and nurture the theme of Activism and Social Change.

We look forward to welcoming you and celebrating in poetic style and invite all artistic styles of poetry and spoken word to the stage.

With 10 open mic slots available for people and supporters of the community, pop along from 6.15pm to sign up if you’d like to perform.

Join us at Dagenham Library for an evening of light-hearted entertainment and an opportunity to connect with like-minded people.

Suitable for anyone aged 18+ as there may be colourful language!

If you have any accessibility requirements, please directly get in touch with us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk

S-bars (they/them) Bio:

S-bars is a queer spoken word/movement artist and actor whose raw and humorous work captures the kaleidoscope of navigating life in your twenties—the soaring highs and poignant lows. Through their engaging performances, they weave personal narratives that resonate deeply, inviting audiences on a journey.

When not performing, S-bars hosts events and facilitates writing and poetry workshops, helping others explore their creative voices. They’ve worked with venues like The London Library, The Roundhouse, and performed at various festivals and Pride events across the UK. Whether on stage or in the workshop, S-bars creates spaces for connection, conversation, and the celebration of individual stories.

Follow S-bars on Instagram: @sbarks_

Leah (she/they) Bio:

Leah Kaya Coughlan is a 27 year old North London, queer, pisces poet who writes on Instagram under @wordsofleah. Constantly traversing the funny/sad spectrum, their work is personal and political, dramatising the inner workings of the mind, the thoughts you didn’t know you were thinking, the mundanity, agony and delight of being alive.

Follow Leah on Instagram: @wordsofleah

Arun (he/him) Bio:

Arun Jeetoo is an English teacher, facilitator, performer and writer based in London. He is an alumnus of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective. His poems feature in The Best New British and Irish Poets 2019-2021, the Commonwealth Foundation, fourteen poems and Magma.

Arun has performed at an event for Little Amal at the Roundhouse (2021), The Last Word Festival (2022), #Kindfest 2022 and Camden Inspire (2022-2024). He was Ink, Sweat & Tears’ Pick of the Month (November 2023) and part of the Mehfil Resonates Art of Resistance cohort with Rich Mix promoting solidarity and resistance through a range of artistic practices. (2024).

Arun’s debut pamphlet I Want to Be the One You Think About at Night was published by Waterloo Press (2020)

Follow Arun on Instagram: @g2poetry

• Booking is essential and you will be asked to present your booking confirmation upon arrival.
• Pen to Print and our partners reserve the right to remove participants who are disruptive to a session.
• Pen to Print shall not be liable to attendees for any injury, loss or damage of or to personal equipment belonging to the attendees or any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever arising out of the attendance of the event.
• Pen to Print reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone the event for any reason, including adverse weather conditions, an emergency situation or unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances out of its reasonable control. In such cases, the event organiser will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible.