Free Word

An intimate look at youth and womanhood, exploring desire, sex, friendship and alienation with writers Margarita Gracia Robayo, Sharlene Teo and Sarvat Hasin.

Part 2 of 'Our Bodies Will Not Be Policed'

Throughout history, cultures and continents, women’s bodies have been policed. In this digital age of social media and online profiles, to be in the public sphere as a woman is to be subjected to unwarranted commentary, critique and abuse. Join us for the second part of 'Our Bodies Will Not Be Policed' as Young People’s Laureate for London Momtaza Mehri leads a frank, open discussion with Photographer and Poet Amaal Said and Journalist, Poet and Senior Editor of Novara Media, Eleanor Penny.

Part 1 of 'Our Bodies Will Not Be Policed'

Throughout history, cultures and continents, women’s bodies have been policed. In this digital age of social media and online profiles, to be in the public sphere as a woman is to be subjected to unwarranted commentary, critique and abuse. Young People’s Laureate for London Momtaza Mehri curates a rebellious, unapologetic and exhilarating event response to these issues with performances and frank, open discussions, joined by Photographer and Poet Amaal Said and Journalist, Poet and Senior Editor of Novara Media, Eleanor Penny.

In a society dominated by the politics of fear and shame – how are black, brown, Muslim and working class groups forced into silence? What language must be created between ourselves – outside of oppression and beyond hurt – to hear each other and transform the world over?

Join writer and arts educator Farzana Khan, former Young People’s Laureate for London, Selina Nwulu, Dr Azeezat Johnson and singer/song-writer Promi Ferdousi for powerful, inspiring discussions and performances, in response to Farzana’s debut piece “Revolutionary Mothering: Staying Alive in Violent Times”.

This event is part of our THIS IS PRIVATE Season.

How is music that reflects the lives of marginalised youths on inner-city estates treated in the UK?

“This is how it’s been from the beginning, it’s just that everyone is hearing about it now.”

South London rapper Giggs spoke out in 2010 about the forced cancellations of his shows by the Met Police using the risk assessment Form 696. 8 years later, Form 696 has been scrapped, yet UK drill groups are being banned from YouTube and in some cases prohibited from making music without police approval, in case of lyrics that “encourage violence”.

How is music that reflects the lives of marginalised youths on inner-city estates treated in the UK, and what does this say about the censoring of certain voices and communities? With Grime MC P Money, DJ A.G, Drill Producer Carns Hill and Journalist Ciaran Thapar.

This is an audio recording of a Free Word and TRENCH pre-season event for THIS IS PRIVATE, and part of Banned Books Week UK.

The closing speech from Roma Backhouse, Director of Free Word.

Hear from curators and our translator-in-residence about what the British Library can do for you.

This session will introduce some of the extensive resources available to translators and explore their potential for use across a wide range of research, educational, professional and creative work. The Library’s collections include archives of literary translators, sound and oral history recordings, a vast array of print publications in most written languages of the world, historical dictionaries and much more.

With Rachel Foss, Head of Contemporary Archives and Manuscripts, British Library, Jen Calleja, Translator in Residence, British Library, and colleagues Pardaad Chamsaz, Deborah Dawkin and Teresa Vernon.

TRANSLATOR OR ACTIVIST? Join PEN staff for an informal session on the crossover between translation and activism.

For more than 50 years, PEN has been campaigning on behalf of writers at risk around the world - whether imprisoned, on trial, subject to threats or whose work is banned. Translation has always been a crucial component of this work: helping to inform the outside world of their situation, facilitating contact with their families and legal teams, and giving a voice to those that have been silenced.

In more recent years, PEN has also worked with displaced writers and those living in exile, many of whom have themselves been at risk in their own countries and often struggle to have their voices heard here in the UK.

During this informal session, we will discuss the various ways in which translators can support PEN’s work and, more generally, use their linguistic skills for good.

The panel assesses the cultural impact made by the literature of the vast, Arab-speaking region with its multiple countries and histories, on a global English-language readership that has become increasingly ready to engage with literature in translation. Which works are translated into English and to what extent do they challenge or perpetuate stereotypes? Does ‘the Arab world’ as conveyed through the books we see published give us the whole picture - or are there many other works in Arabic which deserve to be translated? Which authors and narratives are privileged over others, and which ones get left out? How do titles make their way into the English-language market, who are the gatekeepers who decide what is translated, why and when?

Panel: Ali Bader (author and publishing editor), Alice Guthrie (translator, producer of Shubbak festival’s

literary programme), Marcia Lynx Qualey (ArabLit blog), Wen-Chin Ouyang (academic, SOAS)

Chair: Bidisha (writer, journalist, broadcaster)

With support from The Arab British Centre

Welcomes And Introduction to International Translation Day 2017.