Apples and Snakes

Apples and Snakes, based at the Albany Theatre in Deptford, south-east London, is an organisation for performance poetry and the spoken word in England.[4] It has been described as the main organisation promoting performance poetry in Britain.[5] Set up in 1982 by a group of poets, the organisation has been "the development ground for many high profile poets and spoken word artists" and others, including John Agard, Jean "Binta" Breeze, Malika Booker, Billy Bragg, Charlie Dark, Inua Ellams, Phill Jupitus, Lemn Sissay, Kae Tempest, Mike Myers, Toby Jones and many more.[6]

Apples and Snakes
Formation1982. An England-wide organisation since 2002
Typeculture and arts
Legal statusregistered charity
PurposeTo stretch the boundaries of poetry in education and performance, by inspiring participation and giving voice to a diverse range of dynamic spoken word artists
HeadquartersThe Albany, Douglas Way, London SE8 4AG
Region served
England
Joint Directors
Lisa Mead and Robert Saunders[1]
Budget
£830,896[2]
Staff
14 nationally[3]
Websiteapplesandsnakes.org

Run by a board of trustees chaired by Kerry Featherstone,[2] Apples and Snakes has been a registered charity since 1986.[7] It currently receives over £400,000 funding annually, as a national portfolio organisation, from Arts Council England.[8]

History

Apples and Snakes was launched in 1982,[9] with its first poetry performance, at the Adam's Arms pub in Conway Street in central London.[10] It is currently one of the organisations resident at the Free Word Centre.[11]

In 1984 it organised a poetry performance at Glastonbury Festival and at Elephant Fayre, Cornwall. A Miner’s Benefit concert was organised at the Purcell Room, South Bank the same year. An Anti-Apartheid benefit was organised at the South Bank in 1985. In 2001 it organised a performance poetry event on London Buses.[12] In 2013 it organised a series of events for young poets on climate change.[13] In conjunction with the National Portrait Gallery and the National Literacy Trust, it organised a series of poetry events designed to complement Picture the Poet, a photographic exhibition that was displayed at the National Portrait Gallery and, in autumn 2014, at Sheffield's Graves Art Gallery.[14][15]

Publications

Apples & Snakes: Raw and Biting Cabaret Poetry published 1984 by Pluto Press, design by Neville Brady. Second edition published 1987.

  • Paul Beasley (editor). The Popular Front of Contemporary Poetry: Anthology, Apples and Snakes, 1992. ISBN 0951888102, ISBN 9780951888100, 239 pp. Published to celebrate Apples and Snakes' 10th anniversary.[16]

In 1993, Black Spring Press published Velocity: The Best of Apples & Snakes, an anthology of works by contemporary poets who had performed for Apples and Snakes.[17]

Notes and references
  1. applesandsnakesblog.org
  2. "Financial Accounts for 2013/14". Apples and Snakes. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. "30 years of spoken word with Apples and Snakes". Apples and Snakes. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  4. Barlow, Gavin (11 June 2012). "A stake in Deptford". ArtsProfessional. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. Hollingshead, Iain (9 October 2009). "Standing up for pure poetry". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. "Apples and Snakes turns 30", ARC, Stockton Arts Centre, 15 February 2011.
  7. Registered charity number 294030. "Apples and Snakes". Open Charities. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  8. "Apples and Snakes". NPOs. Arts Council England. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  9. Bommarito, Megan (12 May 2014). "Resident Organisation of the Month: Apples and Snakes". Albany Theatre, Deptford. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  10. "Landmarks in London". Poetry Landmarks of Britain. Poetry Society. 2003. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  11. "Reskidents" Archived 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Free Word.
  12. Naffis-Sahely, André (2011). "Francesca Beard". Literature. British Council. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  13. "Cape Farewell, Apples and Snakes, Poetry Society and Rich Mix present Switch". News. Poetry Book Society. 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  14. "Putting words into pictures". Sheffield Telegraph. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  15. "Apples and Snakes & Word Life Present: Picture the Poet Live". "What's On", Museums Sheffield. November 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  16. "Sixty after sixty". Poetry Society. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  17. "Velocity: The Best of Apples & Snakes". Black Spring Press. 1993. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
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