English PEN launches Modern Literature Festival

English PEN has launched its first ever English PEN Modern Literature Festival which will see UK-based writers present new works in tribute to writers at risk around the world.

As part of The Enemies Project, over 30 contemporary writers, poets, novelists, playwrights and artists will come together to celebrate English PEN's Writers at Risk programme. The programme campaigns on behalf of writers and other literary professionals who are “unjustly persecuted, harassed, imprisoned, and in the most extreme cases murdered in violation of their right to freedom of expression.”

The festival will be held in Venue One, Rich Mix Arts Centre on 2nd April 2016 and will see each of the writers present an original piece – poetry, text, reportage, performance – in response to the writer at risk with whom they have been paired.

Emily Berry will be speaking about Raif Badawi, Mark Waldron about Zhu Yufu and Caleb Klaces will be speaking on Jorge Olivera Castillo.

The event is free. The Enemies Project is about the possibilities of poetry in collaboration and has seen over 500 poets, artists, photographers and musicians participate in over 200 events across the world.