Norwich-based online arts programme ASSEMBLY ONLINE continues with an international poetry reading hosted by a Norwich-based poet

Poets from across the world are joining for a special arts event hosted by Norwich arts charity The Assembly House Trust on Thursday.

The live stream event will be hosted by Norwich-based Cai Draper with international poets including Rachel Long, Andrew Bagoo, Jakky Bankong-Obi and Pratyusha.

ASSEMBLY ONLINE is a live stream series of arts events hosted and funded by arts charity The Assembly House Trust which includes talks, screenings, discussions, performances, critical readings and poetry.

The free-to-view programme, which began during lockdown, sees live events broadcast from artists’ homes to viewers’ homes. The live stream video event is open to everyone and can be joined via YouTube at 7.30pm on August 20 here.

Cai Draper is a poet from South London living in Norwich after completing an MA in Creative Writing (poetry) at the University of East Anglia.

His poems have been published in Draft Lomdon, PNYX and Burning House Press, among others, and he organises free poetry workshops at Norwich independent bookshopThe Book Hive.

Rachel Long is a poet and the founder of Octavia - Poetry Collective for Womxn of Colour which is housed at The Southbank Centre, in London.

Rachel’s poetry and prose have been published widely, most recently in Mal, Granta, and The Poetry Review. Her debut collection is ‘My Darling from the Lions’ is forthcoming from Picador, in August 2020.

Pratyusha is an Indo-Swiss writer based in London. Her latest pamphlet, Bulbul Calling, was published with Bitter Melon Press in 2020. She co-edits amberflora and writes poetry, prose, and reviews.

Jakky Bankong-Obi writes from Abuja, Nigeria. Her poems have been featured and forthcoming in London Grip, The Kalahari Review, Amberflorazine, Zarf Poetry, Gutter Magazine, Hobartpulp, Pidgeonholes, Memento; An Anthology of Contemporary Nigerian Poetry and others.

Andre Bagoo is the author of four books of poetry including BURN and Pitch Lake. His essay collection, The Undiscovered Country, is published by Peepal Tree Press.