Award-winning poet Desree invites you to the highly anticipated launch of Altar, her debut poetry collection published by Bad Betty Press. This evening will be a celebration of words, rhythm, and community, featuring an incredible lineup of guest artists.
Expect an evening filled with powerful storytelling, raw emotion, and thought-provoking performances that honour the themes of Altar. Whether you're a longtime poetry lover or new to the scene, this event promises to be an unforgettable gathering of voices, creativity, and shared experiences.
Featuring:
@Desree
Desree is an award-winning writer, spoken word artist, educator, and producer from London and Slough. A dynamic voice in contemporary poetry, she has graced stages from the Royal Albert Hall to Glastonbury Festival, where she was Poet in Residence in 2022. An alumna of Born::Free, Jerwood Arts, and the Obsidian Foundation, Desree’s work has been featured on Sky Arts, BBC Radio Berkshire, and in publications such as JOY//US: Poems of Queer Joy and Ink Sweat & Tears. Now, with the release of her highly anticipated debut collection, Altar (Bad Betty Press, 2025), she invites readers to her Altar.
@Troy Cabia
Troy Cabida is the author of War Dove (Bad Betty Press, 2020) and Symmetric of Bone (fourteen poems, 2024), the PBS Pamphlet Choice for Spring 2025. His work appears or is forthcoming in & Change, berlin lit, StepAway, Poetry Birmingham, Seaford Review, 100 Queer Poems, and Tiffany & Co. His debut collection, Neon Manila, is forthcoming with Nine Arches Press in 2025.
@Mr Sols
Dauda Ladejobi (Sols) is an Award winning, Nigerian born poet and workshop leader from East London. He has performed his poetry at the Rich mix, Barbican and Roundhouse along with various other venues and festivals around London and the UK including Edinburgh and Camden Fringe. He also spearheads the Spoken, Not Stirred team that run monthly Open Mic events in London and workshops with schools, colleges and community groups.
Hosted By:
@Eljae
Eljae is a poet, cultural curator, and community organiser, in search of the perfect hot chocolate. With an expansive creative practice, she has recently been the contributing poet for Senegal for Sudan's #DrawAlong. Eljae was also poetry cohort lead and co-curator for Moving Forward Sudan's 2024/5 fundraiser exhibition: Roots and Realities. She is currently working on her first poetry pamphlet; meanwhile, her poems can be read on Sapelo Square, in adda magazine, and The Colour of Madness amongst others.