VOICEBOX 2023

VOICEBOX is back for its third year, bringing you the best and brightest talent in a vibrant series of free events.

From short talks, chats and debates about today’s hottest topics, to comedy, music and spoken word, VOICEBOX is home to unmissable experiences and one-off moments.

Delight in pop-up performances from the biggest names and rising stars. Get creative with a drop-in workshop and laugh out loud at our comedy night. Share your ideas on the big issues or immerse yourself in an intimate music or spoken word set.

Be part of the conversation as we create change from the ground up and amplify the issues you care about. Through VOICEBOX it’s time for your voice to be heard.

All events are free, no ticket required. We can’t wait to see you.

Find out more at:

www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/voicebox

7.30 - 8.30PM

BOB AND ROBERTA SMITH:

ART MAKES

PEOPLE POWERFUL

9 - 10PM

VOICEBOX LAUGHS

VOICEBOX is back! Join us for our opening night where we’ll have exclusive giveaways and other goodies. Stay tuned @VOICEBOX___ for more details.

Don't miss this drop-in workshop with acclaimed artist Bob and Roberta Smith, whose work brings together sign writing, activism and discarded materials. Create your own piece of protest art and hear about why art is a crucial part of democratic life, and how we can use it to make us powerful.

Grab a drink and join us for laugh-out-loud stand-up. Back by popular demand, host Shirley Halse introduces a line-up of spectacular comedians. Hear from Alex Mason, and fresh from Edinburgh Fringe, Daman Bamrah and Ted Hill.

ALEX MASON

Alex Mason is a Chortle finalist with a 'thoroughly engaging persona'. She is an exciting up-and-coming comedian with an original perspective.

DAMAN BAMRAH

A British-Sikh performer with raw wit, likeability and heart, Daman Bamrah is known for his topical writing, acute observations and imaginative storytelling. His carefully crafted jokes and signature charm has led to his supporting some of the biggest names in the industry including Ria Lina, Kae Kurd and Mo Gilligan.

TED HILL

Ted Hill delivers unashamedly silly, high-energy, multimedia stand-up with a warm and disarming demeanour. In 2022 Ted took his show All the Presidents Man to Edinburgh Fringe, delighting audiences with its mix of silliness, nerdiness, pathos and videos of Ronald Reagan voicing the rat from Ratatouille. He takes silliness very seriously.

SHIRLEY HALSE

Shirley Halse is a comedian, writer and full time MILF. Sometimes spotted in a double act – literally carrying her comedy partner – she runs The Alternative Book Club and Cygnet Comedy in Cheltenham.

Right From top Left: Ted Hill, Bob and Roberta Smith, Daman Bamrah, and Alex Mason

comedy music create

2 - 2.45PM

HAZEL MEAD: WHY AREN’T WE TALKING ABOUT THIS?!

3.15 - 4PM

WORDS MATTER: ENDING MALE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

Illustrator, feminist and taboo-tackler Hazel Mead uses demystifying and empowering illustrations to answer life’s big questions. In this drop-in workshop she lifts the lid on what we secretly Google about our relationships, bodies and identities. Have a go at creating your own illustrations and hear about how Hazel uses art to start conversations and help everyone feel like they can be themselves.

Do headlines harm those we should be looking to protect? Monika Radojevic talks to the local police force, Gloucestershire Constabulary and campaign group This Ends Now about why we must change how the police and media report on incidents of male violence against women and girls. Female police staff collaborated with feminist activists to introduce Words Matter, a policy created to trigger a change in language and spark a cultural shift away from victim blaming. Learn more about their work, share your ideas and hear how the right language can create a safer society for women and marginalised genders.

4.30- 5.15PM

BODY POLITICS: WHERE NEXT?

Body positivity has hit the mainstream, but does the movement still serve those it was created for? Writer Monika Radojevic, author and mental health campaigner Poorna Bell and others consider the future of body inclusivity, exploring how we move towards a self-confidence that represents all bodies and doesn’t rely on the products, brands and lifestyles that bombard us on social media.

5.30- 6.15PM

FEMINIST INVOICING

Feel inspired by our BODY POLITICS discussion? Join founder of Feminist Invoicing and award-winning poet Monika Radojevic who will lead an empowering poetry writing workshop using an invoice-style template. Monika performs some of her work and shares tips and writing exercises to help you create your own 'invoices' that explore the unequal power dynamics that impact our everyday lives.

Find out more about the project @feministinvoicing

6.45 - 7.30PM

SOPH GALUSTIAN: NO WORRIES IF NOT

8 - 8.45PM

ISSY WINSTANLEY

9 - 9.15PM

SEKI LYNCH

9.30 - 10.45PM

LIT CRAWL

TAKEOVER: RAISE THE BAR

Actor and writer Soph Galustian (Everyone Else Burns) and (Peck’Eds) shares her funny(ish) tale of growing up as a young, queer, working-class woman. This is a story for anyone who wrestled with coming out, who accidentally killed their childhood pet or who has lost the person closest to them. Don’t miss this event with a comedy writing star of the future.

Grab a drink and hear live music from singer-songwriter Issy Winstanley. Issy fuses influences from pop, country, alternative and folk and uses her songs as a journal for life’s ups, downs and in-betweens. With two BBC Introducing ‘Track of the Week’ features and support from Youth Music and TikTok, it’s no surprise FLEX Music Blog and Music Crowns named Issy ‘one to watch’.

In the first of two spoken word sets, hear from poet and writer Seki Lynch. Seki introduces his poetry collection Under the Sun Our Hearts are Beating, which spans over ten years of loving and suffering and will be published later this year.

Lit Crawl lands at VOICEBOX for its final stop, with a dazzling and energetic set from Raise the Bar, Bristol’s biggest monthly spoken word poetry event. Don’t miss your chance to see some of the leading names on the spoken word scene.

Round off your night at the Lit Crawl afterparty at The Urban Fox, 11pm until late.

wellness inspire poet

11AM - 12PM

BEYOND WORDS: WRITE MINDS

We celebrate the benefits of writing for our mental health with former Bristol City Poet Caleb Parkin and students from local Gloucestershire secondary schools. Whether you're new to writing or looking for inspiration, drop in to VOICEBOX to pick up a copy of creative writing guide The Scribbled Self and try your hand at different writing activities designed to boost mental wellbeing.

The Scribbled Self was produced as part of Cheltenham Festivals’ Beyond Words project.

1 - 1.45PM

THE ABC OF PRIDE: ALEXIS CAUGHT x KAYZA ROSE

2.15 - 3PM

FATS TIMBO: MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY

Find your place with podcaster, author and psychotherapist Alexis Caught, and producer, director and activist Kayza Rose. Covering topics including friendship and intersectionality in the LGBTQ+ community, including taking allyship and activism beyond social media and back to the streets, join Alexis and Kayza for a session sure to be lively, engaging, and proudly queer.

TikTok megastar and comedian Fats Timbo is here to show you that you are the hero your story needs. Born with achondroplasia, through the good and the bad times, Fats has learned a few lessons which have made her fearless. Join Fats as she shows you how to bring the main character energy to your own life.

3.30 - 4.15PM

DO WE ALL NEED THERAPY?

Is 'wellness' distracting us from the real issues? With rising rates of poverty, mental illness and the need for investment in better services, research and policymaking, poet Charly Cox, writer Sophie K. Rosa and others consider the rise in mental health content on social media and ask: is the mental health movement unhelpful to people living with mental illness?

Right From top Left: Alexis Caught, Kayza Rose, Fats Timbo & Charly Cox

4.30 - 4.45PM

CHARLY COX: NOBODY ASKED FOR THIS

Nobody asked for this Whatever this is Nobody asked for this

Award-winning poet Charly Cox performs work from Nobody Asked for This. From first loves, to lost loves, to the dark humour of mental illness, Charly shares an intimate and unflinchingly honest picture of the formative experiences of womanhood and living with bipolar II disorder.

5.15 - 6PM

BENJY KUSI x DR SOPH: WELLBEING 101

6.30 - 7.15PM

ELLIE MIDDLETON: NEURODIVERSITY (UN)MASKED

Clinical psychologist Sophie Mort (Dr Soph) and inclusion and wellbeing consultant Benjy Kusi offer tips and advice on the everyday issues that affect us all. Break bad habits and cultivate better ones, stop self-sabotaging, learn why it’s not selfish to choose yourself, why impact means more than intent, and become who you want to be. They chat to Hana Walker-Brown.

Whether you're neurodivergent, suspect you might be, or want to be a better ally, join autistic and ADHD creator Ellie Middleton as she helps make sense of it all. Since being diagnosed at 24, Ellie's built an audience of 350,000+ people online and created the (un)masked community. She shares tips about how we can better understand and celebrate neurodivergence with Hana Walker-Brown.

This event will be BSL interpreted.

Right From top Left: Hana Walker-Brown, Benjy Kusi, Sophie Mort (Dr Soph) & Ellie Middleton

identity voice talk

6.30 - 7.30PM

UoG TAKEOVER: JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKS

8 - 9.30PM

UoG TAKEOVER: A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

From Homer's Odyssey to stories from the Windrush generation, books have the unique ability to capture a sense of time and place. Be swept away by readings and reflections from a range of voices as we celebrate the words that have captured journeys – both real and imagined – across the centuries and into the present day.

Experience the wonders of our ever-changing world with young people from across Gloucestershire. Hear from University of Gloucestershire students and guest writers from local schools as they share work from student anthology A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. Together, their words remind us to celebrate and learn from our differences and appreciate the rich diversity of people and societies in today’s world.

2 - 2.45PM

THE STUDENT VOICE: SPILL THE TEA WITH HAMZA YASSIN

3.30PM - 4.15PM

THE STUDENT VOICE: MY STORY, MY POWER

6.15 - 7PM

THE MUSIC WORKS PRESENTS: t.e.d.

Your favourite student-led podcast Spill the Tea is back for a live episode. Students from across Cheltenham are joined by special guest, wildlife cameraman and BBC Strictly winner Hamza Yassin. He chats about his career, his love of birdwatching and inspiring others to get out into nature.

What if our uniqueness is our biggest strength? We explore how individual experiences – from intersections like race, class and gender, to being neurodiverse or living with mental illness – can help create a better society. Students from across Cheltenham are joined by writer, director and inclusion advocate Lennina Ofori, whose work focuses on bringing voice to those in the margins, and inclusivity campaigner Charli Clement, who has lived experience of disability, neurodivergence and mental illness, to explore the power of our own story.

Hear live music from Cheltenham-based artist t.e.d.

South African-born t.e.d. produces acoustic led music with unique vocals, defying more than any one genre. t.e.d. takes influence from artists such as Raye, Daniel Caesar and YEBBA, incorporating simple contrasting rhythmic lines and synths to accompany her vulnerable lyrics and sound.

7.30 - 9.30PM

VOICEBOX x BLACK BRITISH BOOK

FESTIVAL PRESENTS:

ROOTS AND ROUTES: NAVIGATING IDENTITY AND BELONGING

One of the UK’s most exciting festivals, Black British Book Festival, takes over VOICEBOX for a night of spoken word, conversation and creativity.

In ROOTS AND ROUTES, we explore the diverse experiences of young Black millennials as they navigate their identities, cultural heritage and sense of belonging in our ever-changing world. Delving into everything from self-discovery to the influence of ancestral roots, don’t miss this very special event including appearances from:

JOHN BERNARD

Coventry-based poet and rapper John Bernard’s work commentates on social issues, youth empowerment, faith and purpose. He was recently selected as a finalist on 1Xtra and Asian Network’s BBC Words First programme.

SAFIYA KAMARIA KINSHASA

Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa is a British-born Barbadian raised poet, dancer, choreographer and researcher whose exhilarating style is a force to be reckoned with. Safiya’s debut collection Cane, Corn & Gully was published in November 2022 and is the first book to feature dance notation of the enslaved.

THE FLOOR MAGAZINE

Get creative with The Floor Magazine, an online and print publication celebrating emerging talents of colour in the literary and creative worlds.

Plus more to be announced, stayed tuned @VOICEBOX___ for more details.

Right From top Left: John Bernard, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, Ellen Miles & Lorna Tucker

discuss change action

10.30 - 11.30AM

PITTVILLE PRESS ZINES

12 - 1.30PM

BOOKTOK TAKEOVER

Zines share trailblazing ideas and connect communities through bold visuals. Celebrate all things zine culture with Pittville Press. Meet zine-makers, artists, illustrators and creators, delve into different zines, watch live illustration and be inspired to create your own zine in a drop-in workshop.

Book lovers unite! Celebrate your love of books in our BookTok takeover. Chat to content creators Emily Russell (@emilymiahreads) and Coco Hagi (@cultofbooks), and hear from some of TikTok’s hottest authors including Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen. Come away with top tips on content creation and answers to your juiciest questions, and get the inside scoop on the must-read books for your TBR pile.

2.30 - 3.15PM

ISABELLA DORTA: THE LETTERS I WILL NEVER SEND

Don’t miss the opportunity to see a live performance from TikTok poet and author Isabella Dorta. Isabella introduces her new collection The Letters I Will Never Send, poems that explore love, heartbreak, mental health and self-discovery in the form of letters. Through live performance and conversation, Isabella shares the power of leaving nothing unsaid.

Right: Isabella Dorta

3.45 - 4.45PM

BRAZEN LAUNCH PARTY:

FEAT. FERN BRADY, LORNA TUCKER, JUANO DIAZ, FLORENCE GIVEN

Get your hands on some of the hottest books before they’re published at our Brazen Launch Party. Join Brazen authors Fern Brady, Lorna Tucker and Juano Diaz, hear a very special video announcement from Florence Given and be the first to secure a chapter sampler from her new book, and receive a goody bag full of merchandise and exclusive proof copies from Brazen authors that are guaranteed to be on everyone’s must-read piles in 2024.

5.30 - 7.15PM

Drop-in

LGBTQ+ BOOKSHELF

5.30 - 5.45PM

CHELTENHAM PRIDE: VOGUEBOX

Be inspired by the conversations happening in VOICEBOX and pick up a recommended read from a selection of the hottest LGBTQ+ book picks, specially curated by Waterstones.

Cheltenham Pride presents VOGUEBOX. Celebrate the art of voguing and join us for a high energy masterclass to learn the signature moves as we celebrate this vibrant cultural movement created by black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities in the 1980s.

6 - 6.45PM

NICOLA DINAN x LIV LITTLE

7.15 - 815PM

THE QUEER TAKEOVER

Nicola Dinan’s Bellies starts as a typical boy-meets-boy, following Tom and Ming’s shifting relationship in the wake of Ming’s transition. Liv Little’s Rosewater is a queer black love story that celebrates chosen family and staying true to yourself. They discuss their debut books and the importance of bringing LGBTQ+ stories to the forefront.

Journalist, broadcaster and podcast host Jack Shute brings together LGBTQ+ voices from across Gloucestershire to reflect upon the experiences and priorities of our LGBTQ+ community.

This year, Jack is joined by trans activist and guitarist Alexandra JW and Greta Grip, drag queen and LGBTQ+ activist, to explore how we can better protect and support our trans community in the face of rising anti-trans rhetoric. Add your voice to the conversation and be inspired by our panel who are creating change for the better.

9 - 10.30PM

DRAG QUEEN BINGO

Think bingo is for old ladies with perms? Think again...

Back by popular demand, join us for an evening of fun with VOICEBOX's favourite queens RED and The Gentleman Caller. With live music, comedy, prizes and irreverence galore, these queens will tickle your funny bone and bend your concept of bingo forever.

Right From top Left: Nicola Dinan, Liv Little, Jack Shute & Juano Diaz

purposeplanplatform

word positivity

talk

10 - 11AM

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: WORDS THAT BURN

15.10.2023

Creativity has the power to amplify young voices of today, and Amnesty International UK's human rights poetry project Words That Burn has done just that. Breaking down barriers of difference, the project empowers young people to give voice to those who are suppressed and marginalised through creativity and language. Hear inspiring performances from Deanna Rodger and experience the power of poetry in the fight against injustice and inequality.

Words That Burn was developed in partnership with Cheltenham Festivals.

12 - 12.45PM

YOUNG MINDS MATTER

1.30 - 2.15PM

What does mental health mean to you? Get involved or listen in to this intimate discussion with Youth Mental Health Ambassador and doctor Alex George, award-winning mental health activist Sophia Kaur Badhan and others. They share their hopes for the future of mental health services and policy and listen to your ideas on how to better take care of our minds.

Join Planet Cheltenham’s Youth Climate Group to find out how you can take climate action today. Sharing practical tips, members Tolmeia Gregory, Ashleigh Davies and Claudia MacGregor will talk about the paths they’re on, share how everyone has a unique part to play in tackling the climate crisis, and chat about how tapping into your own interests and passions can help get you started.

Brought to you by

Left From Top: Fern Brady, Alex George, Sophia Kaur Badhan & Tolmeia Gregory

2.45 - 3.30PM

DREAM GREEN! ELLEN MILES x SOIL SNACK

4 - 4.45PM

CLIMATE, MENTAL HEALTH AND THE FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE

5.30 - 6.30PM

MIMMO STUDIOS: FASHION FOR THE PLANET

Not sure how to pick the right plants, gather a gang, or protect your patch? Tolmeia Gregory chats to activist and guerrilla gardener Ellen Miles and founder of Soil Snack Claudia MacGregor, who share their top tips for becoming a green-fingered vigilante. Explore the power of plant life and the benefits of greening our streets and neighbourhoods for wildlife and humanity.

To tackle climate chaos, we need to address the systems that can ensure we build better futures for our people and our planet. Intersectional climate activist, mental health advocate and author Tori Tsui and researcher, writer and proudly bipolar activist, Charlie Hertzog Young, talk about their work on the frontlines of eco-activism with Tolmeia Gregory.

Want to run a sustainable business, but not sure where to start? Katie Brown and Lil Gardiner established MIMMO Studios in 2021, driven by their commitment to reduce the fashion industry’s impact on the climate crisis. Whether you want to shake up your current business approach or create a more sustainable one, hear expert insights and imagine the future outside current systems.

Above From Left: Charlie Hertzog Young & Tori Tsui

FOR ALLCULTURE FOR

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