Long-term musical and literary collaborators CN Lester, Miss Jacqui and Jamie Hale come together in an interwoven night of songs and poetry. This richly textured show combines original and unheard music, spoken word, and poetry with covers and reimaginations of work by the disabled, black, queer and trans ancestors who sustain us. Braidings is an evening to uphold and acknowledge, to uplift, inspire, and reclaim our power.
Run time: 1.5 hours approx. with duration of performance roughly around 60 - 80 mins. Please notethis may be subject to change.
Content warning: Some of the spoken word and song lyrics refer to adult themes that may be upsetting for viewers. References to death, illness, violence, discrimination, sex and sexual violence.
Quotes:
“I was honoured to be in the room with such phenomenally talented individuals”
“I loved every second! It was magical - it was the nourishment to my ongoing aching heart. It was the revolutionary love I didn't know I needed. Thank you for a heartfelt night I'll never forget. More of this, please!”
“It was such a good night. It felt like a very special one to attend. Honestly had goosebumps throughout”
Access
This event will not include formal comfort breaks throughout its duration, however it is a relaxed event so participants are welcome to take breaks as and when needed. Live BSL interpretation will be available. This programme will be running on Crip Time. As a result, we endeavour to reschedule events should any of our contributors not feel well / experience a change in capacity in the lead up to and / or on the day of the event itself.
Tickets
In order to ensure this programme is accessible to all, we have implemented a three tiered ticketing system: Pay As You Feel, Standard tickets priced at £5.00 (plus eventbrite fee) as well as Solidarity Tickets priced at £10 (plus eventbrite fee).
If you would like to attend this event but cannot afford to purchase a paid ticket please get in touch with us directly at info@ortgallery.co.uk
About the Artists
Jamie - Jamie Hale is an award-winning poet, performer and director whose work explores physical embodiment in nature, fragility, queerness, and mortality. They write “arresting, heart-stopping poems lit with a rare intensity”, and were awarded the Evening Standard Director/Theatremaker of the Year award in 2021 for their first poetry play, NOT DYING. They’ve performed at venues including the Barbican Centre, Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, HOME Manchester, and Theatre Royal Stratford East, and founded the award-winning CRIPtic Arts. They are currently developing a new adaption of Romeo and Juliet and completing their first full poetry collection.
CN - CN Lester is a singer-songwriter whose music combines piano, voice, and lyrics to form an intimate, arresting whole. They’ve performed extensively throughout the UK, bars, galleries and coffee shops, and at venues including The Arts Club, HOME Manchester, Tate Modern, Barbican, The Royal Exchange, RVT, Dalston Superstore, and Prides from Bath to Brighton, Manchester to Happy Valley. As well as an alternative musician, they are a classical singer and composer and are working on their next album, Fellow Travellers, a novel, and a follow-up to their critically acclaimed book Trans Like Me.
Miss Jacqui - Miss Jacqui is a poet and songwriter who knows a great deal about working with the cards that you are dealt, as a black woman who uses a wheelchair. In her 15+ year career of fusing poetry and spoken word, she has performed at the 2012 Paralympic Welcoming Ceremony and Opening Ceremony, the Southbank Centre, the Barbicam and the Roundhouse. Her first EP, Perception, was “soulful and spirited”, a punchy and poignant reclamation of space. She is preparing to release her first album.
About the Programme
Crip Resistance: Holding Space, Building Community, is a programme of events exploring disabled, sick, mad, and crip modes of resistance and remote community care. From February to April 2025, this interdisciplinary collaboration between Resting Up Collective and Ort Gallery will feature a series of online events including creative workshops, artist talks, live performances, and film screenings. The programme will include a print publication documenting and expanding on the programme's themes as well as a curated collection of books for the Birmingham Resistance Library.
For further queries re this event or wider programme please get in touch with us at the following email address: info@ortgallery.co.uk