12 February 2010

Reverend debates culture in Sheffield

The influence culture can have on a city, its musicians, writers, performers and artists, is the subject of a free debate later this month, led by key creative figures from Sheffield and beyond.

As Sheffield bids to become the first ever UK City of Culture in 2013, Sheffield City Council´s Off the Shelf Festival of Writing and Reading and the University of Sheffield have joined forces to organise the Culture Debate, Sunday February 21, to discuss the role of culture in defining a city – both in Sheffield and internationally.

Panel guests include Jon McClure from Reverend and The Makers (who will close the debate with an acoustic session); Paulette Edwards, broadcaster; Sandra Newton from Museums Sheffield; Kwame Dawes (corr), Jamaican poet and Bob Marley specialist; Paul Allen, broadcaster and Caroline Cooper Charles of Warp X Films.

Chair of the panel, Mark Jones, founder of the Wall of Sound record label, said: "I´ve always been drawn to Sheffield, a city where the culture has produced great bands like The Human League, Arctic Monkeys, Reverend and the Makers, Heaven 17 and countless others. It makes me wonder what it is about a city that produces a certain type of music and I´m thinking it´s something to do with the industrial environment that the music comes out of. I´ve asked myself the question over and over and over again, and I´m still fascinated by finding out the answer…maybe the Debate will help me find it out."

The free event opens at 4pm with a live DJ set and bar before the Debate starts at 5pm. Tickets are available from Sheffield City Hall box office 0114 2789789 and at www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk. A limited number of tickets may be available on the door. There will be a charity collection for the Haiti appeal.

Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism from Sheffield City Council said: "Sheffield is a city where everyone matters, and this is a great chance to have your say about culture and to hear some lively debate from this great panel."

Kwame Dawes will be staying over in Sheffield for another event the next day. He will be reading from his critically acclaimed collections at the University of Sheffield´s Union of Students at 7pm. Tickets cost £7 (£4 concessions) and are available by telephone from 0114 222 8777 or online at www.shef.ac.uk/union/services/box-office.php

Kwame´s work is profoundly influenced by the rhythms and textures of Jamaica where he is the programming director of the Calabash International Literary Festival. His book, Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius, remains the most authoritative study of this legendary reggae artist´s lyrics.

Kwame Dawes said: "It is always energising to meet people around literature when I visit the UK, and so I am really looking forward to being in Sheffield and having the chance to share my work and discuss the place of literature, especially poetry, in this complex and constantly changing world of ours."

Notes for Editors: The Culture Debate will be held at Sheffield City Hall (Memorial Hall) on Sunday February 21; Doors (with DJ & Bar): 4pm. Debate: 5pm

Tickets for The Culture Debate are free and available from Sheffield City Hall Box Office: 0114 2789 789

Kwame Dawes poetry reading will be held at The Fusion, University of Sheffield Students´ Union, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 on Monday February 22at 7pm.
Tickets for Kwame Dawes Reading are available from: The Fusion Box Office on 0114 222 8777 or from their website at: www.shef.ac.uk/union/services/box-office.php and cost: £7.00/£4.00 (concessions).

Both events are presented by Off the Shelf Festival of Writing and Reading in association with the University of Sheffield.

Off the Shelf is Sheffield´s annual celebration of writing and reading; one of the North´s most prestigious, innovative, exciting and popular literary festivals. The festival offers a wide ranging programme including author events, readings, debate, poetry, workshops, walks, talks, exhibitions, storytelling, competitions, events for children and young people and more. For more information about Off the Shelf visit: www.offtheshelf.org.uk

For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer at the University of Sheffield, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk or Philippa Godfrey, Communications Service on 07764 659183 or 0114 205 3545. E-mail: philippa.godfrey@sheffield.gov.uk

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