☀️ Woolwich Words & Sounds 2022 ☀️
is officially just around the corner!

Coming to you live at Woolwich Works from Friday 15 July to Sunday 31 July, we have three weeks packed full of music, stand-up comedy and spoken word, with some family events thrown in for good measure.

Music

Starting with our music programme, the festival kicks off on Friday 15 July with the sublime Laura Misch, deftly lacing future jazz, alternative pop and dreamy electronica into a mesmerising stew.

Legendary jazz saxophonist Bob Mintzer joins forces with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra to play some of his iconic big band compositions and arrangements written over a fifty year career and rarely heard live in the UK, plus music from the Emma Rawicz Quintet.

Jake Isaac will be here with his latest album 'Honesty' with support from Lucy McWilliams, Penguin Cafe are stopping by on their UK tour, and three of London's most exciting young singer-songwriters, Reuben James, Bel Cobain and Faye Meana share the stage for one night.

Norman Jay MBE + Dennis Bovell will be bringing an evening of good tunes, good vibes and good times. Pure natural talent, entrancing presence, and force of nature Alice Russell is here for the last weekend of the festival!

One of the rising talents of the UK Jazz scene Noya Rao plays Woolwich Works, and not one, but two of London's most exciting Afro-Latin jazz bands, Colectiva + Cubafrobeat will be here too!

And don't miss the chilled out lo-fi sounds of Kemi Ade and bb sway, a night of two emerging singer songwriters with Tom Ford and Eddy Luna, plus two unique takes on time-honoured musical traditions from around the globe with Sam Lee and Soumik Datta.

Comedy

Bringing the laughs to Woolwich is the brill Jamali Maddix with Fern Brady, Alfie Brown, Lara Ricote and Leo Reich for an unmissable line-up of five of the funniest comedians in the country right now.

And the fabulous Jayde Adams and Friends brings together a truly fabulous selection of her fellow five-star and multi-talented funny people for a sensational night of comedy, with Sindhu Vee plus a VERY special secret guest... (trust us, you won't want to miss finding out who!)

Spoken Word

Representing the Words side of the festival is best-selling writer and performance poet-sensation Sophia Thakur with Theresa Lola and MOAK, two of the UK's most exciting spoken word artists, for Sophia's unique live show.

Poet, writer and educator Anthony Anaxagorou starts a conversation between poets whose work shares certain themes and offers us fresh perspectives on the world around us, on Sunday 24 July with Vanessa Kisuule and Joelle Taylor and closing the festival on Sunday 31 July with Lucy Mercer and Will Harris.

Malika's Poetry Kitchen returns to Woolwich Works! Enjoy poems cooked up in the Kitchen with Arji Manuelpillai, Charlotte Ansell, Michelle Penn, and Desree. Stirring the pot will be head chef, Jill Abram, Director of MPK since 2010.

Family

For the little ones, we have All Aboard and The Adventures of Mangolina brought to you by Discover Children's Story Centre with storytelling and colouring.

And don't miss Woolwich Words & Sounds in the Park - our a free, outdoor day festival at Gallion’s Park in Thamesmead on Saturday 16 July. Get involved with workshops in hula-hooping, circus skills and children's mindfulness, poetry talks and live music from some of Woolwich Works' favourites!

Back at Woolwich Works throughout the 3-week festival, enjoy incredible street food and a pop-up bar in the sunshine of our courtyard. We can't think of a better way to spend a summer afternoon or evening.

Get ready for South East London's event of the summer - we'll see you in Woolwich!