CRIPtic x London Writers Centre Salon with Jamie Hale and Abi Palmer

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Date

Saturday 28 March 2026

Time

5:30pm - 7:30pm

Costs

FREE

Location

Online

BSL Interpretation

Relaxed Performance

Captioned

Please email for any further access needs here

Join poet and founder of CRIPtic Arts Jamie Hale and acclaimed artist and writer Abi Palmer, for a special Festival edition of the CRIPtic x London Writers Centre Salon. This online session is for D/deaf and disabled writers writing in any genre, both new and more experienced.

5.30pm-6.30pm: Creative Exercises Towards A Sustainable Practice for Disabled Writers with Jamie Hale.

This imaginative workshop is designed to create an open and accessible space in which writers can explore what a sustainable creative life looks like for them – beyond expectations of productivity or traditional writing routines. The workshop will encourage you to reflect on how disability intersects with your own artistic worlds, what it brings, and what makes creating feel good, nourising, and successful.

Taking a range of work by disabled writers as provocations, you will explore how the body is written, and how a ‘crip’ lens can influence the way we – disabled or not – write our own interactions with the body. Using creative exercises framed by the work of Petra Kuppers, Sheila Black and Jillian Weise, a series of text readings, short provocations and exercises will help you start thinking about how you write the body, and leave you with some ideas to develop further.

6.30pm-7.30pm: Performance and Sharing Spots

Abi Palmer will read her work before opening up the virtual floor to the audience. Five writers will have the chance to share their work. If you’d like to share something during the sharing spots, please book your ticket and tick the box “I want to share my work” before Friday 27 February, and we will send you more information.

Abi Palmer photo credit: (C) Robin Christian

About Deptford Literature Festival

Deptford Literature Festival takes place each March and celebrates the diversity and creativity of Deptford and Lewisham through words, stories and performance. It is run by London Writers Centre in a collaboration with independent producer Tom MacAndrew, with support from the Albany, Deptford Lounge and Lewisham Libraries. The festival is part of our campaign to make Lewisham the UK’s first Borough of Literature. You can find out more about Deptford Literature Festival and see the full festival programme at: deptfordlitfest.com

Book Tickets

Artists

Jamie Hale

Jamie Hale

Jamie Hale is an award-winning part-human, part-cyborg director, theatre-maker and poet, whose work grapples with the intimacy, agency, and urgency of life. Their work reclaims wreckage, building liminal, intimate spaces. Jamie has curated, written, performed and directed at venues including the Barbican Centre, Roundhouse, HOME Manchester, Glastonbury Festival, Tate Modern, Roundhouse, and more; and is also the founding Artistic and Executive Director of CRIPtic Arts. In 2025, they were shortlisted for the Sky Arts Award for Theatre.
Abi Palmer

Abi Palmer

Abi Palmer is an artist and writer. She uses sculpture, text, film and sensory intervention to explore sick bodies, viscous textures and ecological landscapes. Artworks include mixed-media solo exhibition ‘Slime Mother,’ film series ‘Abi Palmer Invents the Weather,’ and interactive gambling arcade ‘Crip Casino’. She is the author of ‘Slugs: A Manifesto’ (Makina Books) and ‘Sanatorium’ (Penned in the Margins).

Photo credit: (C) Robin Christian

FAQs

How much will events cost?

This year, the festival is running with no public or charitable support. We have brought in a ticket price of £3 for the majority of the events to help cover some of the festival costs.
Will there be free tickets available for parents and carers?

Yes.

Children’s and family events are free for parents, guardians and carers. Tickets must be purchased for children. Parents, guardians carers must stay with their child/ children during the event.

Carers can attend for free. When booking your ticket, you can add a free carers ticket to your basket.
Are there any free events in the programme?

Six of the festival events are free to attend: Lewisham Libraries Celebrates Local Writers (Saturday 21 March), The Goldsmiths Prize Presents: Kate Briggs In Conversation (Wednesday 25 March), Poetry in the Library (Thursday 26 March) and on the festival day – Saturday 28 March: Lewisham Writers’ Link Up, Lewisham Writes: Writing the Seasons, and CRIPtic x London Writers Centre Salon.
How can I get assistance with booking a ticket?

If you are experiencing any issues with making a booking, please contact: [email protected]
Can I cancel my ticket if I can no longer attend?

Yes.

As far as possible, by booking a ticket we ask that you commit to attending, as places for in-person events are limited. If you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket so someone else can come along. Refunds on paid for tickets will be given up to Tuesday 24 March 2026.

You can manage your ticket/s by clicking on the ‘manage tickets’ link at the end of your booking confirmation email.

Read the festival’s cancellation and refunds policy: londonwriterscentre.org.uk/deptford-literature-festival-2026-refunds-and-cancellations/

Access

Will all events have BSL?

Three of our in-person events on the festival day (Saturday 28 March) will have BSL Interpretation in-place for audiences that require it: South London in Fiction; Mother Tongue: Poetry, Family and Inheritance; and Navigating Culture: Black Male Writers on Britain Today.

BSL interpretation is available on request for all other festival day (Saturday 28 March) events. If you require this, please book a ticket by Friday 6 March, and request BSL interpretation as you book. We will then arrange for this to be put in place.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?

All festival venues are wheelchair accessible, with accessible toilets.

The festival hub on Saturday 28 March, Deptford Lounge, has Changing Place facilities, an induction loop and assistance dogs are welcome. For more information: deptfordlounge.org.uk/access
Is there a break out space?

Yes.

A quiet space is available on Saturday 28 March at Deptford Lounge, in the Music Room, on the first floor.
How do I request specific access provision?

If you require additional access provision in order to attend or take part in the festival, for example, larger print handouts at workshops, or a scribe, please get in touch before the festival day at: festival@londonwriterscentre.org.uk

For more information about the access provision available, please visit: londonwriterscentre.org.uk/news/access-at-deptford-literature-festival/
Will there be access assistance on the day of the festival?

Yes.

If you require assistance on the festival day itself, Saturday 28 March, please come to the Festival Hub in the foyer of Deptford Lounge where we will be happy to help you.

Support Deptford Literature Festival

Deptford Literature Festival celebrates local talent and introduces exciting new writers from Lewisham and nearby boroughs. We want to be able to continue to offer our workshops, readings, events and community projects at a low cost. We do not want finances to be a barrier to anyone taking part. If you are in a position to make a donation, please give a gift today. Anything you give will help more people come to future festivals.

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