aja monet + guests

The GRAMMY-nominated surrealist blues poet and this year’s Artist in Residence will bring her debut album When The Poems Do What They Do to our Hall.

aja monet follows in the long legacy and tradition of poets participating and assembling in social movements. Known for her fusion of poetry and music, monet's work explores themes of Black resistance, love, and joy. Her debut album, When the Poems Do What They Do, released in 2023, received critical acclaim and a GRAMMY nomination for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album in 2024.

As a part of the Artist-in-Residence programme, aja monet will run a series of workshops leading up to the Festival, including a live reading with Q&A session, and a workshop with the Barbican Young Poets, offering a unique opportunity for emerging voices to learn from her powerful, politically engaged practice. The residency will culminate in a special performance in our Hall, as aja monet curates a night with special guests, to open the EFG London Jazz Festival.

Produced by the Barbican in association with Serious.

This event is suitable for audiences aged 5+. Under 14's must be accompanied by someone aged 16 or over.