Inspired by the communal traditions of the Caribbean fish fry – a space of gathering, music and cultural expression – join us for a poetry gathering, hosted by Writerz and Scribez, exploring the themes of our exhibition ‘Cornwallis Cloth: The Second World War in the Caribbean’.

The event will feature the following:

• 6pm-7pm: A poetry workshop hosted by Writerz and Scribez exploring the themes of the Cornwallis Cloth exhibition through poetry (limited slots available, doors open 20 minutes before)
• 7:30pm-9:30pm: Poetry performances from Kareem Parkins-Brown, Lola Oh, Tolu Agbelusi and Francis-Xavier Mukiibi (doors open 20 minutes before)

Hosted by Jemilea Wisdom-Baako, with music by Shade’ Joseph.

This event is supported by Arts Council England. 

Caribbean fish fry traditions

During World War II, the Caribbean fish fry tradition was solidified as a vital local culinary practice at port towns, where fishermen fed sailors and passengers. Due to wartime shortages, locals often used fresh fish seasoned with hot peppers and spices, bypassing battered fish in favour of fried preparations, often featuring conch, grouper, or snapper.

The Fish Fry was chosen intentionally as a cultural reference point that exists across many Caribbean islands but especially evokes spaces like Oistins in Barbados. It functions as a communal gathering centred around food, music, storytelling, performance and social connection.

Holding a similar value to the carnival tradition, this celebration is as much an act of resistance as it is a reclamation of collective joy and freedom. This aligns with themes of Cornwallis Cloth and its exploration of Caribbean histories during the Second World War, particularly the tension between empire, identity, labour and resilience.

Performers information 

Lola Oh

Lola Oh is a Black British poet, photographer and facilitator. Born to both Jamaican and Nigerian heritage, Lola currently lives in South London.

Lola uses her art to explore family, loss, identity and blackness. In her photography and poetry, Lola is interested in documenting the world around her, both in the fantastic and the ordinary.

Lola is an editor of Magma: Issue 94, which was launched in Spring 2026. Her poem, ‘Bad Daughters’ was shortlisted for The White Review’s Poet Prize. Lola is an alumni of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, Griots Well and Barbican Young Poets. She is a Roundhouse Slam Finalist, and has been featured by Apples and Snakes, BBC1xtra, and Roundhouse’s The Last Word Festival.

Kareem Parkins-Brown

Kareem Parkins-Brown. Writer. Visual artist. Obsessed with surreal Londonisms. Kareem’s poetry has taken him around Paris Saint-Germain F.C., National Literacy Trust, Museums, Galleries, Prisons, Parks, Pub Basements, Libraries. In 2025 the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan & Debbie Weekes-Bernard championed his poem ‘Love For That’ for Londo

ners to know they Loved & Wanted. His debut poetry pamphlet Oi You Lot was brought out in 2024 with Bad Betty. His Desert Island Films are Carlito’s Way and Mean Girls. He’s currently in Margate.

Francis-Xavier Mukiibi

Francis-Xavier Mukiibi is a poet and performer of Ugandan heritage from North London. He is an alumnus of the Barbican Young Poets programme, the Roundhouse Poetry Collective and the Obsidian Foundation retreat. He was the recipient of an Eric Gregory Award for his debut pamphlet, Mutabani & [ ]ther Poems (Little Betty, 2025), and won Silver in the Creative Future Writers’ Award for 2024. He produced one of 40 short poetry films as part of the Apples and Snakes Future Voices programme. His poems appear in Under the Radar, Propel Magazine, Magma and Poetry London, among others.

Tolu Agbelusi

Tolu Agbelusi is a poet and artist whose practice spans theatre, film, podcast and photography. Her poetry collection “Locating Strongwoman” was longlisted for the 2022 Pan African Writers Association Poetry Prize and she was shortlisted for the White Review Poetry Prize. Her work is concerned with the unperformed self and deconstructing received narratives, particularly on womanhood, race and social justice influenced by her experience as a human rights lawyer. Curator and producer of the Forward Prizes’ National Young Poets Summit & its development program, Tolu nurtures and supports the development of writers as editor, mentor and teacher including for Arvon, Literature Works, London Writers’ Centre, London Southbank University, Rose Bruford, Ignition Press, etc. Her artistic vision extends to screen with short films she’s scripted & directed screening internationally at Forecast International Festival Berlin, MOFAD New York and Toronto Food Film Festival. An endearing performer, she has featured on many stages including Colombia’s Medellin International Poetry Festival, Pa Gya Ghana, Cheltenham Lit Fest, etc and her work appears in journals and anthologies nationally and internationally.

This event is supported by Arts Council England