Morning Breaks: Lemn Sissay at TEDxSalford

Dr Lemn Sissay MBE is associate artist at Southbank Centre, patron of The Letterbox Club and The Reader Organisation, ambassador for The Children's Reading Fund, trustee of Forward Arts Foundation and inaugural trustee of World Book Night. He has been a writer from birth and foremost a poet.

Lemn is author of a series of books of poetry alongside articles, records, broadcasts, public art, commissions and plays. Sissay was the first poet commissioned to write for London Olympics. His Landmark Poems are installed throughout Manchester and London. They can be seen in The Royal Festival Hall and The Olympic Park. His Landmark Poem, 'Guilt of Cain', was unveiled by Bishop Desmond Tutu in Fen Court near Fenchurch St Station. His award winning play 'Something Dark' directed by National Theatre of Wales artistic director John McGrath has been performed throughout the world and his stage adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah's Novel 'Refugee Boy' at West Yorkshire Playhouse tours Britain in 2014. He has made various BBC Documentaries on or with writers such as Gil Scott Heron, The last Poets, JB Priestley, Edgar Allan Poe and poetry films broadcast to the nation. His head is in London where he's based, his heart is in Manchester where he is not, his soul is in Addis and his vibe is in New York where his mother lives. He blogs openly for personal reasons.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

CREDITS:

Curators: Mishal Saeed & Uzair F. Butt
Technical Lead: Mark Earnshaw
Camerawork: Nathan Rae & Team -
Post production: Elliott Wragg -
Audio restoration: Jorge Polvorinos -