Jawdance Launches at Brixton House with Kat François in 2026 South London

Key Points

• Apples and Snakes is launching a new monthly summer season of performance poetry at Brixton House.
• The event, titled Jawdance, brings together established names and emerging voices on the same stage.
• Acclaimed artist Kat François will host the launch night on 20 May.
• The opening line-up includes Caleb Femi, Bridget Minamore and Jerome Scott.
• A resident DJ will also feature as part of the evening.
• The season is described as a space for raw truths, live energy and a shared sense of the moment.
• Each Jawdance event is said to create a unique atmosphere shaped by the performers and the audience.
• The announcement underlines Apples and Snakes’ continued focus on spoken word and live performance poetry.

London (The Londoner News) May 9, 2026 – Apples and Snakes is bringing a new summer chapter of performance poetry to south London, with Jawdance set to take over Brixton House in a monthly season built around live connection, wordcraft and music. The launch night on 20 May will be hosted by Kat François, the acclaimed artist known for her commanding stage presence, and will feature performances from Caleb Femi, Bridget Minamore and Jerome Scott, alongside a resident DJ.

What is Jawdance?

Jawdance is presented as an electric performance poetry night designed to unite familiar names with fresh voices. The event is being launched by Apples and Snakes, one of the UK’s best-known spoken word organisations, as part of a new monthly summer season at Brixton House.

The concept, as described in the announcement, is not simply about putting poets on a stage. It is about creating an atmosphere where live performance, rhythm and audience energy combine to produce something singular.

The organisers say each Jawdance event will develop in its own way, shaped by the people on stage and the mood in the room.

That sense of immediacy is central to the appeal. Jawdance is being positioned as a night of “raw truths” and a “you had to be there” connection, suggesting that the experience is intended to feel ephemeral and unrepeatable rather than scripted or formulaic.

Who is hosting the launch night?

Kat François will host the opening event on 20 May at Brixton House. François is described in the announcement as an acclaimed artist, and her role as host signals a carefully curated evening designed to balance energy, presence and artistic credibility.

As reported by Apples and Snakes, François will guide the audience through a line-up that brings together some of the most recognised figures in contemporary spoken word and poetry performance.

Her involvement adds weight to the launch, while also linking the event to a wider tradition of live literary performance in London.

The choice of host matters because Jawdance is being sold not merely as a reading series, but as a live cultural occasion.

A strong host helps hold together the pace of the night, connect artists across styles and maintain the sense of momentum that performance poetry events often rely on.

Who is performing on 20 May?

The launch night will feature performances from Caleb Femi, Bridget Minamore and Jerome Scott.

Caleb Femi is widely known for his work as a poet, filmmaker and cultural voice with a strong presence in contemporary British arts. Bridget Minamore is also an established poet and performer whose work often explores identity, memory and social experience.

Jerome Scott brings additional creative energy to the bill, adding to the sense that the night will blend different voices and approaches.

According to the event description, the launch line-up is designed to show the range that Jawdance wants to champion. It brings together artists with established reputations and stage confidence, while still keeping the door open to the kind of freshness that gives spoken word events their edge.

The inclusion of a resident DJ is also significant. It suggests that Jawdance will not be limited to poetry alone, but will lean into the wider live-event format where music and performance move alongside one another.

That combination could help create the “electric” mood the organisers are aiming for.

Why is Apples and Snakes launching this season?

Apples and Snakes is using Jawdance to launch a new monthly summer season, reinforcing its position as a major force in spoken word and performance poetry in the UK.

The organisation has long been associated with supporting poets, performers and live literary culture. By introducing a summer season at Brixton House, it is extending that mission into a format that appears both accessible and ambitious. The event is built to showcase artistic variety while also encouraging repeat attendance across the season.

As described in the announcement, Jawdance is meant to feel alive to the moment. That gives the programme a clear identity: each event will likely respond to the performers, the audience and the energy of the night rather than follow a fixed template. This makes the season feel contemporary and responsive, which may be one reason the organisers see it as a strong draw.

What makes Jawdance different?

Jawdance is being framed as more than a standard poetry night. The organisers say it offers “a night bursting with raw truths” and builds

“a thrilling ‘you had to be there’ connection and magic”.

That language points to a deliberately immersive experience. Instead of treating poetry as something static or overly formal, Jawdance appears to embrace the unpredictability and emotional force of live delivery. The emphasis is on atmosphere, performance and shared experience.

In practical terms, that could mean a night where the audience plays an important role in shaping the energy in the room.

Spoken word often works best when there is direct exchange between performer and crowd, and Jawdance seems designed to foreground exactly that dynamic.

The name itself also carries a certain force. It suggests impact, rhythm and confidence, all of which fit the kind of event Apples and Snakes appears to be building at Brixton House.

Where is the event taking place?

The launch night will be held at Brixton House in south London. Brixton has long been associated with cultural vibrancy, community arts and diverse creative expression, making it a fitting location for a poetry night built around energy and connection.

Brixton House has become an important venue for contemporary performance and live arts, and the setting adds to the significance of the season launch. For an event like Jawdance, venue atmosphere matters almost as much as the performers themselves. The physical space can shape how the audience listens, responds and remembers the night.

The choice of south London also reinforces the event’s urban identity. Jawdance is being launched in a part of the capital known for its creative pulse, which may help it attract audiences already interested in live performance, literature and music-led cultural events.

What does this mean for spoken word?

The launch of Jawdance reflects the continuing strength of spoken word as a live art form.

Over the past decade, performance poetry has moved further into mainstream cultural spaces, with festivals, theatres and arts organisations increasingly presenting spoken word as a serious and popular form of live expression.

Apples and Snakes has played a central role in that shift, helping to create platforms where poetry can reach wider audiences without losing its immediacy.

Jawdance appears to build on that momentum by offering a format that feels both curated and flexible. By mixing established names with newer talent, and by placing music alongside poetry, it creates a show that can appeal to regular spoken word followers as well as curious newcomers.

That balance is important. It gives the event credibility while also making it feel open and accessible. For arts organisations, that combination can be difficult to achieve, but it is often what keeps live cultural programming relevant.

How is the event being promoted?

The language used to present Jawdance is vivid and deliberate. It talks about “raw truths”, “stellar artists” and “fresh talent”, all of which signal a show that wants to feel urgent and alive.

The repeated emphasis on uniqueness is also notable. By saying each Jawdance evolves differently, the organisers are promising variety from month to month.

That approach can help build audience loyalty, since attendees may feel that missing one edition means missing a completely distinct experience.

As reported by Apples and Snakes, the event is not simply a one-off launch but the beginning of a monthly summer season. That gives the announcement wider significance, because it indicates a longer-term commitment rather than a single evening of programming.

Who is the target audience?

Jawdance is likely aimed at a broad audience of poetry fans, live arts followers and younger cultural audiences looking for something immersive and socially engaged.

The combination of spoken word, performance energy and DJ-led atmosphere suggests a format that may appeal to people who enjoy nights out that feel both artistic and social. The event’s branding also implies a contemporary sensibility, which could help it connect with audiences that value authenticity and live spontaneity.

At the same time, the involvement of artists such as Caleb Femi and Bridget Minamore gives the night strong literary and cultural credibility. That blend may be one of the key reasons Apples and Snakes is confident about the season’s potential.

What comes next?

The key date to note is 20 May, when Kat François will host the opening Jawdance event at Brixton House.

If the launch succeeds, the summer season could become a regular fixture for London’s spoken word calendar. The format is clearly designed to invite repeat visits, with each month offering a fresh combination of performers and audience chemistry.

For now, the announcement marks another example of how live poetry continues to evolve in the UK. Rather than remaining confined to books or formal readings, it is being presented here as a shared, high-energy cultural experience. That is what Jawdance appears to offer: not just poetry on stage, but a night shaped by performance, music and the immediacy of the moment.

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