The Festival of The Beats takes place between 31st January and 3rd February, a celebration of the “Beat Generation” and the legacy it has left.

The Festival aims to bring the style, spirit and philosophy of the generation to a new contemporary audience, through live poetry recitals and performances, Jazz music, Film screenings, exhibitions of art and artefacts and debate panels. The events will be held in various locations around Ipswich including, Coffee shops, Pubs, Art venues and many others, stemming out from the hub of Ipswich Town Hall Galleries.

The Beats had a gathering and followers who frequented “Orwell Books” which was in Upper Orwell Street in Ipswich. The Beat Generation saw their followers create their own hang outs and hubs, where they shared their creativity, lives and experiences. The Beats were centred in America and as they explored the world hangouts formed in locations around Europe with “Orwell Books” being a rare hangout outside of a major city. Some of the most significant figures and influences of the “Beat Generation” were poets, writers, artists and jazz musicians.

There is currently no formal festival to celebrate the “Beat Generation” in the United Kingdom, so this will be one of a kind and we believe with the recent release of films such as “Howl” 2011, which is an Allen Ginsburg poem, “On the Road” 2012, a manuscript produced by Jack Kerouac and “The Big Sur” 2013, a book by “Jack Kerouac” the “Beat Generation” has already begun to be introduced to a new contemporary audience, which we will be able to enhance upon through the festival.

We are holding some open sessions and we hope Musicians and poets/lyricists of all abilities will come along and use this time/space to work on collaborations together.