• Duration: 1hr 30min
  • Tickets: Standard £10 | Pay more £15 | Pay less £5
  • Company: Cia Mangat
  • Details
  • Parking & Access

Details

Join us for an evening of poetry facilitated by Cia Mangat and headlined by Aliyah Begum & Bhumika Bhilla, followed by an Open Mic. Immerse yourself in an evening of beautiful and powerful poetry, community and wholesome vibes!
Bring a poem and perform at our open mic.

Grab a warm cup of Karak chai or a delicious snack from our cafe!
Whether you’re coming from the 3pm performance of Before the Millennium or moving into the 7.30pm performance after this event, this is an evening of poetry you will not want to miss!

Cia Mangat is a poet from London. Her work has been published in fourteen poems, gal-dem, Propel, and bath magg, and has been broadcast by the BBC. She founded and edited Zindabad, a zine for people in diasporas worldwide, and facilitates writing and zine-making workshops. Her debut pamphlet Lobe is out with The Poetry Business.

Sign up for the open mic by adding your name, once you arrive on the day.

Bhumika Billa is a poet, creative facilitator, kathak dancer, filmmaker & legal academic. A Button Poetry Grand Champion (2023), Out-Spoken Prize Finalist (2023), and BBC Words First finalist (2021), her poems on page, on stage, and on screen have been platformed in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Greece & India. She has been commissioned by Amnesty International, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and Apples and Snakes among others to creatively and critically explore intersections of human rights, identity, technology, and climate justice.

Aliyah Begum is a poet from Birmingham who has appeared at COP26, Verve Poetry Festival, and on BBC Bitesize. In 2022, she was a Young Critic for the T.S. Eliot Prize in partnership with the Poetry Society, and her writing has been published in And Other Poems and Poetry London. She recently took part in BBC Write Across, a scheme aimed at developing a pitch document for an original TV series idea. From 2018-2020, she was Birmingham’s Young Poet Laureate.

Parking & Access

Parking

There are a number of Blue Badge parking spaces nearby on Beaumont Street, and more on New Inn Hall Street and St Giles.

The closest car park is Gloucester Green Car Park, accessed via Gloucester Street.

If you have any questions or concerns, the City Council’s Access Officer can be reached at 01865 249811.

Getting here

We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, but we need your help. Use ecoway, our sustainable travel planner, to see the most eco-friendly options for your journey to Old Fire Station, and plan a bespoke and flexible route. ecoway is easy to use and you’ll be kept up to date with any disruption or changes to your journey plan.

Car parks in Oxford Blue Badge information Public transport in Oxford

Access

Disabled patrons are eligible for one free companion ticket with their booking. To book this, contact the ticket office: tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk or 01865 263990.

There are two entrances to the Old Fire Station: 40 George Street via the foyer, and on Gloucester Green via the shop. Both are step-free. If you are coming to a show, we ask that you use the George Street entrance, as the Gloucester Green entrance is not always open.

Events in the Theatre

There is level entry to the foyer of the Old Fire Station, and step-free access to the main Theatre (where most shows take place).

If you are a wheelchair user attending a sit-down show, space will be reserved for you. If you are attending a standing gig, please contact us (call the ticket office on 01865 263990 or e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk) and we will talk with you about your needs.

Events in the Studio

There is level entry into the foyer of the Old Fire Station, and step-free access to the Studio.

Events in the Loft

There are six steps leading up to the Loft space, with no lift. If you would like to discuss this to find out more, please get in touch.

The Gallery

There is step-free access to the Gallery – level entry through the George Street entrance, and via lift from the Gloucester Green entrance.

Facilities

Accessible toilet
There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor, accessible via platform lift. Other toilets are in the basement (accessible via lift).

Hearing assistance system
The Theatre is equipped with a hearing assistance system. If you have any questions about using it, please e-mail us at tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk or phone 01865 263980.

Assistance dogs
All types of assistance and guide dogs are welcome at the Old Fire Station. It would be great if you could let us know in advance if you will be bringing a working dog to any performances – just e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk.

Strobe lighting
We will warn visitors on the website and in the foyer of the venue if a performance is going to contain strobe lighting. If lighting affects you, and you have any concerns, please call the ticket office on 01865 263990 or e-mail tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk.

Chairs in the theatre
Our chairs are a standard dining-chair size, measuring 40cm deep by 37cm wide, with a metal frame. Some have arms, and some do not. They are all joined together at the sides, to form rows. If this is likely to pose a problem for you, please email tickets@oldfirestation.org.uk and we can discuss how to make your visit more comfortable.