London’s award-winning LGBTQ+ literary salon returns to Liverpool, in association with Writing on the Wall festival.
Founded in 2007 by author Paul Burston, Polari has appeared at the Southbank Centre, The British Library and at book festivals, bars, museums, nightclubs and theatres across the UK and beyond.
Inspired by the gay slang of the same name, Polari is a celebration of LGBTQ+ words and voices – whether written, spoken or sung. The salon also runs The Polari Prize awards – the UK’s book awards for LGBTQ+ writing.
This evening’s event features author and host Paul Burston, poet Clare Beloved, author and poet Rosie Garland and author and poet Joelle Taylor.
PAUL BURSTON is the author of six novels and four non-fiction books and the editor of two short story collections.
He’s the curator and host of award-winning LGBTQ+ literary salon Polari and founder of The Polari Prize book awards for LGBTQ+ writers.
In 2016, he featured in the British Council’s Global List of ‘33 visionary people promoting freedom, equality and LGBT rights around the world.’
His memoir ‘We Can Be Heroes’ is published by Little A and has been described by Russell T. Davies as “brutally honest” and by Bernardine Evaristo as “a compelling, hugely enjoyable memoir about a fearless life lived to the full.”
In 2026 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
CLARE BELOVED's first poetry collection ‘Love Hope and High Heels’ was published in 2010 and was shortlisted for The Polari First Book Prize. She has since published many other poetry and art books and journals .
Her ground-breaking creative work has been funded by Arts Council England, and large-scale creative projects have been rolled out through Public Health, NHS and Primary Care Teams, as well as schools, prisons and probation services. They have been highlighted as innovative and highly effective programmes for working with depression, anxiety, dementia, cancer support, LGBTQI and the trans community.
She is currently working on a project called The Bad Lesbian Widows Club.
ROSIE GARLAND writes poetry, short and long fiction, and sings with post-punk band The March Violets.
Her poetry collection ‘What Girls Do in the Dark’ (Nine Arches Press) was shortlisted for the Polari Prize 2021.
Her latest collection is ‘This Is How I Fight’ (Nine Arches Press)
Val McDermid has named Rosie one of the most compelling LGBT+ writers in the UK today.
In 2023, she was made a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature.
JOELLE TAYLOR is the author of four collections of poetry and one novel. Her collection ‘C+NTO & Othered Poems’ won the 2021 T.S. Eliot Prize, and the 2022 Polari Book Prize for LGBT authors. She is a co- curator and host of Out-Spoken Live at the Southbank Centre and tours her work nationally and internationally.
Her novel ‘The Night Alphabet’ was published in Spring of 2024 and was named both a Spectator and Guardian Book of the Year. Her most recent radio programme A Young Girl’s Guide to Horror was broadcast on BBC Radio Four.
She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and the 2022 Saboteur Spoken Word Artist of the Year. She was recently honoured with a DIVA Award for Excellence and named as number 15 in the Independent’s 2024 Pride Power list.
Her new collection ‘Maryville’ was published by Bloomsbury in 2025 and has been longlisted for the 2026 Forward Prize for Best Collection. She received a Society of Authors Cholmondeley Prize in 2026.
Please use the ramp that starts at the dry cleaners (next to Starbucks) for entrance avoiding the stairs directly in front of the venue.
This event is part of the Polari Prize 15th Birthday Showcase funded by Arts Council England.