Annie Acre - Spoken Label, March 2026

 

* containing topics not suitable for all *

Latest up from Spoken Label (Author / Poetry Podcast) features making her debut, Annie Acre.

Annie Acre is a placemaker / poet and strange storyteller based in Manchester, made in Darwen, Lancashire.

She regularly performs spoken word around her adpoted city and has been published in Ink Sweat & Tears and Worktown Words. Annie is the editor of Urban Scrawl zine.

She hopes you like what she’s doing with the the place x

anniesacre.co.uk

@annies.acre

urbanscrawlmag.co.uk

@urbanscrawlmag

*

Can be heard at:

https://andynartist.substack.com/p/annie-acre-spoken-label-march-2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhr4OpQXB8 (Chat)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7YvjDMOEaA (Reading)

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/annie-acre-spoken-label-march-2026/id1501847969?i=1000751749319

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/spokenlabelpodcast/episodes/Annie-Acre-Spoken-Label--March-2026-e3fen18

https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Annie-Acre-Spoken-Label-March-2026/B0GQBSTM1G?ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=a202f891-0d90-47a2-ac3f-8ebc4b2943db&pf_rd_r=DSZ2WATCN5AJEYHSAFV8&plink=PndhSERTjS4c7JV1&pageLoadId=SKjD2nFwKgnFbvFb&creativeId=43463e8d-6f2b-4d01-a759-854a1034c4b8&ref=a_podcast_S_c4_lAsin_0_0

https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/bae49616-2295-4e7c-b931-91415a724cb6/episodes/72404cd0-6946-4afa-9400-3ad63d8babe8/spoken-label-annie-acre-spoken-label-march-2026

Speak Easy (March 2025)

 

Back hopefully just in time for Spring, Speak Easy (Our Spoken Word Open Mic night’s) March show this week, coming on Thursday 05 March 2026 at Dulicmer, Chorlton, features the following readers who will be reading their spoken word (poetry, fiction, non fiction etc) in 4-minute segments: -

Andy N

Amanda Nicholson

Steve Smythe

Petrova C Fairhurst

Mark Quinn

Andy Cash

Martin CM

Joe Gill

Anne Delargy

Heidi Hinda

Martin Elder

Alison Knowles

Jared More

Rachel Hammond

Gordon Zola

Grant Curnow

Pip Fowler

John Calvert

Steven Waling

Nigel Astell

Joe Tetley

Ayish aul haq

Maile Gabriel

Night will start around 7.30 pm.

Free admission. All are welcome to watch.

Cancellation list/enquiries: aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk (Andy N)

I am Nature Part 2 - Patricia and Andrew Sumner (Spoken Label, Feb 26)

 

Next up from Spoken Label (Our Spoken Word / Writer Podcast) features Part 2 of our extended chat with the Environmental Poetry collection ‘I am Nature’, this time an extended chat with the wonderful Andrew Sumner and Patricia (Pat) Sumner.

Andrew Sumner grew up near Stroud in Gloucestershire, surrounded by deep woods and floriferous meadows thronged with butterflies.

These places he explored with his mother, father and younger sister. Sadly, all that rich nature has since gone under the plough and the conifer. Later, his father’s work took the family south to Somerset and the new and different landscapes of the Somerset Levels, the Quantock Hills and the Mendip Hills.

Andrew’s poems have been published in group anthologies and poetry collections, including ‘Travelling with the Saints’ (Y Lofa, 2013) and ‘Both Sides of the Border – An Anthology of Writing on the Welsh Border Region (Gwasg Carreg Gfwlach, 1998).

He has illustrated a children’s book written by his wife, Pat and enjoys walking, gardening, turning wood, drawing, painting, and researching family history.

*

Patricia Sumner (Pat) grew up on the Isle of Anglesey and now lives in the Vale of Clwyd. She has loved creative writing ever since she was very young.

As an adult, she studied under the poet and author Dr Gladys Mary Coles,namong other writers. It was at these Creative writing classes in Chester that she met her husband, Andrew.

As a poet, she has had two collections published. Her pamphlet ‘Beyond the Glass’ came first in a national poetry competition run by Thynks Publications.

Pat’s second collection of poems and readings, ‘The Promise of Dawn: Rites of Passage for all Beliefs’, is published by Veneficia Publications.

Pat has won awards for some of her poems and plays, and her poetry has appeared in magazines and anthologies. Pat has a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Philosophy, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.

This book (which is recommended) can be found here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Am-Nature-Environmental-Poetry-ebook/dp/B0FH7PRW78/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SAZ97SPX6WAQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.boHw9Hvv-eiwk0u6a82ZqWgjmK5G_sB28inaUJj0xhnHDE2LARcrHr8SrLCATjQSwE33nT3rAzsmfAznxsyx5IGxWZdQS_e_hS0b6ZwycAw.ulpWQy3YfH1rRkpCS96xbDozvPLa_m20qWAIz00uIUc&dib_tag=se&keywords=andrew+sumner&qid=1771620249&s=books&sprefix=andrew+sumner%2Cstripbooks%2C591&sr=1-1

*

Stream from: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oViIt4gazOM (Chat)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmj1E5lcqgE (Reading)

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/i-am-nature-podcast-2-patricia-andrew-sumner-spoken/id1501847969?i=1000750719610

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2q0hoJ0lxJZ4qQdJmEBhtZ

https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/I-am-Nature-Podcast-2-Patricia-Andrew-Sumner-Spoken-Label-February-2026/B0GPGZ9LW1?ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=a202f891-0d90-47a2-ac3f-8ebc4b2943db&pf_rd_r=EFC7A02K7TMTND7GV64X&plink=OHFE4DwZps79rvzI&pageLoadId=Pq9wXja3RwMPoMxS&creativeId=43463e8d-6f2b-4d01-a759-854a1034c4b8&ref=a_podcast_S_c4_lAsin_0_0

https://andynartist.substack.com/p/i-am-nature-part-2-patricia-and-andrew

Genevieve F Ray

Just being informed that the wonderful Genevieve F Ray, who was on Spoken Label (My Author / Artist Podcast), has sadly passed away. I had Genevieve on Spoken Label last year, which should have been, as it is usually about an hour or so, but we had such a laugh, it went on for well over 2 hours and a bit and became a 2-Part Podcast. 

I wanted to share this now as a tribute, she was really a character and somebody I was defo going to have back on again towards the end of this year, just as a catch-up, even if she didn't have anything else out. 

Sadly, this won't happen now, but I still have this which I want to share tonight. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utlBWvD6hZw (Episode 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPdHP49_zuc (Episode 2 - Part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFiZ3IrfAWM (Episode 2 - Part 2).

Rest in peace, Gen. I'm delighted to have known you. R.I.P. x

Amanda Nicholson - Spoken Label / The Writing Way - February 2026

 

New from Spoken Label, an returning chat with Amanda Nicholson.

Amanda Nicholson is the author of ‘Ghost of Me’ which was a finalist in the thriller category of The Author Elite Awards after its release in March 2020. It is now being re-released this February.

She also runs the Substack page ‘I Am Not Calm’.

***

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/amanda-nicholson-spoken-label-february-2026/id1501847969?i=1000749577621

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/spokenlabelpodcast/episodes/Amanda-Nicholson-Spoken-Label--February-2026-e3evgi1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C164MBg-ruU&pp=0gcJCYcKAYcqIYzv

https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/bae49616-2295-4e7c-b931-91415a724cb6/episodes/c0a1169e-4064-416a-b4ab-57620593b8c6/spoken-label-amanda-nicholson-spoken-label-february-2026

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0GN95FWGM?ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=a202f891-0d90-47a2-ac3f-8ebc4b2943db&pf_rd_r=JG5G9ENZXPT4MFN17VR6&plink=SuY0tSgQMHfQjauw&pageLoadId=kb3tg7X7n7SJC5xA&creativeId=43463e8d-6f2b-4d01-a759-854a1034c4b8&ref=a_podcast_S_c4_lAsin_0_0

https://open.spotify.com/episode/31eoeNeHkCQEfmovNEod4S

https://andynartist.substack.com/p/amanda-nicholson-spoken-label-february

https://nowriteway.substack.com/p/ghost-of-me-special?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web

Speak Easy - thank you's for Feb and how to book Mar 26

 

A big thank you to everybody who attended Speak Easy (Our spoken word open mic night) at Chorlton’s Dulicmer.

A very enjoyable night all in all with a decent crowd of somewhere around 50, and me, Amanda and Jo Somerset all wish to thank the following for attending to read:

1.      Jo Somerset

2.      Anne Delargy

3.      Mark Quinn

4.      Joy Wasell Tims

5.      Martin Elder

6.      Joe Tetley

7.      Alison Knowles

8.      Amanda Nicholson

9.      Andy N

10.  Joe Gill

11.  Becky May

12.  Anna Percy

13.  Ella Holmes

14.  Martin CM

15.  Andy Cash

16.  Jenny Pilkington

17.  David Bond

 

A full set of pictures can be found here –

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=speakeasymanchester&set=a.1436558534929593&__cft__[0]=AZbUFhoUiFXm5FUZwwd0ZF970-7H-J87URniLCxgKkIKbJMhUJXvQgpGx8pAfcS3wV59OrQOEaDL_vZLshRyvh4Lo7Hq21xavAE9HZO1w7fEgRlWMSbk7JJJd4mciO9Q-Z7mg77PfYUOzcp4f2EvW7n2Do5Q5QAZ2OutlVhZYoF679fG58DKF4I3xDoYcdO-EiY&__tn__=-R

The next Speak Easy will be on Thursday 05 March 2026.

Bookings open this Sunday 08 February 2026 from 12 Noon by emailing Andy N on aen1mpo@yahoo.co.uk

Lucy Beth - Spoken Label, February 2026

 

Latest Podcast from Spoken Label (Author / ArtistPodcast) features making her debut, Lucy Beth.

Lucy Beth (she/her/hers) is a multi-award-winningemerging performer, theatre-maker and lecturer from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.

​​She graduated with Distinction from the University of Glasgow’s MLitt Theatre & Performance Practices Course after being awarded a PGT Excellent Scholarship bythe University.

​​Lucy has worked on various stage, screen, and audioprojects. Her recent credits include Blanca in Ten Feet Tall’s production of “Guilty” by Rona Munro at Granite Noir Festival. Penny in “How To Train Your Dad To Be A Feminist” at the Aberdeen Arts Centre, and she has also starred in TMM Recruitment’s Christmas Advert, “Scary Tale of New Work,”

​Beyond conventional performing, part of Lucy’s practiceconcerns dialect preservation. She speaks Doric and seeks to create and perform works in Doric as a means of continuing to render the dialect present. Her Doric works have reached critical acclaim and have earned Lucy several awards.

​Her Doric solo theatre show, “Ma Name Is Isabelle” wasperformed at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was highlighted as one of SNACK Magazine’s Picks of the Fringe. It also received an Edinburgh Fringe TheatreAward from the Fringe Theatre Awards. The show has received 5-star reviews in the press.

Lucy won the Best Newcomer Award at The Doric FilmFestival for her film, “Fit Wye Nae” in 2024. In 2025 she performed in “Sticky Business”, winner of the Best Film Award at the 2025 Doric Film Festival.

​​Lucy’s Doric poetry won her a place in the finals of the Loud Poet’s Slam Poetry Competition in Aberdeen in June 2025 and made a guest appearance at the LoudPoet’s Edinburgh Fringe show, which was awarded 5 stars.

​​She was one of the Young Women’s Movement’s 30 Under 30 Honourees for 2025.

​​Lucy was also a 2025 Scottish Emerging Theatre AwardsWinner.

*

https://andynartist.substack.com/p/lucy-beth-spoken-label-january-2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDoe7c5EeH8 (Reading)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlGVj1wpBgg (Chat)

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/spokenlabelpodcast/episodes/Lucy-Beth-Spoken-Label--February-2026-e3e5h11

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/spoken-label/id1501847969

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YYusBA9I8PXTXS7cnLi4w

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0GLHWY45V?ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&pf_rd_p=a202f891-0d90-47a2-ac3f-8ebc4b2943db&pf_rd_r=ST0KMB2WRPTBX2ARQX6M&plink=vJqX2z0GgAvOsihN&pageLoadId=GQ52ffl2KjwwtfjI&creativeId=43463e8d-6f2b-4d01-a759-854a1034c4b8&ref=a_podcast_S_c4_lAsin_0_0