18th March 2016 marks 123 years since the birth of Wilfred Owen. To commemorate the Great War poet’s birthday, the UK museum dedicated to his memory is hosting an arts festival in his honour.
The Wilfred Owen Story is a permanent exhibition created five years ago in Birkenhead, where the poet spent formative years of his childhood.
The ‘Happy Birthday Wilfred Owen’ Festival will feature Owen-related arts and crafts and multimedia presentations. It launches on Tuesday March 15th, culminating on the poet’s birthday, Friday March 18th.
Among the highlights are specially recorded audio tributes from Radio Merseyside’s Billy Butler, while actors Christopher Timothy and Nicholas Ball recite Owen’s classic poems.
The festival, also includes original sketches by artist and Owen expert Sally Ronchetti, ceramic interpretations of Wilfred Owen’s poems by Wirral’s Janet Holmes, and the WW1 drawings of Rebecca Grindley.
Music is represented by ‘Exposure’, a new soundscape by Phil Edwards, commissioned especially for the festival.
Each day there will be talks and readings by volunteers from The Wilfred Owen Story.
Full information on The Wilfred Owen Story website.
Images courtesy of The Wilfred Owen Story