Status Flo

The 60th Brighton Festival is coming up, and it marks a new phase under the leadership of Lucy Davies. One of the events confirmed for the spring is Status Flo, which is happening on 18 May 2026. A lot of us are used to seeing this as a regular spoken word and rhythm night around town, but for the festival, it is moving into the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange. AFLO. the poet is curating and hosting the evening, and the focus remains on performance poetry that looks at the status quo from different angles, blending rhythm with social commentary.

The line-up for this session includes Joelle Taylor, who is also in town to present her collection Maryville. For this specific event, she is performing a poetic excavation of fifty years of lesbian counterculture, which adds a historical layer to the night. She will be joined by the writer Yomi Ṣode, along with a group of local poets. The themes for the night align with the Brighton Dome’s broader spring season, which highlights LGBTQ+ stories and gender, particularly around International Women's Day. It is a mix of established voices and people from the local scene, which is a consistent part of how these nights are organised.

If you are thinking about going, tickets for the festival events go on general sale on 26 February 2026. While the regular Status Flo sessions usually cost around £12.50 with concessions available, this one is part of the main festival programme of over 100 events. Moving the showcase to the Corn Exchange provides a different setting for the spoken word format that AFLO. the poet has been developing. It is one of the dates in May for anyone interested in how poetry and activism currently intersect in the city, and the schedule includes local talent alongside the festival's visiting artists.