Free things to do at home this week ft. Our Plague Year in conversation, Lemn Sissay interview + more

Fans of HOME’s pandemic-themed comic strip Our Plague Year will be delighted to learn that new episodes are being released. Nick Burton, the artist behind the comic, will join Eyam Museum curator Owen Roberts in conversation via Zoom to look at the truth behind the fiction depicted in the series.

The People’s History Museum’s super-popular kids’ event My First Protest Song has moved online! Singer-songwriter Matt Hill will bring an interactive online performance into your home, with toe-tapping tunes from times of change. The event is suitable for babies, tots and grown-ups, so everyone is sure to have a great time — make sure to tune in on Youtube.

Nicholas Royle and Lara Williams of the Manchester Writing School will discuss their current work in the short story genre. Nicholas Royle runs Nightjar Press, which specialises in gothic short stories published in chapbook format, and Lara Williams has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and features in Best British Short Stories 2017.

An extended interview with legendary poet, author and broadcaster Lemn Sissay — conducted by Dave Haslam, a pop culture legend in his own right — will be broadcast this Thursday night on Gorilla TV. Don’t miss out on what’s sure to be an entertaining and enlightening chat between two Manc icons…

HOME’s Artist Film Weekender this year focuses on other ways of being together in a year of isolation. Curated by Jamie Allan and Alice Wilde, the entire programme will be available online, complemented by talks, discussions, reading groups and exploratory essays. It’s taking place from Thursday to Sunday this week, and tickets are available on a ‘pay what you can’ basis, so chip in whatever you can afford to help HOME out in this difficult year, or tune in for free if times are tight!