Tickets are available for the BBC's Contains Strong Language poetry, spoken word and performance festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in September with its first visit to Salford. It’s taking place from 24 to 27 September across Salford and MediaCity, and also forms part of Salford's centenary celebrations.

This year the line-up includes John Cooper Clarke, pictured, Jackie Kay, Joelle Taylor, Len Pennie, Jason Allen-Paisant, Liz Berry, Owen Sheers, Alice Oswald, Testament, Andrew McMillan and Toria Garbutt, alongside rising talent from Manchester, Salford and across the UK. 

Festival highlights include live recordings of BBC Radio 4's Front Row, Loose Ends, Start the Week, poetry programme The Verb and a presentation of Simon Armitage's adaptation of Gilgamesh; a conversation between Simon Armitage and John Cooper Clarke; and a collaboration with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Radio 3's Words and Music.

The festival will also have a local focus, involving Manchester and Salford artists and activities including BBC Radio Club projects in schools, collaborations with Salford Youth Zone, animations created by Manchester Metropolitan University students, and workshops. 

Punk veteran John Cooper Clarke, aka the Bard of Salford, said: "Contains Strong Language ... of course it does. It's in Salford, what do you expect? Strong language and the city of Salford are a universally recognised double act and this year - in the tradition of great Salfordian names such as Graham Nash, Albert Finney and Mark E Smith - Dr John Cooper Clarke will be in-house and face to face with our current poet laureate Mr Simon Armitage. Am I worthy? We'll find out on Saturday 26 September."