POET, philosopher , painter, musician and social activist Penny Rimbaud is coming to the Focal Point gallery, to discuss notions of "community, radical lifestyle and acts of resistance".

It comes as part of the Radical Essex project, of which the exhibition - Peculiar People - is currently at the site in the Forum.

Rimbaud will be performing under the heading, Open Door, Open Heart.

It takes place on Thursday, May 26, at 7:30pm.

After leaving South East Essex Technical College and School of Art in the early 1960s, carving out a career in the art world and reportedly turning down Andy Warhol's invitation to work in The Factory, Rimbaud - with Steve Ignorant - co-founded the anarchist punk band Crass.

When the disbanded in 1984, Rimbaud started writing and publishing poetry, philosophy, essays, novels and plays.

In 2001 he returned to the public platform as a performance poet, firstly working alongside saxophonist Ed Jones and then with Louise Elliott, who has now become his full-time accompanist.

In 2003, together with Crass vocalist Eve Libertine, he founded what was at first known as the Crass Collective, then the Crass Agenda and finally the Last Amendment, a collective of jazz musicians, artists and filmmakers who share Rimbaud's interest in progressive, improvisational art.

Open Door, Open Heart, is free to attend, but the audience is asked to book tickets from eventbrite, to avoid overcrowding.

The Focal Point Gallery is next door to the Forum, in Elmer Square, Elmer Avenue, Southend.