Artist Spotlight

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    Zena Edwards

    As a lover of live poetry readings as an audience member, I love to hear individual voices. You can give a chef a chicken and they can season and cook it 100 different ways. It’s the same with poetry, I like different seasonings in my poets. Describe yourself in 3 words… Playful, Serious, determined What…

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    Malaika  Kegode

    You can have respect for your craft, community and creativity while still embracing the ridiculousness of it all. 1. Describe yourself in 3 words… Generous, Determined, Introvert 2. What inspires you? The endurance and optimism of human beings. That we have all lived through our very worst days and just keep on going. That we’ve…

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    Reece Williams

    Serious poets don’t find time to write, they make time. 1. Describe yourself in 3 words… Bearded bald brotha 2. What inspires you? Most of my poems are crafted in the moments that I’m not eating (or thinking about eating) plantin. I’m inspired by the way life moves around me and I’m inspired to tell…

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    Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa

    No one complains there are too many poems about the moon, but when it comes to poetics in the Black community, my people are pressured to question what they should write about. And when we are invited to write, we are usually asked to write on trauma as though 571 years (and counting) has just…

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    Neelam Saredia-Brayley

    Remember to keep consuming good art rather than just outputting all the time and getting burnt out. Don’t ignore red flags. You can survive anything.  Describe yourself in 3 words… Joyful Hopeful Queen What inspires you? Andrea Gibson’s poetry, Queer Eye, women supporting women, Jameela Jamil, strong people of colour, Aakash Odedra and his beautiful…

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    Shaun Hill

    If you are asking a participant to become something they have not been supported to be in society, how are you supporting them to do this? Describe yourself in 3 words @warmbloodedthing What inspires you? ‘god’, healing, critical theory. Tell us about your worst ever gig? A conference for the business sector where after the…

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    The Repeat Beat Poet

    Describe yourself in 3 words Hip Hop Poet (easy) What inspires you? The love, support, energy, and goodwill of my friends and family, and the people in the artistic communities I’m in. Then a guy physically took the mic and said “leave it mate”. Traumatising. Tell us about your worst ever gig? Not strictly a…

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    Francesca Beard

    My main motivators are wonder, rage and money, in no particular order. Describe yourself in 3 words… Poet, parent, improviser What inspires you? I’m constantly curious and questioning about everything but also mega lazy so it takes a lot to galvanise me into writing about anything – my main motivators are wonder, rage and money,…

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    Shagufta K. Iqbal

    Shagufta K. Iqbal: In the Spotlight Interview A+S: Describe yourself in 3 words… Deluded. Stubborn. A believer What inspires you? My children, music, Autumn & Spring, tea & cake, walks in the rain; writing is a love. Tell us about your worst ever gig? One where, male poets will walk on to stage and disrupt…

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    Roger Robinson

    Roger Robinson: In the Spotlight Interview A+S: Describe yourself in 3 words… RR: Curious, playful and arty A+S: What inspires you? RR: Creative Citizenship, Storytelling, Music A+S: Tell us about your worst ever gig? RR: It was at Express Excess when I was reading a really intense story for 18 mins and at the end…

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