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    Poet Zakariye is standing at a microphone reading a book. He wears a black t-shirt and has short black hair.

    Zakariye

    Zakariye is a poet, performer, playwright and filmmaker from Birmingham. His work often explores masculinity, faith and identity.

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    S3 EP15 | Muneera Pilgrim – Witness your journey

    Hip‑hop roots, self‑worth journey, embodying belief in your voice with Muneera Pilgrim

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    Red Sky

    With thanks…

    Following 5 years dedicated to supporting poets in the Midlands and across the country, Owen’s role as Associate Producer has come to its end and he is now off pursuing his own exciting creative projects. During his time at Apples and Snakes, Owen led on the BBC Words First programme, developed our alumni Work From…

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    S3 EP14 | Jeremiah Brown – Its a journey

    Medium‑hopping, commercial exploration, and finding self as a multidisciplinary poet with Jeremiah Brown

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    S3 EP13 | Courtney Conrad – Keeping the faith

    Community, pacing, faith and culture shaping authentic creative drive with Courtney Conrad

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    S3 EP12 | Roger Robinson on being unapologetically you

    Individuality across scenes; music; balancing crafts to fuel creativity with Roger Robinson

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    Poet Shaniqua Benjamin stands at a microphone. She wears black glasses, has hooped earrings and has shoulder length black hair tied back. Shaniqua wears a navy cardigan with white piping. She smiles as she performs.

    From baby poet to Croydon Poet Laureate

    From baby poet to Croydon Poet Laureate By: Shaniqua Benjamin Although I’ve always loved writing, I stayed away from poetry until my early 20s. Fashion design had been my focus, so when I dropped out of university to pursue a career in writing and eventually discovered that poetry was the avenue for me, it was…

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    An image of Poet Miss Jacqui, She has long black hair and wears an orange hoodie, she also has a brown, orange and white coat on, she wears brown trousers. She smiles at the camera, her left hand rests on the blue controls of her wheelchair.

    Miss Jacqui

    Miss Jacqui is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Respectfully honest, Goofball, passionate. What inspires you?  Family and the communities I come from. Tell us about your worst…

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    An image of poet Adam Kammerling. He wears a blue shirt and black trousers, he wears black trainers. His arms are outstretched to each side of his body as he smiles at the camera. He has long shoulder length brown hair and a brown beard.

    Adam Kammerling

    Adam is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Playful, messy, grumpy  What inspires you? Heavy metal. And heavy metal flavours wherever I can find them. Any sense of awe…

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    An image of artist Nancy Ellis, she stand in a green park next to aa tree an holds an orange book and a blue book. She wears a blue hoodie with some white writing on the form and blu jeans. She has shoulder length hair and smiles at the camera.

    Nancy Ellis

    Nancy Ellis is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of creatives they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… No Frills Genuine Understanding What inspires you? Everyone with something genuinely meaningful to share or express, across all professions…

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    An image of poet Justin Coe, he has short brown hair and wears a blue jacket with an organ shirt underneath. He holds a book in front of him and looks at it. He is wearing black trousers and black shoes.

    Justin Coe

    Justin is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Not Mr Tumble  What inspires you? There’s a poem in anything. Today is all about biscuits and bicycles –…

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    An image of poet Linden McMahon, Linden has short brown hair and wears glasses. They have a flowery shirt and black dungarees. The sit on a white pedestal and were black boots.

    Linden McMahon

    Linden is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Just a hopepunk hobbit What inspires you? At the moment I write a lot about the ecosystems we’re part of;…

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    Artist Alim Kamara, he is squatted on his haunches, he wears a grey t-shirt and blue jeans. He wears black headphones over his ears and has short black hair. He holds a small instrument in his hands called an Mbira. You can pluck the metal prongs to make a sound.

    Alim Kamara

    Alim is is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Alim (means scholar), ‘quiet extrovert’  What inspires you? It can feel like inspiration comes out of thin air, but I…

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    An image if artist Gunes Given, she holds a green book. She has brown shoulder length hair and wears a blue sleeveless cardigan with a black and white stripy top underneath. She wears blue jeans and yellow sneakers. She smiles at the camera.

    Günes Güven

    Güneş is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Introspective Discerning Versatile or Force of Nature What inspires you? Nature has always been my inspiration, however, nowadays my…

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    S3 EP11 | BREIS – Its important to feel seen

    Balancing multiple roles, poetry‑as‑business, milestones and evolution with BREIS

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    An image of poet Rachel Lewis. She has shoulder length brown hair. She smiles at the camera and holds a blue book covered in stickers. She wears a brown jumper and black trousers.

    Rachel Lewis

    Rachel is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Hard to summarise.  What inspires you? There’s a Terry Pratchett novel where he describes inspiration particles sleeting through the…

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    An image of poet Ehireme Omoaka. He has long black hair and wears a black hoodie and Green trousers. He is smiling in the image.

    Ehireme Omoaka

    Ehireme is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Observant chilled playful What inspires you? Other artists that push boundaries. Music that has meaningful messages. My children.  Tell…

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    Zohab Zee Khan

    Zohab is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Globetrotting Poetic Adventurer. What inspires you? Those in my family that came before me. The last four generations of my…

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    Eileen Gbagbo

    Eileen is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Nerdy, introverted, auntie. What inspires you? The community of Black British poets, writers and creatives that came before my…

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    S3 EP10 | Miss Jacqui – It takes a lot of heart

    Social influences, multidisciplinary practice, accessibility, and articulating shared emotions with Miss Jacqui

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    Paul Lyalls

    Zohab is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Go Go Go What inspires you? Hearing and reading many of the poets I am blessed to come into contact…

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    Alice Frecknall

    Alice is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Awkward lil’ geek. What inspires you? People and art. And people making art. In a living, breathing, needful way….

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    Jasmin Thien

    Jasmin is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Socially anxious extrovert What inspires you? Disabled people being badass, women being badass, people of colour being badass, immigrants…

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    Desree

    Desree is part of SPINE Festival 2024, along with an incredible team of poets they’ll be leading workshops and arts activities for children in Libraries and schools across London this Spring. Describe yourself in 3 words… Passionate, awkward, and silly!  What inspires you? Everything and everyone. Daily, I get to meet people who are trying…

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