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 ever gig?

I was on stage and I had only had 2 hours of sleep the night before and I just kept repeating the same line until the rest of the poem came to me but the audience were super chilled about it.

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

 When someone uses like a thousand metaphors that don’t link or make much sense.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

 Galavanting, shenanigans, flabbergasted.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

 Trust yourself and have a little more fun.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Our imaginations are what makes the world work, think about inventors and storytellers. We are all a little magical.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

 Seeing how everyone is included and truly wants to get involved warms my heart every single time.

If you could do someone else’s job for a day, what job would it be

 Astronaut or Cardiologist because I wanted to be those when I was a kid.

About Miss Jacqui

Miss Jacqui is a Poet and Songwriter who knows a great deal about working with the cards that you are dealt. She is someone who always tries to challenge societal perceptions, like what it actually means to be a black woman with a disability. A wheelchair user herself, Miss Jacqui wants her poetry and music to help her listeners to see the world differently, and to inspire others to feel confident in being themselves.

She is also a Spoken Word Artist, Songwriter, and Facilitator.

Website: www.missjacqui.co.uk
Instagram: @iAmMissJacqui
Twitter: @iAmMissJacqui
Facebook: @iAmMissJacqui
YouTube: iAmMissJacqui_
My EP ‘Perception‘

About SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 and chaos. I do nature whenever I can. Trees are pretty heavy metal, so are the East London canals. 

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I did a gig in a pub that had been moved upstairs from its basement venue, and the upstairs punters did NOT want to listen to poetry. So, while there were a good number of people listening, the ‘just in for a pint’ crowd were actively competing with us. And fair enough. They eventually cleared out and a man put a bin on his head and got the audience to blow up and release balloons while he banged on the bin with a stick and screamed his poems. One of the best performances I’ve ever seen. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Performers putting on ‘Poetry cadence’. A specific voice and intonation that is seen as ‘poetry’. There’s so much scope for weird and fantastic brilliance in this medium. It holds so much, from monologues to cabaret, from rap to free verse, and yet a sort of unifying style can easily catch so many new writers. Poetry has the potential to be really anarchic, hence the bin-on-head man, and that seems to be lacking recently. Maybe since everyone has a camera in every audience, it’s less of a safe space. Ban smartphones at poetry gigs! At music gigs! Everywhere! (Except in the cab where I’m writing this, please) 

Whose words do you love at the moment?

At the moment I read more to my son than to myself so I’m currently a firm Julia Donaldson fan. And when I’m out, I’m loving Hearing Things by Angela Leighton.

It’s about the sounds we hear when we read. The sound of our interior language. Forms of Active Listening are interesting to me, maybe because I’m usually such a chatter box.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Read and write more, perform less. It’s important to keep a healthy relationship with audience-approval. If you’re not writing for yourself, the fun of making new stuff can dry up. Also, drink more water, eat more vegetables. 

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Poetry is magic. We are holding attention reshaping space and intention, creating small worlds and new connections. From nothing. 

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I loved the library when I was a child. So many books! I love being a small part of that. 

Would you rather be able to travel 50 years into the past or 50 years into the future?

Neither. The present is the one for me. But if I have to choose, the past please. I don’t want to know what the future holds. Where’s the fun in that? 

About Adam Kammerling

Adam has been delivering poetry, rap and spoken-word theatre workshops for over ten years. As his own practice has widened so has his education work; producing poetry books, theatre shows, podcasts and dance pieces. Reaching emerging artists, young people in schools, artists with specific learning needs, and elderly and isolated artists.

He is the creative producer of The Nest, a project established with the Fostering Network, which delivers creative workshops to young people who are a part of the Mockingbird fostering program.

Insta: @adam_kammerling
Twitter: @adamkammerling
Website: adamkammerling.co.uk

About SPINE Festival 2024

Describe yourself in 3 words…

No Frills

Genuine

Understanding

What inspires you?

Everyone with something genuinely meaningful to share or express, across all professions and platforms. 

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

Hmmmm…an illustration commission of a single building with a lot of similar windows, I’m very easily tired of repetitive drawing…! However it was also good at the end, when it was finished.. 

Every difficult challenge brings something to learn from, even if it was just the sheer relief that it is completed!

What’s your number one artist pet peeve?

Assumptions that your pictures are quick or easy for you to make, or that it is down to ‘talent’ and not ‘proper work‘. I can honestly say that it is not all whimsical illustration desks and birdsong, much of the process is a total struggle and a test of your motivation and perseverance.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

The Letters of Vincent Van Goch, (Penguin Classics edition). He was a brilliant writer, so much expressed so deeply from the heart, I highlighted so many lines.

For authors, I love Olivia Hawker’s writing, especially one for the blackbird one for the crow. 

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t get bogged down in the detail so much, it is better to do and to share, than to do but hide it away… Believe!

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

When you’re struggling to bring a piece together, and then it starts to emerge before your eyes, when you’re about to throw in the towel, that feels like magic- the feeling of being happy with a piece of work and being able to move onto a new one.

Imagination for me is being able to put yourself in the mind and feeling of a character, whatever animate or inanimate thing that might be. For me it isn’t fantastical rockets or castles and so called made up or imaginary stuff. It’s very much imagining stories in real and everyday life.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

Children are just brilliant. Children are so giving in their willingness to take part. It is incredible to see eyes light up when you give children the freedom to express themselves however they wish to do so through the magic of their own, unlimited imagination.

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An animator or illustrator. Trust in your inner voice!

About Nancy Ellis

Nancy Ellis, has over 20 years industry experience, working as both an illustrator and animator, since attaining her BA at Camberwell College, London.

Nancy’s journey into producing animation for TV began with Catchphrase, (a popular UK TV show back in the day!), and was on hand at the recording studio to make last minute adjustments or create new animations during filming.

Then on to a West London production company, working for clients including the BBC, Nickelodeon & Fox Kids. Nancy’s position as Animation Director included developing concepts for pitches, designing characters, storyboarding, animating & leading animation teams through to final production.

After several happy years, Nancy began working for herself and teamed up with London based agencies to produce animations for major brands, always with an emphasis on character design and colourfully, illustrated backgrounds.

This led to opening her own animation studio, MightyPow.com with Lee Ellis, and a long standing collaboration with the brilliant people at In Tune for Life, (a UK registered charity), providing short animated films to assist their global health campaigns.

Insta: @nancyellis.co.uk
Website: www.nancyellis.co.uk

About SPINE Festival 2024

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 – and also, for some reason, spoons.  

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

One of the first times I was on stage as a poet was at a small festival where my job was mainly to introduce the bands. I managed to forget the names of the first three bands I introduced – the fourth band said they’d rather introduce themselves, thanks. There was another memorable one early on where I performed on a bandstand in Bognor Regis to two old age pensioners in their motorised-wheelchair buggies. Instead of applauding the poems they just tooted their hooters. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

The excessive use of alliteration. I’m only joking – I love it!

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I’ve always loved books but struggled with concentration – which meant I didn’t read all that much as a child. I’m trying to make it up for it, as best as I can, now. I read a lot of children’s poetry. At the moment I’m lapping up The Shape of Rainbows by Neil Zetter. Of recent reads, I’m a particular fan of Kate Wakeling’s quirky A Dinosaur At The Bus Stop – it’s full of very clever and kinaesthetically pleasing poems for younger children. I’m very much into verse novels. The best one I’ve read recently is The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow. Jeanette Winterson’s memoir Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is another richly rewarding read that I’ve got on the go. And, at last, I’m finally about to finish Dickens’ David Copperfield – I’ve enjoyed it for the most part, although the female characters do seem to do a lot of feinting. 

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

How about “stay in your day job so you’ll save up enough money to write comfortably when you’re older”. I’d never have listened, of course, and probably a good thing too!

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Magic to me is all about joy and surprise. The imagination is the portal to finding magic in the mundane. Poets are good at locating and celebrating magic in the everyday (which is hopefully what I did in my book The Magic of Mums).

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I love that library shows are accessible to everyone. And working with children and poetry together is such a joy. I like to write interactive poems and funny poems – because a crowd of lively, laughing children is a very addictive buzz.

If you could have an extra hour of free time every day, how would you use it?

I’ve got three children, I work in schools on poetry projects in the week, I work weekends as a carer for my disabled brother-in-law, I’m trying to finish my novel, I make time for reading, riding my mountain bike and playing the guitar very badly,  so in that extra hour, I’d probably just run a hot bath and go to sleep in it. 

About Justin Coe

Justin Coe is a poet and spoken word theatre creator, specialising in work for young audiences. 

He is the author of The Dictionary of Dads (Otter-Barry Books, 2017) and The Magic of Mums (2020) and the writer/performer of more than a dozen family shows, including  The House That Jackson Built (with Half Moon Theatre), a play inspired by Justin’s love of libraries. 

For over twenty-five years, Justin has shared his heartfelt humour and passion for poetry in hundreds of schools, libraries and theatres, entertaining and educating everywhere, from Sheppey to Shanghai and from The Savoy Hotel to a bandstand in Bognor Regis.

Twitter: @literacyoutloud
Website: www.justincoe.co.uk
facebook: facebook.com/literacyoutloud

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

This is a big question! I think imagination is incredibly important in creating the worlds we want to see – it helps us think differently, which we really need if we’re going to create positive change. Magic is part of this different way of thinking – it’s fantasy, but those fantasies help us see real-life things in new ways too, to understand things which we might not get if we look at them directly.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I love working with libraries because I think they represent the best impulses of humanity – to share resources and take care of each other. Libraries are community hubs, collective knowledge, and safe, nurturing spaces; my time in Scarborough Library was so important to me growing up. I love working with children and young people because their imaginations are so vast – they make me see things differently, and they new stop surprising me! Every child has the right to creativity, and I love being part of making sure the children I work with know that their imaginations are powerful and important.

ABOUT LINDEN MCMAHON

Linden is a poet, performer, fiction writer and arts facilitator – they write about our connections with ecology, dreams for the future, ideas about belonging and family, and queer joy! Over the past two years, they have been an artist in residence with Back from the Brink (making a fanzine for a forest, lanterns that send messages to moths, and more), helped young people to write spine-chilling Gothic stories with Ministry of Stories, and created a trail of poems and stories through the community gardens of Bethnal Green with the Live Art Development Agency. They also like baking elaborate desserts, making pots, and reading sci-fi novels.

Twitter: @lindenkmcmahon
Instagram: @linden_km
Website: lindenkatherinemcmahon.org 

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 know it’s sparked by a galvanising combination of many elements: dreams, personal challenges, around the table conversations, something another artist shared with me, memories, something I’ve read or learned. Maybe just maybe, something I share may even inspire someone to keep going. 

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

First artist to arrive at an event, but got put on stage last when the venue lights on and people were leaving. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Cliches.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

Black Thought – The Roots.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Put the work out there – there’s an audience waiting beyond these four walls.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

My power facilitates the transportation of people to other worlds. I live with magic and imagination.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

Their laughter, their ‘aha!’ moments, when I see in their faces that the impossible becomes possible, and witnessing a confidence shift within them. 

About Alim Kamara

Over the past 20 years, the founder of Storie Storie Alim has taught workshops, run assemblies, delivered presentations, and performed at hundreds of schools across London, the UK and globally – including India, Sierra Leone, Dubai, USA, Peru, Amsterdam, Mexico, Kenya, and Canada. At least 50,000 boys and girls have witnessed and been impacted by Alim’s creative stories. His high-energy delivery and thought-provoking poems and fables have taught children and young people the importance of self-esteem, creative expression, identity, culture and history.

However Alim’s impacts goes beyond the classroom. Working with prestigious institutions such as Ministry of Defence, Channel 4, and Amnesty International, he uses the old age craft of the spoken word to empower leaders and promote inclusive societies.

Website –
https://www.storiestorie.com/ 
Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/storiestoriehq/
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@storiestorie
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/storiestorieHQ
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@storiestorieHq

About SPINE Festival 2024:

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 son is my main inspiration.

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

Struggling to be noticed or heard by a group of tired mothers scrolling on their phones & their toddlers screaming.

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Poetry gate keeping.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

Currently diving deep into the world of Ursula K Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Always remain true to yourself over fitting in. Trust your intuition.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Being an only child, I often used my imagination as a tool for escapism, creating my own characters, stories and worlds. Inspired by Greek Mythology, I loved learning about the different gods/goddesses and their special powers. These stories always remained with me since childhood.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

The unpredictability and chaos of it! It’s lovely to meet and connect with people from the local community.

Do you have a favourite place to write?

My grandma’s balcony, with a view of the sea & palm trees back home in Turkiye.

About Güneş Güven

Güneş Güven is a writer, creative facilitator and ESOL specialist with over two decades of experience working with various communities across London in both academic and cultural capacities. She is dedicated to facilitating connection-driven sessions that delve into the experiences, observations, and complexities of immigrant identity and journey through language arts. 

Güneş has been instrumental in developing and delivering the Open House Project as part of Spine Festival since 2015, in collaboration with Apples & Snakes across several London Boroughs. This poetry project is specifically tailored for asylum seekers and immigrant communities living in Greater London.

Her work also includes collaborations with various organizations such as Battersea Arts Centre/The Agency, The Heritage Trust, LIFT, and Chelsea Football Club Foundation. Through her diverse background and experiences, Güneş has become a bridge for communication, using language as a powerful tool for expression and connection within diverse communities.

About SPINE Festival 2024:

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 universe all the time. They pass through everything like radiation. Sometimes the idea for the best new toaster design will hit a cat, and therefore go unremarked. Sometimes an idea for a poem will hit me. This is the best description of inspiration I have ever encountered. 

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

My second ever poetry gig was an open mic where, horrifyingly, a very experienced poet sat in the front row and gave live feedback to each open mic-er on their performance in front of everyone. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

I thought hard about this, but I really don’t have one! Poetry is a very flexible art form and I’m always trying to keep an open mind and meet new poems where they are. 

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I just read Honorifics by Cynthia Miller and I just can’t stop thinking about it. 

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Write more poems. Do it today! 

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

I think magic is imagination, and imagination is magic. I’m a huge fantasy fan as well as poetry nerd, so I was delighted to be asked to respond to the theme this year. 

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

The permission to be a bit silly and very noisy. 

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

In the sea.  

ABOUT RACHEL LEWIS

Rachel Lewis is a poet and creative facilitator interested in hidden pain, everyday joy and love beyond romance. Her first pamphlet on eating disorder recovery, Three degrees of separation, was published in 2019 by Wordsmith HQ after winning the 2019 Wordsmith Prize.

She is currently writing a second collection exploring grief and belonging through her family’s links to the Belfast Jewish community, and running a newsletter on the work of poetry. She is a recipient of the 2022 Jewish Book Week Emerging Writers Award, an alumna of the Barbican Young Poets Collective and co-founder of Disabled Joy: the Writing Happiness Project.

Insta: @rachel_lewis_poet
Twitter: @rachellewispoet

 

about spine festival 2024

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 us about your worst ever gig?

One of my 1st times being on stage. Midway through my performance I had forgotten the poem so I paused a couple of times tried to improvise a little but couldn’t, so I ended the poem. Said thank you and Sat down. Very awkward. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Over explaining what the poem is about. Don’t tell me, show me!!!

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I’m a lover of Hip-Hop. The foundation of this genre is poetry. Artists like Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def and Common. Their words resonate with me alot.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I enjoy seeing how libraries really support families in many ways especially creatively. I’m really fond of alternative education, as the model of formal and compulsory education doesn’t fit everyone. It’s also a fun day out to get lost in stories and new worlds through books.

Who was your favourite poet/ spoken word artist when you were younger?

Benjamin Zephaniah. He didn’t back down. He fought for what he believed in. As a young black boy, I really looked up to him and I still do now.

What is your favourite strange food combinations?

No strange food combinations. My happy place is simple.

Jollof rice, Suya, plantain (ripe) and a cold Supermalt. Thank youuuuuu

About Ehireme Omoaka

Ehireme Omoaka is a qualified youth worker, drama practitioner, creative writing facilitator and poet. His drive comes from making young people learn through creative play and also helping them realise that through their potential; anything is possible. Ehireme has worked with a wide range of young people including those in PRUs, mainstream education, those with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Ehireme likes to often combine his drama and poetry backgrounds to explore different subjects and themes to encourage creative conversation from multiple perspectives. His vast experience spans over 12 years and counting as he continues to inspire young people he works with.

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 family have all migrated across the globe to one country or another. I often try and reflect upon the struggles that they must have faced. As I look around London I see many first and second genera8on migrants who are doing their absolute best to create a better lives for themselves and their coming genera8ons. We all come from centuries of sacrifice. Knowing that past genera8ons went through trials so that we can live the way we do now is something that inspires and reminds me of how incredibly fortune I am.

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I once performed at a Community Festival in Melbourne and the logistics were a disaster. The stage was set up right next to an extremely loud ride and a Ferris wheel. The section between the stage and the audience was being used by passers-by as a walkway…. AND the cherry on top was when some young ruffians arrived halfway through my set and started boo’ing me.

I didn’t take the boo’ing personal and I just kept performing. In hindsight I’m glad that I had that as an experience, I think I’m a better performer for it.

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Maybe I’m showing my age, but people who read off their phones. If you have to read, I think it should be from a book. But they’re best when memorised.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I’m currently reading George The Poet’s first collection Search Party. 

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Travel even more! Write even more! Share even more! Let your feet wonder and write about those journeys so that others can feel the same earth under their feet. You are incredibly fortunate, keep creating and it’ll work out.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Magic and Imagination are everything. Every idea that we see in the world once lived inside someone’s mind. The world is magic. As a poet I sit and stare a lot. I’ll stare at anything, if you just sit and stare for long enough the magic that resides inside will make itself known. Stare at a leaf for a while and tell me that it is not magic that this elliptic green lamina gets energy from a fiery ball of gas 150 million kilometres away. Half my day is spent thinking of magic and letting that magic do backflips inside my imagination.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

The ability to make change. By encouraging children to express their ideas through poetry, I think we make the world better. I think I get a great return on my effort when I work in spaces like libraries. Libraries are already set up to get people thinking in new and exciting ways, I think when you add poetry to such a place, amazing things start to happen.

If you could compete in any Olympic sport and excel, what would it be?

Volleyball! If I wasn’t a poet, I probably would have been a professional volleyball player.

About Zohab zee Khan

Zohab Zee Khan is a Performance Poet and Wellness Coach.

Zohab has conducted over a thousand poetry and self- development workshops across the globe. His work seamlessly integrates Urdu and Punjabi as he paints poetic pictures of family, heritage, and a better world. His first poetry collection “I Write” reached best-seller status in Australia within months of its release. In 2014 he became the National Poetry Slam Champion of Australia and has performed his poetry at some of the world’s premier writers’ festivals. As a 4th generation Australian of Pakistani heritage, Zohab has channeled his distinct life experiences into stories with the intent to educate.

Insta: @zohabzeekhan
Twitter: @zohabzee
Website: www.zohabzee.com

About SPINE Festival 2024:

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 generation. Like Theresa Lola, Inua Ellams, Yomi Sode, to name a few. It’s so inspiring to see them achieving such amazing things with their careers and also how they show up and support each other. 

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

It was not a gig, but a few years ao, I signed up for an open mic night. I was terrified to perform and when my name was called out, I was so nervous. I got on the stage and read my poem but I have a feeling that barely anyone heard me, mainly because I naturally have a soft voice but also when I’m nervous, I get quieter. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

I don’t think I have a poetry pet peeve but I do find poetry that relies heavily on cliches a little frustrating. Mainly because I think it stops me imagining the world/emotions that are being built in the poem. But I have read poems that creatively play with cliche phrases that I love!

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I was recently gifted Amy Acre’s Mothersong which is such a beautiful and honest exploration of motherhood. In every poem I’ve read, there have been lines and stanzas that have changed the way I see the world and what I perceive being a mother to be.

Also Danez Smith! I get so excited reading his poems and particularly how it looks on the page. 

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

I would tell my younger self not to limit my ambitions. My dreams are never too big for me to achieve. 

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

I grew up in Ghana with my grandparents and our TV barely worked. But when it did, it was usually Nollywood movies that were famous for all the terrible special effects and the use of black magic. Through watching them, I learnt to let my imagination fly when it comes to storytelling and I remember writing crazy stories based on those movies.

I also find the concept of magic very interesting because I am such a gullible person. I think it is because I want to believe in the wonder and the surprise but I know that there is a very logical explanation to a lot of the tricks. But in literature, magic is so powerful because unless it’s a detective novel, you don’t need to explain the logic behind magic.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I love working with children because they are just so naturally creative and incredibly funny. I’m not a naturally funny person so working with them means I laugh a lot and also get to bring out that side of me. Libraries are such accommodating spaces and so I’m excited to be working there and creating workshops that can highlight how truly magical libraries are. 

If you could travel anywhere in space and time, where would you go?

I would go back to just before the moon landing and somehow take Neil Armstrong’s spot as the first man on the moon. I’m not sure what my first words would be just yet. 

About Eileen Gbagbo

Eileen is a spoken word artist and playwright based in London. Her poetry often explores themes of justice, identity, climate change and migration. She was part of the Apples and Snakes 2022 Writers Room and Highly Commended in the 2015 Slambassadors competition and has performed at various shows like Jawdance and institutions including the Saatchi Gallery, the V&A and The Albany as part of Apples and Snakes theatre show – Cece’s Speakeasy.

She is a 2024 SPINE festival facilitator and was part of Joseph Coehlo’s ‘Diversifying Children’s Literature’ programme.

Insta: @afua.gbagbo

Tiktok: @afuagbagbo

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 with. I also find the work and application of many of my students both adult and children a great source of being at one with my craft. Seeing other poets I have known for a long time and worked with getting the recognition they deserve is also very uplifting.

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I was part of a 3 person spoken word show in the 90s that did an Edinburgh Festival run. On one of the nights , there were about 7 people in the audience ( which was always going to be tricky) but for some reason,  even though we were all actually pretty good with our sets, we couldn’t lift or get a reaction from this crowd. It felt more and more like a wake with every minute. Afterwards I wrote a message to myself about this ( a kind of counter-spell) I still carry it around with me today,  in case this Bermuda Triangle of reaction ever occurs again!

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

That at some gigs there are more people on stage than in the audience (controversial I know) at my regular nights I’ve run over the years express excess, 1995 – 2013, & Poetry & Poppadums, 2004 to present I usually have 4 poets max and 50-100 people there to see it! (my kind of ratio).

Whose words do you love at the moment?

Oo so many words to love. Paul Cree, Carine Harb, Hannah Lowe, Skye Radford, Holly McNish and Lemn Sissay’s to name buy a few.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

I wouldn’t. My younger self had the most amazing and fun time forging ahead in the world of poetry, making so many friends and wonderful memories along the way. I won’t want to do anything that steps on the butterfly of history that could change the past.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

I totally relate to them. As a kid Sci-fi and fantasy books were my fav. I have two wonderful daughters who also thrived on that genre, so I’ve pretty much been immersed in that theme all my life.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

Books and people who love books are the best combination. Libraries are a gift and a god send. My kids read so many books, if we’d bought every one of them I’d have needed to plant a money Orchard! I love the energy kids bring, time in their company is a real honour.

If you could spend a day in a fictional world, what world would it be?

There are so many wonderful fictional worlds. In the morning I’d have like to be ‘Emily’s friend in Bagpuss, and hide in the shop with her and just watch everything come alive. In the afternoon, I’d hang out in a Roger Robinson Poetry anthology and feel its sounds, characters and memories on my skin. Night time would be given over to running with the crowds in epic novels like Doctor Shivago.

About Paul Lyalls

One time Poet in Residence for the Roald Dahl Family & Museum. Paul has worked with Arsenal FC , The 2012 London Olympics, Gladtonbury, Spurs & even NASA!  

His work appears in over 30 books and collections and he recently had a poem he wrote  about Stephen Lawrence accepted in the World Wide anthology ‘Black Lives Matter’ 100 poems to change the world.

Michael Rosen describes Paul as ‘ A kind of magic that makes you see the world in a different way’

Twitter: @paullyalls

Website: www.paul-lyalls.uk

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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.

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I can’t think of one, which likely means I’ve blocked it out. Probably for the best!

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

As a reader, I do have a strange aversion to the word ‘poem’ or ‘poet’ appearing within poems, in a self-referencing way. I think it’s because, for me, it kind of punctures the world or moment that the writer’s created and takes me out of it; it makes me aware I’m reading a poem. Though, like all these things, there are always exceptions to the rule. And it’s all just a matter of taste at the end of the day.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

Rachael Allen, Ada Limón, Ocean Vuong, Kim Addonizio, Joe Carrick-Varty…

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Risk it.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

The magic of imagination. The power we all possess through our imaginations to invent and transport and redefine.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

I think it’s the bringing together of community through creativity. Libraries have always felt like a place of sanctuary for me, somewhere I feel comfortable and safe but also somewhere that feels boundless.

Whenever I get to work with children, I’m always struck by how often they’re seemingly able to write completely uninhibited. They put pen to paper and start, and they write immaculately until they get to the end of whatever it is they’re writing. It rarely happens like that for me; the pages of my notebooks are full of false starts, fits of ink, and crossed out scribbles.

Working with families is a real joy. When I was an Artist-in-Residence for SPINE Festival 2023, alongside wonderful storyteller Bernadette Russell, we had the privilege of running an intimate group workshop with families. The session was intended for children but only a few came on that day, so we invited parents and siblings to join too. It was so special to get to see a meeting of generations through creativity, across the page.

If you could only have one sandwich for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Probably some kind of grilled cheese situation.

ABOUT ALICE FRECKNALL

Alice Frecknall is a poet, short fiction writer, and fine artist. Her debut poetry collection, Somewhere Something is Burning,is published by Out-Spoken Press (2021). Her writing has been widely anthologised, including in The London Magazine, The Stinging Fly, berlin lit, fourteen poems,and bath magg, and was most recently shortlisted for The London Magazine Poetry Prize 2023 and Out-Spoken Prize for Poetry 2023. 

Insta: @alice_frecknall
Twitter: @alice_frecknall
Website: www.alicefrecknall.com

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 being badass, and any brilliant writing that makes my palms tingle.

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I showed up with poems for 7 to 11 year olds and found an audience of mostly 3 to five year olds. Like a true amateur I had not prepared anything as backup. Tried desperately to be as big and flamboyant as I could to compensate but the poetry went straight over the little ones’ heads.

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

Rhyming using the exact same words. Doesn’t happen often but always makes me inwardly cringe.

Whose words do you love at the moment?

I keep going back to Carol Ann Duffy, Patience Agbabi and Joseph Coelho. Limiting it to just one is just cruel.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Try everything; something will stick eventually. Call your friends. People who say they love you probably do, so believe them. Try not to worry so much; things will start to make more sense after 25. When in doubt, jump on a bouncy castle, ride a roller coaster, watch some Winnie the Pooh, or do something your child self loved – she needs love too.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

Escaping into imagination land was my way out of an abusive and traumatic upbringing (climbing up the Faraway Tree, and going on my own Pokemon adventures were particular favourites). I still retreat to imagination land today to help cope with difficult times in life, like not being able to sleep at 3am. Also, magic + imagination = Disney = one of my favourite things.

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families and libraries?

Watching families make meaningful memories through creating art and having fun together. There’s nothing more precious. Also, children say the most insightful, quirky, and hilarious things – I treasure every one.

Do you prefer breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Definitely dinner. You can have breakfast for dinner. But you usually don’t have enough appetite to appreciate dinner for breakfast. More options = a happier me.

About Jasmin Thien

Jasmin Thien was born and raised in Brunei before coming to the UK in 2017 to read an undergraduate degree in Education, English, Drama and the Arts at the University of Cambridge.

As a fully blind artist of colour, her work focuses on narratives of marginalization and the nuances of occupying space between various intersectionalities. Some of her poems will feature in the Spin Anthology published by Otter Barry Books in spring 2024 – her debut into publication.

Besides writing and performing poetry, she also works as an actor, playwright, stand up comedian and workshop facilitator.

Insta: @jasmin.thien

Twitter: @jasmin.thien

ABOUT SPINE FESTIVAL 2024

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 to make the world better for the people around them and that pushes me to do better. That paired with a fire soca playlist.  

Tell us about your worst ever gig?

I was in New York and must have found the only poetry night in the city where the vibes were… hostile… so I went up, performed a poem called Black Girl Magic (to no applause) and high tailed it out of there. 

What’s your number one poetry pet peeve?

When people say they can’t write poems or that they don’t like poetry! Firstly, everyone is a poet! Some of the most beautiful and profound things I have ever heard have come from people who wouldn’t call themselves a poet. And secondly, there’s so much poetry in the world, so how can you dislike it all?! You may not like what they taught you in GCSE English, but there is so much more to poetry than William Wordsworth (no offence!)

Whose words do you love at the moment?

Lena Khalaf Tuffaha.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

That love is magical and healing and breath-taking so give some to yourself.

How do you relate to the themes of magic & imagination?

I try to find the magic in the everyday. Like when you arrive to the station and the tube is just pulling in – magic. When my nephew runs and jumps into my arms when he sees me – magic. When the battery in your headphones runs out just as you reach your front door – magic!  

What do you enjoy most about working with children, families, and libraries?

The possibility! It feels as though anything is possible because every visit is filled with different people, from different walks of life, trying to get something different out of the workshop.

What’s one part of your daily routine that you wouldn’t give up?

My morning scroll! I know it’s bad, but that 15 minutes before my alarm goes again, gets me up rather than falling back asleep and being grumpy till 3pm!  

About Desree

Desree, an award-winning spoken word artist, facilitator, and producer, has held prestigious roles such as Poet in Residence for Glastonbury 2022 and TEDx Speaker.

Beyond performances, Desree’s work graces publications like Joy/Us, Wetgrain Poetry, and she has been featured on Life and Rhymes with Benjamin Zephaniah. Desree’s diverse contributions also extend to her role as a commissioned playwright, curator of live events, and visual media. 

Her pamphlet “I Find My Strength In Simple Things” was published by Burning Eye Books in 2021, and her debut collection slated for release in 2025 with Bad Betty Press. 

Insta: @dezziiee_
X: @dezziiee_
website: www.iamdesree.co.uk.

About spine festival LITE 2024: