S3 EP09 | Ragz CV – It’s all about the community
Community power, youth support, mentors, and frustration channelled into purpose with Ragz CV
Lesley Hayes
Describe yourself in 3 words… Resilient, playful, thinker. Rebel. What inspires you? Misunderstandings and all the words that cannot or have not been said. Writing is like setting the hamsters of rage loose on the travelator of creativity. I am learning to harness the hamsters, without hurting them… More specifically, I write about illness, abuse,…
Amy Brangwyn
Describe yourself in 3 words… wend / weft / weave What inspires you? The fluidity of possibility for change. The way injustice builds a fire in our belly so that flames froth from our mouths in a fierce torrent. The paradox of being human and bearing witness to so much beauty and so much suffering….
S3 EP08 | Joshua Idehen – You gotta get your hands dirty
Urgency in writing; career turning points—from open mics to royal stages with Joshua Idehen
Eryn McDonald
Describe yourself in 3 words… Anxious, angry, gentle. What inspires you? Emotions and observations. I am outwardly not the angriest of people but I channel a lot of my rage into my work. I am inspired by the people around me, by kindness, resilience, and weird interactions. More recently I’ve been inspired by the seasonal…
Lauren Temple
Describe yourself in 3 words… Eccentric. Honest. Passionate. What inspires you? Whatever makes me feel really excited! People, places, things… as long as they give me those pins and needles of excitement, it’s like lemonade fizzing through me. Often I feel inspired by the residents at the care home where I work and by the…
S3 EP07 | Roy McFarlane – You’ve got to speak your truth
Honouring scene‑builders; navigating publishing while keeping a raw voice with Roy McFarlane
Valentina Huxley
Describe yourself in 3 words… Curious, dream-oriented and my housemate just said ‘spunky’ haha What inspires you? REVOLUTION! When I chat to people about changing the world, I zoom out of myself and into collective consciousness- this is such an authentic sweet spot to create from. I am also obsessed with queer ecology and mythology….
Dan Loops
Describe yourself in 3 words… Humorous, Versatile, Insatiable What inspires you? The cliche, yet true answer is life. I find moments inspiring, from insurmountable sadness to boundless love. Tell us about your worst ever gig? I once played a gig in a pub to just the sound man, not a single punter entered during the…
S3 EP06 | Showing up with PA Bitez
Alter egos, diverse entry points, and culture fuelling vital writing with PA Bitez
Bhumika Billa
Describe yourself in 3 words… ‘Alive’, I think. Close friends call me a ‘hustler’ (I asked only the ones that like me these days!). My aspirational description would be ‘kind’. What inspires you? Anger on most days, at how unjust the world is. On better ones, beauty of all kinds—in places and people. Tell us…
Amy Langdown
Describe yourself in 3 words… Quirky – Vibrant – Stubborn What inspires you? This, I suppose, is an answer of contradiction. What inspires me to write does not inspire me. Often I write because of the feeling that I must – I often write about the current political climate (which is not what I would…
Goodbye 2023
Whilst 2023 was an amazing year for Apples and Snakes, full of celebrations for our 40th anniversary, it ended on a sad note as we said a heartfelt farewell to the inspirational poet, activist, human-being and friend Benjamin Zephaniah. Benjamin first performed with us at our second gig back on 9 October 1982 and has…
Elena Chamberlain
Describe yourself in 3 words… I asked one of my best friends to help, here’s the product: “ginger, approachable, and you’ve got an artistic mind” (Thanks, Nell) What inspires you? People. I feel most inspired when I’m seeing, listening or reading from/about people who are really passionate about their craft, watching art that holds really…
Polis Loizou
Describe yourself in 3 words… Creative, talkative, irritating. What inspires you? History, culture and weird lore. I’m also very inspired by mediocrity. Part of me thinks, “Well, I can definitely do better than that,” which fires me up to do my thing. Tell us about your worst ever gig? I’ve only done a handful of poetry…
S3 EP05 | Anthony Joseph – When you say ”I’m a poet” it’s a huge thing
What “being a poet” means through decades of artistic transition with Anthony Joseph
Poetry under Occupation
By Shareefa Energy. I was invited to The Freedom Theatre in Jenin Refugee Camp in the West Bank in Palestine as lead facilitator for the 2022 ‘Through The Eyes of Women – Feminist Theatre Festival,’ to deliver poetry and creative writing workshops, alongside performing poetry in Jenin and Ramallah. I last facilitated poetry and public speaking…
S3 EP04 | Ty’rone Haughton – I’m not owed an audience
Following a poetic path, influences, and barriers in education with Ty’rone Haughton
S3 EP03 | Tolu Agbelusi – Sometimes, we just have to get it done.
Honouring the grind: pressure, obstacles, late nights, and trusting your voice with Tolu Agbelusi
S3 SP02 | At risk of being excellent with Shirley May
From freestyle to craft; community support catalysing her collection with Shirley May
The Pause – Field Lab
Early this year I was invited by Team London Bridge, in partnership Apples and Snakes, to put together a day of interactive exercises that would inspire a different spin on talking about the climate and ecological crisis as part of the epic In A Field by A Bridge Festival. Since 2018, I’ve had many conversations in climate and environmental…
The Death of Eddie
In 1999, Eddie Steele Rosen – son, brother, friend and very much his own true self – died. He caught meningitis. He was 18 years old. It was a shock to all who knew and loved him and now, nearly 25 years later, he’s very much remembered and loved. We think of him every day,…
WORDCUP : An Overview
Each poem owes gratitude to other poems and poets that went before it. Poetry is a communal, collaborative act. Sometimes we fall into the trap of spotlighting the individual, whoever’s creative genius steals our breath. And yet we know that everything exists in a continuum. Each poem owes gratitude to other poems and poets that…
S3 EP 01 | Malika Booker – Live and Direct from The Roundhouse
Live Roundhouse talk on poetry, life lessons, and sustaining rituals with Malika Booker
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