PROJECTS
Croydon Poet Laureate
Out of Silence
Croydon's Caribbean Influencers
Voices of Croydon
Out of Silence was a multi-generational poetry project, empowering and amplifying voices that are often unheard. I project managed and co-produced what was my final project as Croydon Poet Laureate from October 2023 – December 2024.
Myself and five other local poets ran workshops in some of Croydon’s schools, youth organisations and elder’s groups to uncover what is important to different generations.
Extracts from each poem were made into posters, co-designed by local young people and 31% Wool, and displayed in various locations around the borough. Other outcomes included a live sharing with participants at Talawa Studio, an exhibition with the Museum of Croydon, a poetry film, mythophones playing audio poems, and an online anthology. I later edited a physical copy of the anthology, which was designed by 31% Wool.
For more information, read these Croydonist features:
Citizen UK: Croydon's Caribbean Influencers was an exhibition that explored stories of the Caribbean community, who made an impact on the borough and beyond, through archive material, oral histories, interviews, poetry, portraits and music.
I collaborated on the exhibition with the National Portrait Gallery, Museum of Croydon, artist Kyam, and designer Abi Wright. As well as writing poems for each of the contributors, I wrote interpretative text and curated a soundscape of poems, oral history clips and music.
It was displayed at the Museum of Croydon from the 14 April – 21 July 2023, and National Portrait Gallery from the 9 October 2023 – 12 February 2024.
For more information, read this Spread The Word blog post:
© Photos: Ameena Rojee
© Photos: David Parry
Voices of Croydon was my first Croydon Poet Laureate project, in collaboration with the Museum of Croydon, working with Croydon Music & Arts' C3 group.
I ran workshops with young people to identify gaps and reinterpret aspects of the Museum of Croydon's collection in poetic form, helping to ensure that they are more representative of Croydon's diverse community and relevant to young audiences.
The outcome was an online exhibition in 2018, showcasing the poems created, with lead artwork by one of the participants.
For more information, read this Croydonist feature:
© Artwork: Ashleigh
Artist Collaborations
Searching for the Motherland
Crocus Valley
Anthem for Peace
Searching for the Motherland is an emotive photography exhibition from Robert Golden, featuring over 50 photographs of London’s Windrush generation and their families during the 1970’s.
I was commissioned to write poems that were not only inspired by Robert's photographs, but also related to and engaged with them.
It was first displayed at the Shire Hall Museum from 27 September – 16 November 2024.
For more information, read this Dorchester Chamber feature:
https://www.dorchesterchamber.co.uk/searching-for-the-motherland-shire-hall-museum/
© Photo: Robert Golden / Topfoto
Crocus Valley is a photobook by Ameena Rojee, published by RRB Photobooks in 2023. The photographs show the juxtaposition of Croydon's beautiful nature and vivid urban landscape.
I was commissioned to write poems that would sit alongside Ameena's photographs, allowing me to tell stories in response to the photos.
The launch of the book was accompanied by an outdoor exhibition from 10 August – 10 September 2023.
For more information, read this Huck feature:
https://www.huckmag.com/article/ameena-rojee-photos-capturing-the-romantic-side-of-croydon
© Photo: Ameena Rojee
The Anthem for Peace is a musical anthem commissioned by the London Mozart Players in 2018.
I was commissioned to write lyrics to a set piece of music that had been composed by Richard M Brown.
You can read the lyrics here.
© Photo: Vipul Sangoi
Curation
Young People Insight Anthology
Words Flow Festival
Living in Poetry Festival
Poetic Insight
I edited the Young People Insight Anthology to mark the ending of my platform Young People Insight. It was typeset by Bridget Hart and published in 2022.
I curated a selection of discussion write ups, poems and blog posts from over the years, which were organised under sections. These were accompanied by photos of the events and advertising materials.
Words Flow Festival was a mini poetry and spoken word festival held at Upper Norwood Library Hub over three nights in September 2020. It showcased the voices and talents of poets and spoken word artists.
I named and hosted the festival, designed marketing materials, and curated the artist lineup, as well as formats and themes for each day.
Words Flow was part of Upper Norwood Library Hub's All Alone, Together programme during lockdown. This meant that the festival was live streamed on Facebook and YouTube, with a limited live audience.
You can still watch all three days of the festival:
LIP Fest (Living in Poetry Festival) was a celebration of the power of the spoken and written word. It was held in Stanley Arts across the 27 & 28 October 2018, and Fairfield Halls on the 12 October 2019.
Co-curated by Well Versed Ink and my platform Young People Insight over both years, alongside Writerz & Scribez and Poets Anonymous in 2018, we designed a programme of live performances, workshops and panels.
Poetic Insight was a monthly poetry night, especially for young people aged 16-26, to express themselves through poetry and spoken word. It ran from 2017-2019.
I developed a warm, intimate event, giving young people the opportunity to develop confidence and stage presence, especially those taking to the stage for the first time.
After consulting young people, I chose themes for each month. In the final year, I gave young people the chance to host the poetry nights and develop their hosting skills.
Group Poems
Paint the Future
The World is a Woman
The World is a Woman is a poem written by women who have survived trafficking and other forms of violence for International Women’s Day 2023.
Working with the charity Ella's, I facilitated workshops with the survivors to write poetry, supported by some of the Ella's staff. I then worked with them to weave together lines and ideas from all of the women involved to form the poem.
Paint The Future is a poem written by young people to mark Croydon's upcoming year as London Borough of Culture 2023.
I facilitated workshops with Croydon Music and Arts' C3 (Croydon Creative Collective) group to write poetry about Croydon's culture and their hope for its future. I then worked with them to weave together lines to form the poem and supported with the delivery of their lines for the audio of a film they created.
I asked Shaniqua to root her poems in the 10 groupings of photographs made in the 1970’s of the Windush’s succeeding generations. The images are filled with private moments as well as street demonstrations. Shaniqua was able to contemporize the struggles and endless heartbreaks of the people who came to mind the ill and to rebuild the country.
Robert Golden
Testimonials
Over a series of creative workshops, Shaniqua worked with a group of survivors and staff to draw out themes and lines, and then helped us craft them together to produce our poem. The process was accessible, comfortable and enjoyable for everyone, whether they had written before or were completely new to poetry. And we were over the moon with the final poem!
Ella's