Birmingham Poets Laureate
2022-2024 announced at Birmingham Literature Festival event
on National Poetry Day 2022
Jasmine Gardosi has been
named as the new Birmingham Poet Laureate during a National Poetry
Day celebration, which also marked the start of this year’s
Birmingham Literature Festival. Jasmine, a multiple slam champion
and beatboxer, becomes Poet Laureate for 2022-24, succeeding poet
Casey Bailey.
Iona Mandal, 16, from Birmingham
was also announced as the 16th Young Poet Laureate during the
event. Iona, a pupil at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls,
succeeds Fatma Mohiuddin, and will hold this title for two years.
Jasmine says:
“I’m excited to demonstrate through my role as
Birmingham Poet Laureate that poetry belongs to everyone. Our
voices are as diverse as Birmingham is – in fact, I believe there
are as many types of poetry as there are people in this city.
Whether it’s my beatbox/poetry fusions, performing poetry on a
rollercoaster, or merging poems with music, I want to show to the
world that poetry takes on many forms. It’s an art of infinite
possibilities and it’s accessible to anyone. Everyone has a voice,
and everyone’s voice matters. I’m especially excited to connect the
poetry and music communities, and as an LGBT poet, simply be myself
on a larger stage.”
Iona Mandal says:
“Being chosen as the Birmingham Young Poet Laureate
(2022-2024) has instilled in me a sense of honour, catalysed my
personal odyssey with poetry and renewed my appreciation for
the wonders of our city, which is home.”
Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West
Midlands and Chair of the Selection Panel, said:
“Writing West Midlands is delighted to be working
with the new Birmingham Poet Laureate, Jasmine Gardosi, and the new
Birmingham Young Poet Laureate, Iona Mandel. Both poets are
uniquely gifted to speak for many in the city, and more importantly
they bring an irrepressible enthusiasm for communicating through
poetry. It is going to be a wonderful two years.”
During their tenure, both Poets Laureate will
produce new poems and work to promote poetry across the city, as
part of the scheme run by the Library of Birmingham. They
will act as a poetry ambassador and help raise the profile of
poetry across Birmingham. They will be asked to write poetry for
special occasions, lead poetry workshops, inspiring others to try
their own hand at reading and writing poetry.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment