Hello everyone! If you follow poetry in the UK, you'll probably be aware of an article that was published by PN Review in January entitled "The Cult of the Noble Amateur" by Rebecca Watts. In the article, Watts excoriates Hollie McNish's book Plum in a rude, uninformed manner. I, alongside many other poets, critics, and … Continue reading Article for Sabotage Reviews: “What Cult?”
Category: Performance Poetry
Edinburgh Fringe 2017
July is nearly through, which means it's almost time for the Edinburgh Fringe! I'm delighted to be performing again this year as part of the core cast of Loud Poets. We've worked hard to craft a brand new show featuring spoken word poetry in a range of styles accompanied by live music from our band … Continue reading Edinburgh Fringe 2017
Loud Poets have a Patreon!
Hello everyone! I'm writing to share some big news: this weekend Loud Poets launched a Patreon campaign! If you've not heard of Patreon, it's an excellent crowdfunding platform which allows supporters to pledge regular contributions to artists they appreciate. This gives these artists a more sustainable income (in oppose to one-off crowdfunding campaigns which are … Continue reading Loud Poets have a Patreon!
Interview with Jess Orr for the Dangerous Women Project
This winter I was honoured to be asked to contribute to the Dangerous Women Project, a fantastic initiative currently running out of the University of Edinburgh. The project asks the question 'what does it mean to be a dangerous woman?' and is posting a different response each day for a year (between International Women's Day 2016 & … Continue reading Interview with Jess Orr for the Dangerous Women Project
Guest Post: Shannon MacGregor on the Glasgow Scene
Hello all! I'm delighted to feature another guest post on the website today, this time from the incredibly talented Glasgow-based spoken word artist Shannon MacGregor. Shannon came onto the scene like a thunderbolt in 2015, wowing crowds with her sharply written and dynamically delivered work. She recently represented Team Glasgow at the 2017 UK UniSlam. … Continue reading Guest Post: Shannon MacGregor on the Glasgow Scene
Spring Workshops
Hello everyone! One of my biggest joys this past year has been doing more teaching. One of the chief reasons I got into academia was to teach - I've found that there's no better way to learn than to share your knowledge with others. In the autumn I taught Intro to Creative Writing at Strathclyde, where … Continue reading Spring Workshops
Summer Festivals!
Hello everyone! Just a quick post today to share details of some upcoming performances at festivals this August. This August is the third annual Loud Poets run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where we're delighted to be returning to the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile. We've written an entirely new show for this … Continue reading Summer Festivals!
Vlog with Sam Small: Regional Differences in Spoken Word
Hello everyone! I'm just catching my breath after two whirlwind tours with Loud Poets in the past three weeks, first to the Brighton Fringe, then to the Prague Fringe. Both festivals were fantastic, and I'm so grateful to the team of poets, musicians, and our videographer Perry Jonsson for working so hard to make our shows the … Continue reading Vlog with Sam Small: Regional Differences in Spoken Word
Comparing the U.S. & U.K. Spoken Word Scenes
Hello folks! So in late March/early April three of the four Loud Poets organisers went to the U.S., myself included, and participated in the spoken word scene there. I was back on the East Coast for a visit home, during which I took part in two poetry events and taught two spoken word workshops on my undergraduate … Continue reading Comparing the U.S. & U.K. Spoken Word Scenes
Guest Post: Freddie Alexander on Crowdfunding
Hello all! This week I'm delighted to feature a guest piece by my dear friend Freddie Alexander on this site. I met Freddie the first time I moved to Edinburgh, in 2012, and was blown away by his tight writing and his energetic, intense performance style. Freddie currently organises the monthly Edinburgh Open Mic Inky Fingers, and has … Continue reading Guest Post: Freddie Alexander on Crowdfunding
