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?”
Tag: Slam poetry
Guest Post: Carly Brown on Acting and Spoken Word
Hi everyone! I'm delighted to be featuring another guest post on my blog today, this time from brilliant writer and performer (and all around lovely human) Carly Brown. I remember watching videos of Carly's poems online before I even met her and being blown away by her work. Carly performs imagery-laced, tightly-written pieces which often … Continue reading Guest Post: Carly Brown on Acting and Spoken Word
Archiving Spoken Word: Some Thoughts
Hello everyone! I’m writing today on the subject of archiving and documenting the contemporary spoken word scene in the UK. As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I’m currently working on my PhD at the University of Strathclyde researching the performance of authentic selfhood in UK spoken word. I’m using an oral history methodology to … Continue reading Archiving Spoken Word: Some Thoughts
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!
Spotlight on Process Productions
Hello all! Just a quick post today to introduce you to a resource on UK spoken word that I've found really interesting and useful. The lovely London-based poet and filmmaker Tyrone Lewis has been interviewing UK poets about their practices and local scenes and turning these interviews into documentaries which he posts on his YouTube channel … Continue reading Spotlight on Process Productions
Reflections on Publishing Homing
Last night I had the pleasure of performing at Vineyard Arts, which is a lovely biweekly arts group taking place in a church space in Partick. That evening—a very rainy one, even for Glasgow—the attendance was fairly low, and the folks who showed up were mostly fellow spoken word artists. I realised that most of the … Continue reading Reflections on Publishing Homing
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
Tips for Memorising Spoken Word Poems
When I first began watching spoken word, it always seemed incredible to me that poets could memorise entire sets of material and perform them live what seemed like effortlessly (same goes for actors and musicians). I wondered how they held it all in their heads, and how they could still seem like they were telling a story … Continue reading Tips for Memorising Spoken Word Poems
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
Best Scottish Poems of 2015: A Response
Update: there's a great discussion going around this post where I linked it on my Facebook artist page - check it out here and please do join in! -K Yesterday the Scottish Poetry Library released its annual list of the Best Scottish Poems of 2015, a selection curated this year by novelist and poet … Continue reading Best Scottish Poems of 2015: A Response
Katie Ailes 