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
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
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!
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
