The Apples and Snakes poetry in performance programme will create a unique opportunity for 10 spoken word poets from across the country to explore the performative potential of their work. Selected artists will participate in a residential creative lab with experts from different performance disciplines, receive a £3,000 bursary and a mentor. The programme will run twice, culminating each time in two showcases (one in London and one in the North of England) and a commission for one artist.
This programme will provide space, time and creative support for selected poets to create new work in an environment which respects the integrity of spoken word. It will also explore the art form’s relationship to other disciplines such as dance, theatre and digital art, and interrogate the opportunities these offer for pushing the boundaries of spoken word.
The artists support in 2020 are Julian Knox, Kirsty Taylor, Neelam Saredia-Brayley, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, and Shaun Hill.