Updates

Hampshire Poet invited to remain in role for a further year. After two successful years in tenure, Winchester Poetry Festival and Hampshire Cultural Trust have invited Hampshire Poet- Damian Kelly-Basher to remain in the role for a further year.  In the National Year of Reading, this unprecedented extension was decided Continue Reading

I spent a wonderful morning writing with the beautiful, unfiltered minds of Year 3 classes. They’re such imaginative writers!. But they had some really tough questions for me afterwards about being a poet. For example, “What is your favourite snack before you perform a poem?”

It was great working with the Gallery Team; selecting poems, writing in response to the artworks. and hosting the event. I loved how each poet transformed their poem by reading live, to the joy of the audience.

At this performance , with New Forest Writer in Residence and other authors, we looked at different aspects of the landscape. I loved the challenge of writing the different pieces, hearing the work of others and spending time in the Forest researching the topic.

Had a brilliantly busy weekend. I saw astonishing performances by Joelle Taylor and Luke Kennard.; did some writing in workshops; presented prizes at the Young Poets Competition celebration and hosted an eclectic session of less-heard voices. Joyous.

Poetry won’t stop the Climate Emergency (sorry). But what it can do is help translate complex science and huge concepts, like Climate Change, Pollution, into forms we can understand. Collaborating across science and art, I hope to promote creative ideas for positive action. https://p4ppp.cwcdh.org/

It was cool to have an architecture-themed workshop in the Rotunda at WSA. And welcome to the new, poetry-curious people who were having fun with the writing exercises.

This year’s theme is ‘Friendship’. I expected to be surprised and delighted by the work of these young poets (and I was!). But reading hundreds of poems by children that celebrated those they care about, gave me a huge sense of hope too. Thanks!

Oh my, this was the best way to end the 100th Birthday of Surrealism! A group of top quality poets brought such interesting work by their favourite female surrealists: from B-movie horror to strange landscapes and mythology. Their performances, in English and French, were also weird and wonderful . I’m Continue Reading

I loved being a part of this project – with a Housing Association, a Wildlife Trust and a primary school. The children’s poems, ideas and performances were thoughtful, funny and inspiring.

A lovely afternoon on the radio sharing poems in Bengali and English with friends from the Chayaar Adda programme.

Here’s one of the poems that came out of the Community Poem session and the beautiful artwork made by visual artist Lizzie Jones that drew in people’s contributions during the day. River Praise                                           Blessed are we with beautiful waterways                                           flowing                 .                                  tumbling                                            Continue Reading