Finding Voice: Developing your Poetry

We are organising a poetry workshop on Sunday 11th June to assist new poets in developing their work. On the 9th July we will invite these poets to perform the pieces they have developed. We are focusing on Leeds-based poets who are just emerging and want to develop their poetic practice. Everyone, of every background, is welcome at the workshop. The workshop will be led by the Leeds poets Emily Zobel Marshall and Abdullah Adekola.

As central prompts for the workshop we will be drawing from the city of Leeds as our source of inspiration as well as contemporary politics, migration and resistance.

We will be creating a safe space for people of colour, and people who may have had any experiences similar to those that David Oluwale suffered, to work on poetry that reflects the situations they have lived through. We will read poetry by other poets, write our own poems and participants will receive advice and encouragement on writing practice and performance skills.

Interested? DM us at @RememberOluwale or email us at [email protected]

This workshop is part of a series of events to mark the installation of Hibiscus Rising, a wonderful new public sculpture by British Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare RA, CBE, due to be unveiled in Leeds in November 2023 to honour the life of David Oluwale. This huge project is in collaboration with LEEDS2023 and Leeds City Council. For more information visit rememberoluwale.org

Workshop leader Dr Emily Zobel Marshall (poet and co-chair of DOMA) speaking at a recent event. Peepal Tree Press will publish her book of poems A Bath of Herbs on 7th July this year..

Workshop leader, poet and DOMA Board member Abdullah Adekola reading from his 2021 book Nigressence https://burningeye.bigcartel.com/product/nigrescence-by-abdullah-adekola

Some participants in the #RememberOluwale poetry workshop at Roscoe Methodist Church in Chapeltown, Leeds, 8.4.2017

Some participants in the #RememberOluwale poetry workshop at Roscoe Methodist Church in Chapeltown, Leeds, 8.4.2017

Host or Publisher Remember Oluwale - The David Oluwale Memorial Association