Speak Back: An opportunity for spoken word artists and poets

Whether you are a spoken word artist hoping to enhance your skills and experiment with your voice, or a poet interested in exploring how to transfer your poetry from the page to the stage, this course is for you. 

Speak Back will be tutored by Taylor Edmonds and Kandace Siobhan Walker. Taylor’s debut poetry pamphlet Back Teeth was published by Broken Sleep Books in 2022, and she was the 2021-22 Poet-in-Residence for the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Kandace’s debut collection, Cowboy, was published by Cheerio in 2023 and won Wales Book of the Year’s poetry category and was shortlisted for many prestigious prizes including the Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize for 2024.

Spoken word is increasingly gaining the recognition it deserves. In 2022, the artform was recognised by the Grammys with the introduction of a new Award for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, and in 2023, The Forward Prizes introduced a new category for a performance of a poem. Following a successful retreat for Welsh language spoken word artists in 2023, the workshops and talks on this residency will take place through the medium of English, although those practicing their craft through the medium of Welsh are welcome to join. 

Against the backdrop of our current political, social and environmental challenges, it is often the arts which most successfully advocate for change. The arts can speak to the heart and can also speak effectively to those in power. But it matters whose voices are heard. We need diversity of voice, thought and experiences to consider new perspectives and to represent all communities. Poets writing on a variety of different themes will be welcomed onto this retreat, but we are particularly interested in themes including identity, the climate emergency and climate justice, and social justice within the context of Wales.

On the residency, writers and performers will hone their craft through a variety of group workshops and exercises. Performances from guest artist will feature, and the group will hear from representatives within the festival and publishing industry to learn how to further their careers. The week will culminate in a celebratory evening of performances by the group. Following the course, Literature Wales will continue to support the cohort to reach their ambitions. 

For this course, we’re looking for poets who are under-represented within the publishing and spoken word scene in Wales. Further guidance on this can be read in our FAQs section. Emerging writers must be aged 18 or older at time of application. We’re particularly keen to receive applications from writers who have not previously benefited from a free-of-charge Literature Wales programme or retreat at Tŷ Newydd. 

You can find more information about this opportunity, including FAQs, eligibility criteria and details on how to apply on the Speak Back course page. All documents are also available in large print and dyslexia-friendly formats. 

We’re grateful to our funders who has made this opportunity possible: The National Lottery, through the Arts Council of Wales, The Rhys Davies Trust and The Foyle Foundation.