Jaffrin Khan is 28 and from Cardiff. She is keen to pursue a career as a spoken word artist, having started writing and performing poetry as a form of activism to work through personal traumas and discuss topics that are deemed taboo in South Asian communities, such as relationships, body image, feminism, injustice and religion. She has performed all over the UK and has been published on several platforms, while also working collaboratively with local organisations to deliver workshops and partake in research and development programmes. Her poetry videos have been commissioned by the WMC and BBC for the Festival of Voice, which launched in March 2021. Jaffrin was recently selected as one of Wales Millennium Centre’s Creative Associates, responsible for helping rebuild the arts in Wales in a fresh, meaningful and resilient way. 2021 has also seen her curate an online exhibition as part of Arcade Campfa’s online residency.
Instagram: @jxffrin
How do you envisage the programme will help you in terms of your development?
“I would hope it’d broaden my understanding of the publishing industry as well as provide guidance and an insight into how to progress my career as a spoken word artist. I also believe it’d improve the quality of my writing as well as inspiring new work with the aid of a mentor and masterclasses. Being platformed would also be a great asset to my confidence and allow me to get more comfortable with my work and progressing it further.”
What are you most looking forward to as part of the programme? What are you hoping to achieve by taking part?
“I’m really looking forward to working with a mentor and having so many useful resources to support my professional development. Having industry insights would be particularly big deal as it would demystify a lot about how the publishing world works.”
As a writer, where would you like to be in 5 years?
“I would love to be in a place where people are able to connect and resonate with my writing on a global level. I am working towards being a published author with a reputable literary agent to support me. As well as this, being able to perform my work globally, continue to provide workshops to support young people with their writing and also incorporating my writing with my visual arts.”