This October the Inventing South Norwood team will be running a free workshop to help you to write and create your own poems about South Norwood.

Join local spoken word legend Kid Anansi who has created a spoken word workshop which will include free writing, editing and performance skills. Come and learn the basics of spoken word performance and verbalise your thoughts with the support of a professional poet.

The workshop is aimed at secondary school aged young people (11 – 16 year olds).

Kid Anansi (Jamal Hassan) is a Croydon based poet. He began his spoken word journey at small open mic nights near Surrey Street Market and Boxpark while teaching at local schools. He now hosts multiple open mic nights around London, was a regular performer on the BAFTA Award winning series Life & Rhymes, and performed at Glastonbury 2022.

He describes his work as a mix of political, historical and philosophical discourse with a dash of slapstick character comedy and wordplay that is as rhythmically lyrical as it is melodiously witty. His unique brand of poetry often has crowds laughing, crying, biting their knuckles in second-hand embarrassment, or all three. The workshop will be from 12pm to 4pm and will have a half hour break and will be hosted in Stanley Arts on Tuesday the 25th of October.

What will you get from the workshop?
● A written poem
● Useful tips on how to practice/edit writing effectively
● Useful tips on practising performing effectively

What will happen in the workshop?
● Intro – Warm up
● Free writing /pre-written/ found poem practice
● Writing feedback/discussion time
● Editing practice
● Group writing activities
● Writing feedback
● Performance warm up
● Performance practice
● Performance feedback
● Warm down

The day entails of two 90-minute-workshop sessions with a 45 minute break in between. (PS. Even though there are ‘two’ workshops, these are both part of one booking/one whole workshop for the day)
The cafe will be open if participants wish to purchase lunch during this time.