Postgraduate poetic opportunities

It is not easy to find open mic nights or poetry events in Essex unless it’s the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies annual term time open mics, the start of term or if a student decides to host.

As an international student from Kuwait where poetry nights hardly exist, I never thought I would be able to host an open mic. Thanks to Dr Jordan Savage’s Art:Up! initiative, and the national festival of arts and humanities Being Human, I’m about to do just that, and so far, it’s been surprising and exciting to experience.

Why I wanted to get involved

I wanted to be involved in spreading poetry open mics: anything to give students an open space which is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive.

I reached out to my supervisor Dr Savage about being more involved with the Art:Up! which had a successful first launch at the University and will offer a programme of events across Essex for the rest of the academic year.

I had never thought I would get such an opportunity to be involved with both the Being Human Festival and the Essex Book Festival and to host an open mic as I am still new to the preforming scene.

Through this work, not only have I discovered local poetry open mics in Essex that I had no idea existed but also such beautiful communities of creatives that motivate performing in welcoming environments.

Joining a community of poets

The Art:Up! project is a collaboration with the Essex Book festival, Waxes Lyrical in Hot Box Chelmsford, Poetry Plus in Manningtree, and Boho Banter in Clacton-On-Sea.

If I had not decided to reach out by being more involved, I would have never ended up being able to host a poetry night with funding.

I had passed by Hot Box multiple times, thinking it was just a concert venue but after I went to Waxes Lyrical poetry night it was filled with a lovely community of locals that made me want to give a poetry reading on my first visit by how welcoming they were.

I learned a lot from the Being Human Festival’s training programme that included engagement, inclusion, promoting public engagements events, and event delivery. Through Art:Up! I have also learned how a community of writers in Essex is created and my interpersonal skills improved through communication with event partners, writers, and sponsors.

Grasping postgraduate opportunities

Postgraduate students mostly spend their times working independently which makes open mic nights an open space to perform as well as connect with each other by boosting connections with other writers and poets.

I would advise any student in any department or graduate level to reach out to any member of staff or your supervisor on pursuing what you want, without waiting for more expertise and experience, because you never know the opportunities that open up, or impact you can make.

The staff at the University are always supportive, welcoming, and helpful if a student in any level wants to organise a project, whether it is a poetry night, a workshop, or any event to get students together.

Pursue what you want, get creative and grasp postgraduate opportunities like I have!

Find out more about the Art:Up! project.