Islands of Essex inspire open mic poetry

Poets have been asked to take inspiration from the islands around the Essex coast at an open mic night in Chelmsford.

The spoken word poetry night is the second event in the Art:Up! initiative, which aims to inspire creative writing by making open mics more accessible and inclusive.

The open mic night is part of Being Human, the national festival of arts and humanities research. It takes place at Hot Box in Chelmsford on 13 November and is open to everyone of all ages, from school-age to retirees.

The Art:Up! initiative is led by Dr Jordan Savage, from the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies and has already attracted new writers who want to share their work. Over 60 people took part in the launch, at the University’s Lakeside Theatre in June, and over 20 poets are attached to the project long term.

Art:Up! events are tailored to meet the needs of neurodiverse writers, who might otherwise feel excluded from spoken word poetry, but are open to all. Among those taking part in the initiative are writers diagnosed with autism, ADHD and dyslexia.

The Hot Box event will be hosted by PhD student Nooryiah Alroomi with headline performances by Kayleigh Osben from Essex who writes about her experiences of having ADHD, and Brenda Wells from Poetry Plus in Manningtree.

The theme for the Hot Box open mic night is Radical Islands and is inspired by Essex’s 35 coastal islands including Mersea, Osea and Foulness.

Dr Savage hopes it will attract new writers as well as stimulate ideas amongst those already involved in the project.

“Taking a place as a starting point is a useful tool when we teach creative writing because you want to inspire people to write about something beyond themselves. Shared space is even better when you want to build and inspire a community,” she explained.

“Radical Islands is an opportunity to think about where we’re from and add a level of metaphor and expansion. Islands are part of our geography in Essex, and they are spaces that are in some way isolated. In Essex, we also have poetic pockets that are isolated. Art:Up! aims to bring those writers together creating a community, out of these islands, where we celebrate poetry in new spaces.”

Speaking about her own experiences as a neurodiverse poet, Kayleigh Osben said: “Poetry has always been a way for me to make sense of the world, a space where emotion and experience can find language. It’s been both a form of healing and self-expression, allowing me to turn lived experiences into something that can connect and resonate with others.

“Inclusive art spaces allow neurodivergent voices to be heard and valued in their authenticity. Neurodiverse participation brings new ways of seeing, feeling, and creating - perspectives that enrich the cultural landscape and remind us that creativity thrives in diversity.”

Read about Nooryiah Alroomi's experience as a PhD student hosting Art:Up!