Young People’s Laureate For London

Each year an esteemed judging panel selects a poet to become the Young People’s Laureate for London. On National Poetry Day, 1 October 2020, Cecilia was announced as the new Young People’s Laureate for London. The Young People’s Laureate’s mission is to:

• Raise the visibility of poetry in the capital, nationally and internationally;

• Engage and inspire London’s young people with poetry through the issues that affect them;

• Support the development of London’s talented young poets in a tangible way.

2020/2021 ACTIVITY

RESIDENCIES

Throughout her year as Young People’s Laureate, Cecilia completed four residencies with partners across London, designed to raise the visibility of poetry for London’s young people and help them see poetry as something they are entitled to.

YOUNG ROOTS

Cecilia worked with the charity Young Roots and the Refugee Council over six weeks to create poetry with their young women’s group. You can read some of their work below, illustrated by Jess Nash.

SOUTH LONDON GALLERY

Cecilia’s second residency as laureate was with a group of young artists at The South London Gallery. Over 8 weeks they made a zine of poetry and visual art called ‘Honey Locust Baby.’

THE ROYAL COURT

Cecilia’s third residency was with young people at The Royal Court where they made a thirty minute theatre piece which incorporated music and spoken word.

STREET SOCCER AND CALM

The final residency was with the football charity Street Soccer. A group of young footballers created poetry and the mental health charity CALM supported on the project. Read the poems here.

OTHER PROJECTS

WRITE THROUGH THIS

Throughout lockdown, Cecilia ran a series of free poetry workshops and tutorials for young people; #WriteThroughThis. The workshops culminated in an online anthology, which you can read here.

KNAPP CHATS

A series of ‘in conversation with’ videos, chatting about the benefits of poetry.

BLOGS

You can read about the year in more detail, including other projects, commissions and articles Cecilia wrote in these four blogs. Read some of the commissioned poems she wrote in response to being Young People’s Laureate here.