✍🏾 Aspiring writers, pick up that pen! We are pleased to announce that our poetry workshops are officially back for a third cohort.

The power of Lived experience and Storytelling in verse. These sessions are in association with @somalinimouk with 3 sessions happening in Birmingham and being facilitated by @zakariyyee at The Old Print Works and 3 sessions happening in London at Culture House being facilitated by @ayanmoaden. 

Fill out our google form to sign up:

Register Here

Poet Profiles:

Zakariye

Zakariye has had various headlines across Birmingham and London. His creative career spans over seven years. Some of his works have included: having his short poetry film CAGES broadcast on BBC 4 and BBC iPlayer, reaching the finals of the Roundhouse Poetry Slam where he won the audience vote, headlined for We Don’t Settle as part of Poet’s Corner at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, filmed a short poetry film through Apples and Snakes’ programme Future Voices where he worked with Aston Villa Football Club to shoot at Villa Park, worked with Flatpack for their festivals by delivering poetry sets, film screenings and workshops. He has performed at Westminster Abbey, Hay Festival and TEDx.

Ayan Aden

Ayan Aden, a poet-in residence and the Birmingham Poet Laureate 2024 – 2026. Rooted in heritage and driven by vision, Ayan Aden transforms poetry, strategy, and cultural leadership into powerful acts of change. She sees poetry as both archive and agent—preserving what must endure while imagining what is yet to come. Her work merges Somali oral tradition with contemporary poetics -blending intimacy and provocation to preserve culture, affirm identity, and shift narratives.