We, The Poets

How do you get your poetry published, performed, played on the radio or heard by new audiences—especially when your budget is precisely £0?

In this Nottingham Poetry Festival special, Mark Grist and producer Chris Barn look back on a day of poetry, conversation and live recording at Rough Trade Nottingham.

Jay Sandhu hosts an industry panel featuring Amy Acre from Bad Betty Press, Dean Jackson from BBC Upload, Hannah Trevarthen from Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature and Mark representing We, The Poets. Together, they discuss what they look for in new work, how to approach publishers and poetry organisations, recording good audio with nothing more than a phone—and why rejection is an essential part of building a creative career.

There’s practical advice for emerging poets, including how to find the right home for your writing, why you don’t need expensive equipment and a great way to turn rejections into a well-earned reward.

Mark also interviews writer, poet and producer Henry Normal, whose collection New Modelling for the Afterlife was one of the books that first made Mark believe he could write and perform poetry himself.

Henry talks about failure, humour, AI, imposter syndrome, writing for the page and stage, knowing when a poem is finished and why creativity is ultimately about communicating with another human being. He finishes with his poem “Better Days”.

✨ This episode also features poetry from Elizabeth Harrison, Chris Oliver, Binny, Emily Ralph and Hal The Poet.

Content note: one featured poem contains references to racism and domestic abuse connected with football and alcohol.

Find out more:

Nottingham Poetry Festival: https://nottinghampoetryfestival.com

Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode? Email [email protected].

Recorded at Rough Trade Nottingham and produced by Chris Barn at Backland Studios, with public funding from Arts Council England.

Award-winning poet and author Dean Atta joins Mark Grist and Leanne Moden at Backland Studios for a conversation about ambition, community, comparison and building a life as a writer.

With his new adult novel Big Man about to hit the shelves, Dean talks about moving between poetry and fiction, getting older, finding the right home for your work and the strange gap between how successful you might look from the outside and how you actually feel.

Dean reflects on the writers and communities that helped him find his feet, including the extraordinary support and mentorship he received from Benjamin Zephaniah, and why he now feels a responsibility to pass that generosity on. There's also plenty about collaboration, taking chances on projects that might go nowhere, saying yes to unexpected opportunities, and the years of work behind the successes everybody else eventually sees.

Dean reads his poem ‘Darling’, and we also get a little exclusive as he reveals the title of his forthcoming middle-grade portal fantasy, Enter the Clock, for the very first time.

✨ Featured poems from Bradley Taylor and Abi Willock.

Bradley Taylor opens the episode in style with a brilliant piece called ‘Announcement’. Bradley is an award-winning Birmingham poet and won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam in 2024.

Later in the episode, Abi Willock shares a playful and evocative poem about Paris, romance and the stories we attach to places.

📝 Find Bradley Taylor's work here:

📝 Find Abi Willock here:

📚 Find Dean Atta and his work here:

📚 Buy Big Man by Dean Atta here:

🎬 Watch Two Black Boys in Paradise on Channel 4 — Dean's BAFTA-winning stop-motion animation here.

📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode?

Email: [email protected] 

🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

What are the most important lessons you've ever learned... that nobody actually taught you?

Award-winning poet Hannah Lowe joins Mark Grist and Jay Sandhu at Backland Studios for a conversation about the things education leaves out. From classrooms and colonial history to creativity, assessment, awards and finding your own voice, they explore the hidden lessons that shape us as writers—and as people.

Winner of the Costa Book Award for The Kids, Hannah reflects on growing up between cultures, writing poetry for the page rather than the stage, balancing teaching with creativity, and why some of the most important parts of becoming a poet happen long after you leave school.

Note: This episode includes discussion of colonialism, racism, dementia, bereavement, smoking-related illness and some strong language.

✨ Featured poems from Hannah Walker and one of our younger listeners, Alice.

📝 Hannah Walker's poems can be found here:

www.hannahpoems.co.uk

📚 Buy The Kids by Hannah Lowe here:

https://www.bloodaxebooks.com/ecs/product/the-kids-1277

📚 Find more of Hannah Lowe's work here:

https://hannahlowe.me/

📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode?

Email: [email protected]

🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

We, The Poets returns with one of the UK's most celebrated poets, performers and mentors, Joelle Taylor.

Winner of the TS Eliot Prize for C+nto & Othered Poems, Joelle joins Mark Grist and Charley Genever for a conversation about why poetry isn't just something we write—it's something we do.

Together they explore world-building, writing cinematically, stage fright, community, performance, and how poems can evolve into theatre, opera and film. They also discuss imagery, metaphor, finding your artistic voice, and why the best poems leave readers with questions rather than answers.

✨ Featured poems from Edalia Day and Helen Cross.

Edalia Day's work can be found here:

Buy Maryville by Joelle Taylor here:

📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode?

Email: [email protected]

🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

We, The Poets is back for Season 3 — and we’re kicking things off with writer, performer and game enthusiast Tim Clare.

Recorded at Ellie Spirrett on Instagram

✨ Sandy Wardrop – sharing new work later in the episode.

If you’ve ever drifted away from writing, struggled with performing, or wondered how other poets keep going — we hope this one resonates.

📚 Find Tim’s books, podcasts and work at:

🎧 Check out:

📬 Want to send us a poem or voice note for a future episode?

Email: [email protected]

🎧 Produced at Backland Studios with public funding from Arts Council England.

In the final episode of Series 2, all the hosts come together in the studio — Mark Grist, Leanne Moden, Keely Mills, Jay Sandhu and Charley Genever — to reflect on the past year.

We talk honestly about freelance life, burnout, taking breaks, uncertainty, and the guilt that can come with slowing down. We also reflect on what this series has given us, and how much we’ve learned simply from listening properly to each other.

The episode features listener poems from Shaq (Big), Dawn Vincent (How To Heal A Broken Heart), and Gareth Barsby (Tell Me Your Story), alongside reflections on conversations from across the series — including Theresa Lola, Hollie McNish, Murray Lachlan Young and John Berkavitch.

We also talk about what might come next for the podcast, and ideas for a future series that takes us out of the studio and into poetry spaces around the UK.

Thank you so much to everyone who has listened, shared work, and supported the series. 

What does it mean to call yourself an artist — and who gets to decide which artists make the grade?

In this episode of We, The Poets, Mark Grist is joined at Backland Studios by sound producer Chris Barn for a rare behind‑the‑scenes conversation about what it actually takes to make creative work happen — before welcoming poet, facilitator and community organiser Georgia Preece into the studio.

Georgia is in the early stages of building a bold, grassroots, multi‑disciplinary arts celebration in Lincoln — one that centres creativity happening below the usual scenes and stages. From poems written in Notes apps to crochet on the sofa, dubstep-loving dads, Warhammer painters and artists who don’t yet call themselves artists, this episode explores creativity as something lived, not labelled.

Alongside the conversation, we feature a powerful range of submitted poems, including:

Dan Webber with To All the Boys — a moving, hopeful reflection on queer representation and visibility. You can find more out about Dan here: https://linktr.ee/DanWebber

Lisa O’Hare with The Kids Are All Right. You can find out more about Lisa's work here: https://lisaoharewriter.com/

Brian F. Kirkham with Crows. You can find more of Brian's work here: https://inkdrops.blog

Louise Machen with My Ancestors Are From the North. :Listen to more from the audiobook 'Which Way the Words Grow' here: https://linktr.ee/shaks.sw

John Dredge with Lunch with the Laureate

Dave Horgan with Anxiety Asylum. You can check out Dave';s TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dave.horgan.poet?_r=1&_t=ZN-92GbcgjSA9G

Lore Green with The Space in Between. Lore's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lore.green?igsh=MWtobzdkanM2NzFudg==

Georgia also performs her own urgent and uncompromising poem The Kids Aren't Alright, written in a single sitting and rooted in the realities facing young people today.

Together, we talk about grief and creativity, labels and belonging, endless tasks that go into making larger projects happen, the joys of funding applications and spreadsheets, the quiet labour behind community projects — and why being “in between” - sitting in the gaps out of our audience's sight - might be exactly where artists do their best work.

A reflective episode about process, patience, and making space for voices that don’t always get heard. We hope you enjoy it!

How do you balance the act of creating poetry with the various other roles you have to play as a poet—editor, promoter, workshop leader, performer?

What does it take to write a poem that captures a festival — and the internet — all at once?

Berkavitch reflects on the viral success of Here’s to Glastonbury — his love letter to the builders, dreamers, and grafters who make the festival happen — and what it’s like when a poem written in a muddy field reaches over 100,000 people. But more than that, he shares the craft behind the performance: how he maps gestures line by line, uses silence and rhythm to shift a crowd, and turns each gig into a genuine “happening.” Together, we explore how to make the most of your time on stage — whether you’re performing to fifteen people in a tent or thousands waiting for The Libertines.

Berkavitch also performs Find Me at Glastonbury, written during his residency, and joins Mark and Leanne for a funny, generous, and deeply honest conversation about presence, individuality, and building a sustainable creative life.

We’re also thrilled to feature two guest poets: Hazel Warren with Nest, a lyrical exploration of language and sound, and Helen Cross with The Final Apple Pie, a moving reflection on memory, endings, and the moments we never realise are our last.

Packed with insight, humour, and heart — this episode is a celebration of craft, connection, and what really happens when poetry meets a live audience.

🎧 Find more of Berkavitch’s work at www.berkavitch.com

Recorded at Backland Studios, this episode of We, The Poets dives deep into the remarkable journey of Murray Lachlan Young — poet, playwright, performer, and the only poet ever to sign a million-pound record deal with EMI.

With his trademark wit and theatrical flair, Murray opens up about the surreal highs and devastating lows of fame. We explore what happens when you do get everything you thought you wanted — and how to rebuild your creative self when it all starts to unravel. From performing on Glastonbury’s main stage to going off-grid in the woods, this is an honest, funny, and deeply moving conversation about ego, collapse, and finding your way back to joy.

Murray reads his iconic piece Nothing Is Under Control, and we’re also thrilled to feature two brilliant guest poets:

Josh Cake – sharing I Am Tired of Being Pizza, a searing poem about identity, belonging, and labels.

Abbi Jinks – delighting us with Portaloo Number Three, a hilarious and heartfelt ode to a legendary festival event.

This one’s packed with poems, confessions, and a generous helping of bodily humour, spiritual healing, and glitter. Whether you’re deep in your writing life or just curious about the mess behind the magic — this episode’s for you.

Find more of Josh's work at www.joshcake.com or @joshcakemusic.