Platform Poets prove the show must go on

Ellie Beedham, Director of Arts writes on ‘Platform Poets’, part of the Team London Bridge Culture Programme.

London Bridge’s connection with the spoken word spans the centuries; our streets were the stomping grounds of the likes of Keats and Shakespeare, and came to be where Gower was finally laid to rest.

Following an inspiring conversation with the staff at London Bridge Station who were keen to celebrate the area’s history of poetry, in 2019 Team London Bridge and Apples and Snakes began developing our own ‘Writing Room Sessions’ - a skills development programme for emerging poets.

We began our search for budding poets in partnership with England’s leading spoken word poetry organisation Apples and Snakes and with additional funding from City of London, we were able to run two 6-week courses. ‘Platform Poets’ was the second programme, offering 22 spoken word artists the chance to hone their craft led by acclaimed poet Francesca Beard based at our community space, the London Bridge Hive.

We looked for an openness; a sense of searching for the epiphanic question rather than supplying the right answer. When we walked into the Hive, it was thrilling to discover that this incredibly diverse group of artists did share that willingness, that commitment to connect, to witness and to wonder.

-Francesca Beard, Tutor, Platform Poets.

Over the six-week course, budding writers from an array of backgrounds and of all ages, came together weekly at the London Bridge Hive. The students were originally working towards a live performance in London Bridge Station, however when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the group had to rethink their plans, continuing their meetings over Zoom to adapt their collaborative pieces to work online.

Though each poet was atomised in their separate space, we all came together and committed fully to a totally experimental, very improvised zoom performance. I think they knocked it out the park; and the quality of their performance was a testament to their willingness to embrace challenge and push their art form. It's been refreshing and revitalising to have been a part of this project and work with such an enthusiastic bunch of risk-takers.

-Francesca Beard, Tutor, Platform Poets.

We’re incredibly proud of the all the hard work the poets put in to the course, despite its logistical setbacks. While we hope that you’ll be able to enjoy their performances live in London Bridge in the near future, but for now, you can watch their virtual showcase here:

“These incredible organisations, the phenomenal guidance from our mentor Francesca Beard and entire the family I gained throughout, all inspired me to create the most difficult yet most fun Spoken Word Poetry project I have ever developed here. Thank you to everyone who believed in me to keep pushing, I could not have made this possible without you and your support, so now I hope you can all enjoy this final product of collective art.”

Aiz Hussain, Platform Poets student

Watch ‘The TFL Underground Journey’ by Aiz Hussain

Lisa Mead, Director Apples and Snakes said:

‘Our collaboration with partners Team London Bridge, supported by City of London Corporation Central Grants through their Inspiring London Through Culture fund, has been an uplifting and enriching experience for all involved. Not only have we been able to support over 40 aspiring poets through our ongoing development programmes led by experienced spoken word poets, we have also had poets performing on the station concourse and poems on display screens in celebration of National Poetry Day. Through this ongoing partnership we hope we can continue to reimagine our city by placing surprising and joyful poetry at its heart.’

Photos by Aiz