slamfresh
London
At SlamFresh, we believe poetry can make a big difference to young people’s
lives. But the need to create a nurturing and supportive environment in which to
write has never been greater. Although the popularity of the art form,
particularly spoken word, continues to grow on an unprecedented scale, last
year, for the first time in our country’s history, poetry was nearly made an
optional GCSE subject. As well as this, the recent closure of schools has meant
that young people from lower economic backgrounds have been put at an even
greater disadvantage than they already were. Cut off from schools, many of these
young people simply have not had the space or resources to access creative
opportunities, at a time when they need them more than ever. SlamFresh is a CIC
based in the Newcastle upon Tyne which aims to address these problems. We run
workshops that focus on the contemporary styles of spoken word and slam poetry,
styles of writing which we have found can engage some of the most reluctant
students. SlamFresh work in partnership with schools and community centres to
mentor young people in writing, editing and performance. We have 3 company
directors, Rowan McCabe, Michael MacDonald and Jeff Price. Rowan McCabe and
Michael MacDonald (stage name Donald Jenkins) also serve as the two primary
facilitators for the workshops, although guests may be brought in on a freelance
basis where required. The directors met through their work as professional
poets. Collectively, they have spent over 40 years working with children and
young people.
