First Steps Poetry, now in its second year, is calling 12 young poets aged 16-25 to dive into a lively programme of poetry, storytelling, and creative development.
Reviving Birmingham Hippodrome’s long tradition of supporting emerging poets, over the span of three months, the cohort will be led by Birmingham’s Poet Laureate, Ayan Aden, and acclaimed poet, Sipho Eric Ndlovu through inspiring workshops and masterclasses.
The cohort will be invited to refine their craft, explore new poetic ideas, and experiment with how other art forms can amplify their storytelling and performance. They will also receive free tickets to live events, including Birmingham Hippodrome’s Origins Festival and other multi-disciplinary performances.
At the end of the programme, their work will be showcased at Birmingham Hippodrome and in the city, giving each poet a strong platform to step confidently into the Birmingham arts scene.
Bring us your passion, your curiosity, your appetite for the unexpected. If you’re ready to experiment, take risks, and make something extraordinary, we want to hear your voice!
To express your interest, please fill in the application.
Application closes on 10am on Thursday 26th March 2026.
Remember: previous experience is not required. This programme is for those who love poetry and are curious about how the craft can be reimagined. We’re especially keen to hear from poets who are itching to play – to stretch their words across visual art, movement, sound, and performance, discovering how other forms can energise and transform their storytelling.
Programme dates
Each session will run on a Wednesday, 6.30 – 8.30pm, at Birmingham Hippodrome on the following dates, culminating with a special sharing session:
- 8 April
- 15 April
- 22 April
- 29 April
- 6 May
- 13 May
- 20 May
- 27 May
- 3 June
- 10 June
First Steps Masterclasses
Alongside weekly workshops, the First Steps cohort will take part in five exclusive masterclasses led by trailblazing artists and organisations who began their journeys in poetry. From that foundation, their work now spans performance, screenwriting, novels, theatre, television and music – carrying their voices to audiences around the world.
These masterclasses will also be open to 16-25 year olds across the West Midlands, giving young creatives a chance to expand their practice, connect with Birmingham Hippodrome, and learn directly from world-class professionals shaping the arts today. Explore their stories and let your poetry become a launchpad for your creative career!
All Masterclasses take place at Birmingham Hippodrome from 6.30 – 8.30pm on the following dates:
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- 13 April – Cia Mangat (Poetry Society)
- 20 April – Steven Camden (Polar Bear)
- 27 April – Sophia Griffin (Head of New Work & Artist Development)
- 11 May – Bradley Taylor
- 18 May – Maureen Onwunali
Discover more about our Masterclass speakers below.
Meet the First Steps Masterclass Speakers
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Cia Mangat is a poet from London. She works as an Education Coordinator at The Poetry Society, curating Young Poets Network and managing poets visits into schools across England. Her work has been published in fourteen poems, gal-dem, Propel, and bath magg, and has been broadcast by the BBC. She founded and edited Zindabad, a zine for people in diasporas worldwide, and facilitates writing and zine-making workshops. Her debut pamphlet Lobe is out with The Poetry Business. |
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He writes novels, plays, screenplays and poems celebrating his mixed heritage and the amazing people he grew up around, placing his participatory practise and use of story in educational and community settings at the core of all his work. |
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As a proud Brummie, Sophia is pleased to offer a regular programme specifically for local artists. She is particularly interested in creating spaces where artists can explore their practice and where process is as important as the end result. Prior to working at the Hippodrome, Sophia worked across different sectors in project management and business development and as a freelance facilitator, host and consultant. Sophia is also a writer and theatremaker and co-founder of Writer’s Block, a scratch night for artists to test out early ideas for the stage. She is currently working on a new show co-produced by Belgrade Theatre and Bush Theatre, opening later this year. Other writing experience includes, Birmingham REP Foundry, Bush Theatre EWG, SeaView, in collaboration with Belgrade Theatre and Strictly Arts Theatre Company and BBC Writer’s Room. |
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Bradley’s work has appeared in Gutter Magazine, Shooter, Strix and across Birmingham train stations as part of Birmingham Hippodrome’s collaboration with photographer Paul Stringer’s project The City That Spoke To Me. He also co-hosts The Big Gay Poetry Night alongside M. L. Walsh. In 2025 his performance at the Roundhouse was nominated for the Sky Arts Award for poetry. |
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Maureen Onwunali is a Dublin-born Nigerian poet and a two-time national slam champion. Her work has been featured by various musicians, radio shows, and organisations, including Apples and Snakes, BBC Radio London, BFI, Pearson, The Poetry Society, Obsidian Foundation, Roundhouse, TEDx, and TG4. |
Steven Camden aka Polarbear is an internationally acclaimed spoken word artist, award winning author, poet, storyteller and creative practitioner from Smethwick in the West Midlands.Since first stepping on stage in 2004, he has performed, presented and led creative projects from Manchester to Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur to California.
Sophia Griffin leads the New Work and Artist Development department. The work of the team is informed by artists and their focus is on developing craft and building community.
Bradley Taylor is an award-winning poet born and based in Birmingham. In 2024 he won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam, the night of which was the biggest poetry slam in history. In 2025 he released his debut collection ‘You Missed The Best Part’ before embarking on a nationwide tour. He is the host and curator of Piece of Work, Birmingham’s premiere poetry night held at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.Bradley has appeared at the Hay Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, The Inspirational Youth Awards, on BBC News and on BBC Radio 6 Music as part of Craig Charles’ ‘Class of 2024’, in which Craig Charles described him as ‘A brand new voice and a fresh perspective on the art of poetry and performance’.
About your Programme leaders
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Ayan Aden is Birmingham’s 24th Poet Laureate (2024–26), a performance poet, cultural strategist and founder whose work bridges heritage, community and creative infrastructure. Rooted in Somali-British identity, she merges Somali oral tradition with contemporary poetics to advance cultural equity and shape narratives of belonging. As founder of Somalinimo UK and the Birmingham Poetry Network, she creates impact through community-led programming, strategic consultancy and educational outreach. Her work spans art, policy and storytelling- building frameworks that honour the past while imagining what is yet to come. |
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Sipho Eric Ndlovu is a performance artist and writer whose approach encourages accessibility & inclusivity in the arts. He is the former Poet Laureate of The University of Sheffield Social Sciences. Sipho is inspired by community engagement and delivering quality arts programmes through the explorations of dance, acting and poetry. |
