Back in April we featured Shaniqua Benjamin’s multi-generational project called ‘Out of Silence’ which is her final project as Croydon’s Poet Laureate.

In case you missed it, the project engaged a diverse mix of Croydon people in schools, youth organisations and elders groups through poetry workshops led by Shaniqua and five other local poets, to amplify Croydon’s voices that are often unheard and unseen. The participants were carefully chosen to represent different backgrounds, communities and areas of Croydon (from New Addington in the north to Coulsdon in the south).

In my day job as a graphic designer I had the pleasure of working with Shaniqua to help create the visual output of the poetry workshops. We worked with three young designers to create a look and feel for the project, which includes a set of more than 70 poetry posters and an exhibition at Croydon Clocktower.

The posters contain extracts of poems written by the workshop participants – from Archbishop Lanfranc Academy, Meridian High School, Oasis Academy Coulsdon, St Giles School, SLiDE Dance, Young Roots, Age UK Croydon, and The Association of Jamaicans (UK) Trust.

These poetry extracts can now be seen in various locations across the borough including Thornton Heath Library, South Norwood Library, Purley Leisure Centre, Start Up Croydon, Urban Room and of course Croydon Clocktower. Croydon’s voices amplified to the max.

The free exhibition, which stands in the Clocktower Atrium at the Museum of Croydon documents the journey of the project with more about the people involved, as well as many of the poetry extracts and some full poems from the participants. It’s well worth a visit.

It’s, of course, not all about the visual representation of the poems. As well as being shared on the posters, you can listen to selected poems read by participants through a device called a mythophone created by artists Dan Fox and Dave Young. You’ll find the  mythophones at the Clocktower, Urban Room, Coulsdon Library, and Thornton Heath Library.

There is also a poetry film, which is a powerful watch. Responses from participants have been woven together to form part of the narrative by Shaniqua. Being someone (like many) who found poetry rather alienating at school, experiencing poetry in different ways really does make it become an inclusive and vibrant artform for everyone to enjoy. Just like Shaniqua hoped.

Earlier this week we attended Shaniqua’s final event as Croydon’s Poet Laureate at the Brathwaite Hall, which took the form of a conversation between Shaniqua and Joy Francis from Words of Colour, but also included several of the participants reading their poetry. It was a lovely celebration of Shaniqua’s role, and the positive impact she has had on so many people across the borough.

As she ‘retires’ from her laureateship, we couldn’t resist asking Shaniqua one final question.

Croydonist: You’ve been Croydon’s Poet Laureate for 4 years, what has been your biggest highlight?

Shaniqua: My biggest highlight is split into two, because they are so special, I couldn’t just pick one: Croydon’s Caribbean Influencers and Out of Silence. Croydon’s Caribbean Influencers, because it celebrated my culture as a Caribbean Croydoner and allowed me to learn so much more about my culture in the process, making me even prouder of that part of my identity. I also had the chance to interview some of my loved ones, including uncles, an aunty and my oldest friend, which was the most precious thing in the world. Then to have the exhibition transferred from the Museum of Croydon to the National Portrait Gallery was beyond amazing.

Out of Silence, because it was the ultimate culmination of everything I wanted to do as Poet Laureate, celebrating and amplifying Croydon voices that are often unheard, while challenging the perceptions of poetry as an art form. I also loved having the chance to work with numerous local creatives, bringing together so much of the talent that Croydon has to offer. Through this project, I was able to celebrate the borough I love and finish my laureateship on a high – I can truly look back and say I did something great.

Shaniqua may have finished her tenure as Poet Laureate, but we can still all enjoy the Out of Silence project with a programme of poetry events throughout the summer:

• The Out of Silence exhibition runs until Saturday 31 August at the Clocktower
• The mythophones are on display at the Clocktower, Urban Room, Thornton Heath and Coulsdon libraries until Saturday 17 August
• On Saturday 10 August there are poetry workshops taking place for young people in the Clocktower Atrium between 1-3pm; with open mic in Central Library between 3:30-4:30pm
• On Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August, between 11am–3pm, there is a poetry takeaway in North End – like a food takeaway truck but you get a poem!

In the words of Maya, a year 9 student from Oasis Academy Coulsdon:

‘Don’t let anyone keep you quiet, Leave them speechless’. 

Watch Shaniqua’s film below:

Thank you to Shaniqua for one last chat as Poet Laureate. We wish you all the very best with whatever comes next. Look out for the Out of Silence poetry extracts around town. You can read the poetry in full in the anthology here. Visit the Museum of Croydon website for more information and follow Shaniqua Benjamin on Instagram.

Photos 1 to 6 by Ameena Rojee, Mythophone photos (7 & 8) courtesy of the culture team at Croydon Council.

Posted by Julia