On this head-to-toe journey through the body, we’ll be looking at different ways to explore intimacy and physicality without leaning on tired cliches. From the sensual to the surreal, we’ll experiment with ways to include the body in our work, before focusing on how to present it through performance.  

What will you do in the workshop?

We’ll spend the first half reading and discussing poems, building up to short exercises that will have you generating new work, with an opportunity to share at the end.  

What can you expect? 

We will be drawing from work predominantly by queer poets of colour, including Jay Bernard, Romeo Oriogun and Danez Smith. The exercises will encourage you to push the imagination and to write boldly!   

Who is this opportunity for?

This masterclass is suitable for both beginners and more experienced poets, from all walks of life, who are wanting to experiment with their writing.     

About Bursary Places 

We have 5 free bursary places available to writers who are: 

• Carers; 

• Single parents; 

• Care leavers; 

• Experience of being homeless; 

• Ex-offenders; 

• Disabled;

• Unemployed;  

• On a low income either on benefits or a minimum wage zero hours contract. 

If you would like to apply for a bursary place please email [email protected] and mention which category you belong to and why you would like to take part in the course. The deadline is Friday 6 August 2021. We will notify bursary applicants with the outcome of their application a month before the masterclass is due to take place. 

Access Notice 

• This masterclass is auto-captioned.

• If you require BSL interpretation to take part, please email us at [email protected] when booking your space by 9 September and we will try to secure BSL interpretation for you. Spread the Word will cover this cost.

• All our online events have a relaxed format; you are welcome to take breaks at any point and turn your camera off. All our online sessions have breaks.

• We’ll send through any reading seven days in advance. We can create adapted handouts to writers attending our workshops and events by request.

• Our online workshops and events take place on Zoom. As standard, we will send the weblinks to participants a week in advance. If you require the dial in phone number, email us [email protected] and we can send it through to you. Please take a look at Zoom’s accessibility info: https://zoom.us/accessibility/faq#faq1

• If you have additional access needs or questions, please contact us at [email protected]

 Photo of Keith Jarett by Naomi Woddis