Barz And Stanzas Soundscaped
Overview
In this exciting poetry project participants will record poetry and spoken word with music that will be published online. Barz And Stanzas Soundcaped (BASS) offers a space for creative expression and collaboration, with a focus on voice, rhythm and identity. It combines poetry, lyricism and sound art to create a rich, unique digital archive that will be available forever. This project is produced by Be Manzini, founder of the Newham Poetry Prize.
Participants will take part in sessions to write, perform and record their poems in a supportive, creatively rich environment. They'll work alongside experienced artists, gaining confidence in their voice and storytelling skills and empower them to have a professionally produced recording that will be shared online. This project offers workshop participants at least six hours to write, perform and record.
Dates for the poetry workshops:
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12:00 - 14:30 GMT. Book your spot for the workshop.
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14:30 - 16:30 GMT. Book your spot for the workshop.
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17:00 - 19:00 GMT. Book your spot for the workshop.
About the project partners
Newham Poetry Prize
Newham Poetry Prize (NPP) is a new project with poetry activities for those who live, study or work in Newham. NPP began in spring 2025 as poetry competition supported by a micro-commission from Culture Within Newham. The team hosted a workshop and gave online support,000 with a celebratory event to announce the winners. Participation was free and all events sold out.
The judges were award-winning local writers Courttia Newland and NPP founder Be Manzini. Be also hosted the final event with local artists performing and attending, including Eklipse and Shadé Joseph, who are all passionate about encouraging more writing activity in their borough.
Eklipse
Lyricist from Newham and John Betjeman award-winning poet who performed at our first celebration event and has worked with organisations such as the Princes Trust as well as in schools and universities in the UK and abroad. He’ll support in the creative process. You can see his bio here.
Shadé Joseph
Music producer and sound artist who’ll shape the sonic landscape of the recordings. She lives in Newham and last year, received DYCP Arts Council England funding for a project idea to make audio stories in response to places that resonate with her. This year, she was part of the UCL Public Anthropology Audio project, creating work around the idea, 'In Living Memory'. Example of here work here.
Be Manzini
Writer and workshop facilitator who has been resident at the Southbank Centre and is the Director of Caramel Film Club (supporting diversity in film). Manzini was the first ever Writer in Residence for the influential and prestigious Sundance Festival. Her published work appears in various anthologies including Red edited by Kwame Dawes and she is the only UK poet to appear in the US publication, Verse Wisconsin.
She has been commissioned to write for The Theatre Royal, Hoxton Hall, as well as performing for leading poetry organisations such as Apples & Snakes, Autograph B and Tamasha Theatre Company, the V&A & many more. Manzini’s poetry-films have shown at the Royal Festival Hall, ICA, BFI and various cinemas and film festivals in the UK and abroad. An example of their award-winning work using poetry and music here.
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