Poet in the City to join forces with Apples & Snakes
In a landmark move, two long-established and respected spoken word charities are combining their expertise and resources. This new, powerful partnership will sustain and amplify the mission to upskill young spoken-word producers, support poets and bring poetry to the widest possible audiences through collaborations with libraries, arts venues and communities.
Poet in the City will close as a separate charity, and its much-loved activity will continue as a dedicated programme strand within Apples & Snakes, to be led by producer and curator Natalie Fiawoo under the direction of Lisa Mead, CEO & Artistic Director of Apples & Snakes.
Natalie Fiawoo has worked with Apples and Snakes since 2018 spearheading the creation of the Apples and Snakes podcast, programming live and digital events and developing the next generation of artists through programmes like ‘Words A Stage 2.0’. A number of Poet in the City trustees will join the board of Apples & Snakes, including the Chair, Lennie Goodings.
The move is supported by Arts Council England, working closely with both charities and approving the management of Poet in the City’s NPO grant by Apples & Snakes. This new way of working will preserve Poet in the City’s twenty-five year legacy and archive, which in due course will be made publicly available for research. Developing new programming opportunities will continue to be a focus, with the continuation of the Young Producers Programme, in partnership with Dugdale Arts Centre and Enfield Council.
Poet in the City is known for its live events taking poetry into unusual places and spaces, community commissions and talent development. In 2018 they successfully piloted a Young Producers network which grew into a nationwide call for businesses across the creative industries to commit to adding a paid entry-level producers role each year. The charity also, notably, developed a programme of community-led, socially engaged productions, ‘Collections in Verse’, across five city library networks in England in partnership with the British Library.
Lennie Goodings, Chair of Poet in the City said: ‘This is an exciting step for us. We have always had huge ambitions with a historically small team. Even though we’ve been supported by an Arts Council NPO grant, like other charities there have been challenges more recently. This is an ideal time for us to join forces with the very impressive Apples & Snakes. I am thrilled that I and three of my Trustees – Charlotte Cole, Lucy Dundas and Shahrukh Bhatty – will become part of the expanded Apples and Snakes Board. It’s a good home for us and, we believe, for our poets, volunteers, audiences, former funders and partners. We know that our important mission will be cherished and strengthened through this partnership. I thank the people who have supported us for the past twenty-five years, including our long list of trustees and former staff members and I thank Lisa Mead and her Board for welcoming Poet in the City.’
Lisa Mead, CEO & Artistic Director of Apples & Snakes said: ‘As a long time admirer of Poet in the City’s work, we are excited to develop and deliver a new strand of work rooted in Poet in the City’s ethos. Having Lennie, Charlotte, Lucy and Shahrukh bring their expertise and knowledge to our board is invaluable. It’s really tough in the arts sector at the moment with many vital organisations having to rethink their business models. This joining of forces feels both mutually beneficial and forward thinking. We hope it will enable us to have an even greater impact on artists, audiences and the wider sector.’
Arts Council England said: “We are very pleased that Poet in the City’s work in nurturing young producers for spoken-word and celebrating poetry through community-centred events will continue by joining forces with Apples & Snakes, with whom they have a strong shared vision. The prospect of a new public archive for spoken word is a very welcome development.”
