Ayan Aden has been named as the new Birmingham Poet Laureate during a National Poetry Day celebration, as part of the 25th anniversary edition of Birmingham Literature Festival.
International award-winning Performance Poet Ayan Aden becomes Birmingham Poet Laureate for 2024-26, succeeding poet Jasmine Gardosi.
12-year-old Japmeh Kaur Gujral was also announced as the Birmingham Young Poet Laureate 2024-2026. Japmeh succeeds Iona Mandal and will hold this title for two years.
During their tenure, both Poets Laureate will produce new poems and work to promote poetry across the city.
As the city’s 24th Poet Laureate, Ayan will act as a poetry ambassador and help raise the profile of poetry across Birmingham. She will be asked to write poetry for special occasions, lead poetry workshops, inspiring others to try their own hand at reading and writing poetry and will mentor the newly appointed Young Poet Laureate.
Ayan says:
“I am beyond honoured and humbled to be appointed Birmingham’s Poet Laureate. It is a privilege to represent the city that moulded me and gave me so much. The city that reminds me that Poetry is alive, and that Birmingham is Poetry.”
Japmeh says:
“I want others to experience the joy poetry brings to me; to give young people a voice; to bridge the gap between generations and to provide medicine for those most in need of it.”
Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands and Chair of the Selection Panel, said:
“Writing West Midlands is delighted to appoint Ayan Ayden and Japmeh Kaur Gujral as the new Poets Laureate for the city of Birmingham. Both are talented poets who have exciting ideas to encourage more people to connect with poetry, and we’re really looking forward to working with them over the coming two years”
Notes to Editors:
Birmingham City Council – through the library service and with support from Writing West Midlands – has appointed a Poet Laureate since 1996, and a Young Poet Laureate since 2005.
The announcement was made on National Poetry Day, Thursday 3rd October 2024, as part of the Birmingham Literature Festival, which is running until the 19th October 2024.
For more information about the Birmingham Poets Laureate schemes please contact info@writingwestmidlands.org
About the poets:
Ayan Aden is a dynamic professional with five years of experience in creative and community consultancy, working with many institutions in the UK. An International Award-winning Performance Poet, Writer, and Facilitator, Ayan captivates audiences with empowering spoken word art. She has performed at many festivals, Parliament, and TedxTalks, winning the EU Silisiladda Nabadda 2019, Run Your Mouth Slam ’23, and being a Unislam ’24 Finalist.
Her work has been published in esteemed publications. Ayan sits on the Strategic Advisory Board for Birmingham Arts School. Alongside this Ayan is a gemmologist focused on ethical mining, blending cultural enrichment with sustainability in all her endeavours with the intention to create a better society.
Ayan’s work exists to create spaces of conversation, in order to change the world for the better.
Japmeh has been an avid writer and poet since primary school. She has been shortlisted for Wicked Writers: Be the Change National Literacy Trust writing competition, Young Walter Scott. Her poems have been published in various Young Writer anthologies and in February (2024), she was chosen to perform her poem at the Verve Poetry Festival and was also published in the anthology.
As Birmingham Young Poet Laureate, Japmeh hopes to connect poetry to young and old, and also people who need poetry’s healing power. She aims to start on online platform called the Poetry Exchange, which will enable poetry, and the Birmingham’s various arts, to connect with each other and all people irrespective of age, gender and background; and highlight Birmingham as the first city of poetry.