Warwickshire County Council is delighted to announce the position of Young Poet Laureate 2022 has been awarded to Emily Hunt, a pupil from Kineton High School.
The Laureateship is open to anyone aged between 13 and 17 who lives and is educated in Warwickshire and is a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to develop their writing skills and take part in events and activities across the county under the mentorship of a professional poet. Past Warwickshire Young Poet Laureates have performed on the radio, on film, at festivals and led their own poetry workshops.
This year’s winner, Emily, will be mentored by published and prize-winning poet and writer Brenda Read-Brown.
Emily was crowned Warwickshire’s Young Poet Laureate winner following a selection day at Rugby Library earlier this month. Four high calibre candidates took part in a workshop with award-winning poet and writer Steve Pottinger, who shared creative tips and advice about how to successfully deliver poetry performances. The candidates then each took part in interviews and performed two of their own compositions in front of the judging panel, this included sharing their ideas about the Young Poet Laureate role. The day culminated in the judges selecting Emily as Young Poet Laureate 2022.
The Young Poet Laureate competition is run by Warwickshire Libraries and supported by Poetry on Loan; an initiative supported by Arts Council England that promotes contemporary poetry throughout public libraries in the West Midlands.
Cllr Andy Jenns, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Transformation, said:
“Now in its eighth year, Warwickshire’s Young Poet Laureate scheme is a wonderful opportunity to inspire our younger generations to enjoy being immersed in the world of poetry reading, writing and performance. Over the years, our Laureates have inspired hundreds of young people with their love of poetry by leading workshops, appearing on film and radio and at festivals, and have helped to share the message that poetry is accessible to everyone.
“This initiative is part of our wider work for a Child Friendly Warwickshire, ensuring that all young people have a voice that is heard and that they are safe, happy, and healthy and equipped with the right skills to have the best lives they can
“I am delighted that we are able to offer this opportunity with the continued support of Poetry on Loan and wish Emily a successful and exciting year as Young Poet Laureate 2022.”
For more information about the Young Poet Laureate scheme please visit the website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/youngpoetlaureate.
Warwickshire Libraries supports the Child Friendly Warwickshire programme which is bringing the county together in a collective effort to ensure all children and young people have a voice that is heard that they are safe, happy and healthy and that they are equipped with the skills to have the best lives they can. To find out more, visit https://www.childfriendlywarwickshire.co.uk/