Young Poets Takeover (Wakefield LitFest 2020)

Poetry Society award-winning poets Maiya Dambawinna, Laura Potts and Lizzi Hawkin will perform and support local talent through this inspirational poetry takeover Open Mic Night. Our hosts have all been in the position of being a young poet and understand the nerves and vulnerabilities of sharing work... but they have all braved that first step and become successful poets supported the Poetry Society. Book a place to perform your own work or watch the work of established and emerging writers.

Maiya Dambawinna is 19 years old, studying English Literature at Durham University. She was Foyle Young Poet of the Year in 2018 and has since been published in various magazines, including Picaroon Poetry, Honey Machine Magazine and Pulp Poets Press. A contributing editor of Iceberg Tales magazine, Maiya was also shortlisted in the Cinnamon Press Poetry Pamphlet competition in 2019 and nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2020.

Laura Potts is a writer from West Yorkshire. A recipient of the Foyle Young Poets Award, her work has been published by Aesthetica, The Moth and The Poetry Business. Having worked at The Dylan Thomas Birthplace in Swansea, Laura became one of the BBC’s New Voices in 2017. She received a commendation from The Poetry Society in 2018 and was shortlisted for The Edward Thomas Fellowship in 2020.

Lizzi Hawkins is a 24 year old poet, performer, and computer scientist from West Yorkshire, currently based in Sheffield. Her debut pamphlet Osteology won The Poetry Business New Poets Prize, and was published in 2018. Her work has won many prizes, and has been widely published, in magazines including The Rialto, Ambit and The North, and she has performed her work at events and literature festivals across the country.

This event is organised by Wakefield LitFest (a literature festival for 14 - 25 year olds) in association with the Poetry Society, and supported by Arts Council England and IVE.