Joelle Taylor
Joelle is based in London, and has worked extensively as a performance poet, spoken word artist and storyteller since 1986. She also has a background in theatre. She has led numerous writing and performance workshops in schools, theatres and art centres. She has toured nationally both as a solo artist and as a member of Atomic Lip, a polyphonic performance poetry group which fused spoken word with popular culture.
Once described as ‘Poetry you can dance to’ by The Independent, Atomic Lip produced two pop-poetry videos funded by the National Lottery. She has performed her poetry, stories and plays at venues as diverse as the ICA, Dingwalls, Ronnie Scott’s, the Globe, the 100 Club, Glastonbury, the Oval House and Drill Hall Theatre. She has had four full length scripts produced for theatre. She was the Hot off the Press UK Performance Poetry Slam Champion 2000 and currently hosts Mother Foucault spoken word night.
Her writing has been published by Scarlet Press and Routledge, and her scripts have featured in several texts about women’s theatre. She is currently awaiting publication of her poetry in two separate anthologies. She has taught courses at the Arvon Foundation, as well as appearing as a featured artist there. She recently travelled to Zimbabwe with the British Council, and having won the Power in the Voice slam, also toured Botswana in the summer of 2008. She has worked in a variety of educational settings and has delivered Performance Poetry and Slam INSETS for a number of agencies across the UK.
Chris Preddie
Chris (aka Cashman) lives in London, and was born to parents of West Indian descent. His father settled in Britain in the late 1960′s, whilst his mother was born in the UK.
Cashman won the Slam Championship in 2006, and is already a celebrated young actor appearing in a variety of short films. He has a passion for acting, mc-ing, rapping, writing lyrics, teaching and passing his experiences onto the youth. Chris aims to be a positive role model for the kids, and believes we all need the space to express ourselves.
Cashman has been working in conjunction with Crimestoppers as their very first Community Champion.
→ Watch ‘His Life of Rhyme’: a documentary about Chris, his life, his views, his lyrics.
(Film by Zan Barberton)
PACE
PACE is a dynamic rap and spoken word artist from Stepney Green, East London. Since July 2005, PACE has been on television, radio and has performed live at events including the 7/7 bombings vigil at Trafalgar Square, the Globe Theatre, Buckingham Palace, and the Royal Court. PACE was invited to 11 Downing Street to be part of a project called ‘Make Your Mark’, involving Sway and Lady Sovereign.
PACE leads creative writing, rapping and beatbox workshops, with young people channelling their energy into positive and useful skills. PACE has two mix-tapes currently in production featuring tasty collaborations from the likes of Ruff Squad, Universe & Sensor.
