Speak It Into Being: Polylingual Open Mic Night

An evening of poetry, storytelling and live performance celebrating emerging voices. In collaboration with Inspyre, The Poetry Translation Centre and Kayd Somali Arts & Culture present Speak It Into Being — an evening of poetry, storytelling, and live performance celebrating emerging voices. Inspired by Somalis’ rich oral tradition, where poetry and storytelling preserve history, identity, and collective memory, the event invites young creatives to share original work exploring this year’s theme: Making Home. Through poetry, spoken word, storytelling, and performance, participants will reflect on belonging, movement, and creating between spaces. Part performance, part storytelling, and part friendly competition, the evening centres the power of taking the mic to speak, reflect, and connect. The event concludes with audience engagement and informal feedback in a space designed for both listening and sharing. Inspyre is a newly established Community Interest Company (CIC) and creative media platform built for storytellers, readers, writers, and reflective creatives. Through podcasts, book clubs, events, video essays, workshops, and community led storytelling experiences, we create spaces that encourage people to think deeper, create more honestly, and feel part of something meaningful. Founded by two creatives, Sharmarke & Mohamed, balancing full time work alongside their artistic ambitions, Inspyre exists for people trying to pursue creativity within the realities of everyday life. Our work is rooted in storytelling, culture, reflection, and community. They aim to make creative spaces feel welcoming rather than performative, and thoughtful rather than transactional. Across their projects, they explore books, film, identity, creativity, migration, and the power of stories to connect people. From intimate community gatherings to larger scale live shows and cultural events, our goal is to build a creative ecosystem that helps emerging voices feel seen, inspired, and supported. At its core, Inspyre is about creating spaces where people can gather, reflect, share ideas, and turn inspiration into action. Ali also known as Nomadic Libaax, (“Wandering Lion”), is a British-Somali rhythmic poet who uses rhythm and rhyme to create cinematic experiences. His work explores life, perspective, and intention. A passionate community activist and creative curator, he leads workshops and projects that empower underrepresented communities through storytelling, digital skills, and emerging technology. Maryama Mohamed is a writer and poet whose work explores the intersections of culture, identity, and storytelling. With a passion for emotionally resonant storytelling, she brings a thoughtful perspective to conversations on creativity and the power of language. Language: English