Monday 31st December 2012

2012 - So much for the Apocalypse: Seventy-five gigs – including Poetry Jams, Lamplight Open Mic Nights, a speech in a church for my parents in January, rants at JibbaJabba, Take Ten, Scratch Tyne and Tees, Southpaw, Pink Lane and 100,000 Poets for Change across the north east, Jawdance and Bang Said the Gun in London plus the final Speakers’ Corner event in York this December. I ran over eighty writing workshops – including marathons at Lamplight Arts Centre in Stanley, the Lit & Phil in Newcastle – thanks Sheree Mack – and Waddington Street Centre in Durham City plus poetry carousels for school kids and Arts on Prescription for adults and shadow coach sessions for Shake the Dust National Youth Poetry Slam –thanks to Kate Fox for creative insights and rides from Greenfield Community College in Newton Aycliffe. I’ve seen some great internationally acclaimed writers and performers this year including Ash Dickinson, Dominic Berry, Joolz Denby and Justin Sullivan, Buddy Wakefield and Henry Rollins and absolutely loads of regional talent; I’ve hosted a poetry slam, a Northern Elements showcase and open mics in County Durham; produced approximately 1,500 handwritten A4 pages of journal and maintained an online blog, done the NaPoWriMo thirty poems in thirty days challenge and published the debut collection by one of the greatest supporters of north east writers. I’ve been hugely supported by various wonderful people and organisations in 2012. Many thanks to everyone who has helped me to continue doing what I do in the way that I do it including Waddington Street Centre and New College Durham, Red Squirrel Press, Apples and Snakes – particularly Kirsten Luckins – and Arc, Radikal Words, Leisureworks, The Forge, Arts Council England plus my family and lovely partner Jenni Jazzhands Pascoe. Best wishes to them all and everyone else who knows me. Hope 2013 brings you success and happiness in all your endeavours. Keep it going!