John Agard was born in Guyana and writes for children and adults. His latest collection of poetry The Rainmaker Danced was shortlisted for the CLiPPA 2018.
Allan Ahlberg is the author of over 150 books. He famously collaborated with his late wife Janet on picture books with rhyming texts such as Each Peach Pear Plum, Peepo!
Kwame Alexander is a poet, children's book author, playwright, producer, public speaker and performer. Booked was highly commended by the CLiPPA judges in 2017.
Ruth Awolola is a student, youth worker and poet currently. She is one of the 5 poets included in Rising Stars: New Young Voices in Poetry which was highly commended at the CLiPPA 2018
Joseph Coelho is a writer and performer. Winner of the CLiPPA Poetry Award in 2015 and his collection Overheard in a Tower Block was shortlisted for the CLiPPA 2018.
Kathy Henderson is a writer, poet and illustrator with many published titles for children. She has won many awards for her titles including The Kurt Maschler Prize.
Jackie Kay’s poems present us with a range of viewpoints including those of the moon: The Moon at Knowle Hill. Jackie was awarded an MBE in 2006 for her services to poetry.
Joanne Limburg won an Eric Gregory Award for her poetry in 1998, and her first book, Femenismo, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection.
John Lyons, winner of the WindRush Arts Achiever Award and Peterloo Poetry Prize, was born in Trinidad and educated as an artist and art educator in the UK.
Aoife Mannix was born in Sweden of Irish parents. She grew up in Dublin, Ottawa and New York before moving to the UK. She is the author of several poetry collections.
Grace Nichols draws on the language patterns, rhythms and themes of her Guyana homeland as well as those of contemporary Britain. Listen to the music of these lines as she reads aloud her poems.
Rachel Piercey is the editor at Emma Press. She co-edited and is featured in Falling Out of the Sky. Poems about Myths and Monsters which was shortlisted for the 2016 CLiPPA Award.
Rachel's work has been published in numerous anthologies. Her collection The Language of Cat won the 2011 CLPE Poetry Award and she was Chair of judges for CLiPPA 2017.
Michael Rosen, former Children's Laureate (2007-2009) is a renowned poet, performer, broadcaster and scriptwriter. Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots was shortlisted for the CLiPPA in 2017.
