Emilie Lauren Jones was Coventry's first Poet Laureate. Her words have featured on local and national radio and television including on BBC Radio 3, 4, 5 Live and 6 Music plus SkyArts and BBC4 (both nominated for awards). She has performed alongside many experienced poets including the UK Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage.

As well as performing, writing commissions and participating in poetry projects, Emilie facilitates workshops for adults and young people, and also enjoys visiting schools, care homes, community groups (and anywhere else!) to share her love of words. She has delivered sessions in person and online for a variety of organisations including NAWG, Arvon, Writing West Midlands, Positive Images Festival, Wilderness Festival, the BBC, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and more.

A strong believer that art and creativity are for everyone, she is passionate about making poetry accessible to a wide audience, this is reflected in the projects and commissions she takes part in. As someone who is neurodiverse herself, she believes that seeing the world in a slightly different way is something to be celebrated!

She has performed in a variety of venues across the UK and internationally, from libraries and village halls to Alexandra Palace.

Her first book of children’s poetry ‘A Poetic A-Z of Awesome Animals’ (Caboodle Books) came out in October 2023.

Specialism: Guest Speaking, Journaling/Writing, Mindfulness, Poetry, Spoken Word, Workshop Facilitation

Other social link: https://www.instagram.com/emilielaurenxx/ and https://twitter.com/EmilieLaurenxx

Photo credit: Lee Allen Photography