A Brixton-based creative charity aims to bring community and youth clubs back by hosting south London’s only weekly poetry night.
Poetic Unity, founded by Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson, 37, is a charity that focuses on helping young black people by offering a safe space and teaching them how to express themselves through poetry.
Every Wednesday at the Black Cultural Archives, they host ‘The Poets Corner’, south London’s only weekly poetry night, where all are welcome to perform.
Despite their focus on young people, the club is intergenerational and hosts poets of all skill-level and age, including a 77 year-old ‘grandad’ in the group.
Matthews-Robinson said: “I always tell people that come to that event, that it is the best of all the events we do, because it’s a really intimate safe space and it’s the best place to start as a poet.”
Matthews-Robinson got involved in charity work after his grandmother got diagnosed with dementia in his early 20s and he worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Society and his grandfather to raise money with music.
Poetic Unity was founded after witnessing a decline in youth clubs, and over the last ten years, has grown into a charity that focuses on mental health, education and employment for young black people.
Inspired by George the Poet, who is now their patron, Matthews-Robinson sees poetry as a tool to express yourself and connect with other people.
He said: “What I like about poetry is it strips everything away.
“There’s nothing else that’s just about the words.
“It’s easier to speak about who you really are because it doesn’t actually feel like it’s you.”
Poetic Unity is also part of the Cultural Leaders Youth scheme, which is a programme that gives young people experience and jobs within the creative industry.
A collaboration between Poetic Unity, Black Cultural Archives and Theatre Peckham, the scheme provides paid work for six young people every six months, teaching them leadership skills as well as providing support for the community.
As Poetic Unity continues to grow, the charity has turned its focus to social justice campaigns and protests.
After someone in the community found that black people were disproportionately affected by air pollution in major cities, they organised a community bike ride called ‘Clean Air For The Ends’ across south London to Westminster Bridge.
Matthews-Robinson said: “We felt like it was all our duty to have a focus on that because a lot of people don’t know that particular fact.
“Everyone felt really empowered, that’s the thing about the social action we’re doing.
“It’s about having fun — for us protests should be joyful.”
The charity is also involved in a project which aims to provide access to extracurricular activities for young people, who otherwise may not be able to afford it.
In partnership with theatres such as The Royal Court Theatre, National Theatre, Old Vic, Picture House and Bush Theatre, Poetic Unity offers free tickets to a variety of activities from theatre shows to art galleries.
Matthews-Robinson added: “A lot of the time we’ll go on trips with these young people that we don’t know beforehand and we’ll have discussions after.
“That brings an element of community and at the end people are leaving, making friends and making connections.”
Feature image: Poetic Unity
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