Out of Silence

Out of Silence is a multi-generational poetry project telling the untold stories of Croydon’s community, produced by Croydon’s first Poet Laureate Shaniqua Benjamin. From October 2023 to May 2024, Shaniqua and five other local poets ran workshops in some of Croydon’s schools, youth organisations and elder’s groups to uncover what is important to different generations.

20 June - 31 August 2024

Shaniqua developed Out of Silence to empower and lift up voices that are not often heard, shining a light on Croydon’s corners and communities. Groups expressed their truth, their passions and what matters in the world around them.

Extracts from each poem written have been made into posters, co-designed by local young people, showcasing visual talent as well as literary. These poetry posters are now on show in various spaces around the borough, including:

- Croydon Clocktower

- Urban Room

- Purley Leisure Centre

- Thornton Heath Library

- South Norwood Library

- Start Up Croydon

Here you will find details of upcoming Out of Silence events to accompany the exhibition and be able to read all of the community poems by accessing the anthology link below.

Created by artists Dan Fox and Dave Young, each of four mythophones, plays selected poems read by members of the local community. You’ll also be able to hear some of the poems recorded and played through mythophones in the locations below from the 19 July until the 17 August.

- Croydon Clocktower

- Urban Room

- Coulsdon Library

- Thornton Heath Library

Read all of the poems in our online anthology:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vv2mCD9KsLLo6qSxyowPXlXsG4nDs6WV/view