David is a poet and arts producer who has lived and worked in Medway for the past four years. He has a passion for helping other artists achieve their goals and working and creating across mediums.
As a poet David has performed across Kent, London and the wider UK, winning the Your Bard slam in Canterbury and performing at events such as Reverb Chamber in Gravesend, Tongue Punch in Thanet and the Watchet Music Festival in Somerset. He generally works in shorter forms and has produced a few chapbooks including Haunt Me! Haunt Me! Do It Again! about Medway local James Jershom Jezreel. His first collection with Margate-based publishers Whisky and Beards is due for publication this November.
As a producer David along with his partner Bethany has produced the regular poetry night Big Trouble in and around the Chatham Intra area, currently at the 12Degrees pub (lockdown pending!). He tries to strike a balance between presenting established poets such as UK Slam Champion runner up Sadie Davidson, Medway Poet Bill Lewis and MsLexia pamphlet winner Jane Lovell while also providing an open and encouraging space for newer poets or fresh and experimental work from established poets.
He has helped provide support for other events such as the regular Margate Bookie Kent Slam Championships and various one-off events around Kent. In July 2019 David helped produce and support PoemLand, a weeklong poetry installation at the inaugural Gravesham Riverside Fringe Festival as well as bring Big Trouble to the festival for a night.
David is a big believer in integrating theatricality into poetry performances and it is this that brought his interest in Lyrici Arts in general and the Rent Party project in specific. During lockdown David has experimented both as a participant and facilitator in co-creative arts production, participating in Caroline Bergvall’s Solitary to Solidary’s workshops and hosting regular Renga writing evenings.
“The dynamic of co-creation which Darren brings to his Rent Party productions is really exciting and interesting to be a part of. It creates an ever-evolving body of work that reengages both the performer and the audience with the themes of the piece and it is great to be able to see it unfold.”
David will be providing production support to Lyrici Arts and Darren Pritchard and keeping supporters of Lyrici updated and involved with the creative process.
By David Dykes Copyright 2021
Moving Roots is a three year project working with producers in Wigan, Peterborough, Medway, and East Cardiff to deliver co-created projects to generate positive social change. The project is devised and led by Battersea Arts Centre and is funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
