WHO WE ARE
Born from Thornton Heath Arts Week 2014 and incorporated in 2015, Well Versed Ink is a Croydon-based Community Interest Company which strives to provide programmes and events to support the wellbeing and connectivity of communities.
Darren
Randon
Co-Founder
Darren is a community builder, workshop facilitator, poet and co-founder of Well Versed Ink from Thornton Heath who is drawn to punchy spoken word and moody melodies.
A strong believer in the importance of unearthing authentic voices, he has been performing and building platforms for poets since 2014, and has worked with organisations such as BBC, Palace For Life Foundation and Croydon Pride.
His heart lies in bridging gaps between young people and adults - to share stories and lay new paths to navigate this ever-changing landscape called life.
Justine
Agbowu
Co-Founder
Justine is a poet from Thornton Heath with a background in performing arts, page poetry and spoken word, plus a passion for scriptwriting.
Working within her community is at the heart her work - through delivering workshops to young people and adults, with a particular interest in female empowerment.
As a mother she is dedicated to supporting young people to find their voices, build confidence and manage emotions through the art of poetry, sharing our truths and telling our stories.
WHAT WE DO
WORKSHOPS
& EVENTS
We host workshops for children, young people and adults, to inspire their voice and creativity to shine through poetry with confidence-building writing and performance techniques.
In schools, community centres, mental health charities - and pretty much anywhere we are welcome – our workshops are tailored to the needs of each group.
Get in touch to discuss bespoke workshops, performances and commissions.
well versed live
Pre COVID-19, in the heart of Croydon on the last Wednesday of every month, our open mic poetry night Well Versed Live offeed a warm and welcoming platform to engage with poets and spoken word artists at all levels - from newcomers honing their craft, to seasoned performers testing out new material.
Check out our gallery to see some of the good times we shared during its
6 year run
living in poetry festival
We run Living in Poetry Festival annually in Croydon, celebrating the power of the spoken and written word through a range of events from open mic performances and theatrical shows to book readings, talks, and workshops.
Living In Poetry Festival 2019 took place at Croydon's Fairfield Halls on October 12th, bringing together poetry, music, dance, literature and theatre, with UK Hip Hop pioneers, poetic leaders, and inquisitive minds.
Stay tuned for announcements about future Living In Poetry events!
"QUITE SIMPLY, WELL VERSED INK IS THE VERY BEST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND I, AND MANY OTHERS, BELIEVE IT WILL GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH."
PAUL MACEY / CROYDON VOLUNTARY ACTION