no one play with me

We had an amazing time at the MOBO Awards ✨ It was great to see the MOBOs come to Manchester, with Manc based tech staff, dancers, operators, producers and more. It was brilliant to see Black music, talent and excellence be celebrated. #MOBOAwards #MOBO30

💼 We’re hiring! We’re looking for someone to grow our participation and deepen our connections with young people and partners across Manchester. Deadline: 12 April 2026 Apply: https://www.youngidentity.org/get-involved#vacancies

Have you been to our free weekly workshops yet? No experience needed, just register and arrive. 📝 You can register at https://www.youngidentity.org/register

'I Want Nothing To Do With This' brand new work by Young Identity exploring the overwhelming sensation that things can get better, about how hope in common is all we have as we face the disasters of the 21st Century.  Watch full show: https://youtu.be/5b8zmK8Lh0U?si=fIu-vhE1KSUz_Ise #youngidentity

What a lovely afternoon celebrating International Women’s Day at Central Library! Our poets Esther Koch and Aya Omer brought their words to tell the stories on this years theme of; When we give, we gain. ✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us to honour women’s contributions! 💛

"i want nothing to do with this" - Join us for a free preview of this devised piece directed by Christopher Brown. Poetry and performance meet, plus an after show Q&A. This is a free show and space is limited. Confirm your attendance at https://www.youngidentity.org/events

We kicked off our first Special Guest workshop of the year with Ragz-CV, Founder & CEO of Poetic Unity, award-winning spoken word artist, filmmaker and community leader, with a workshop exploring Identity in relation to Britishness. We appreciate Ragz-CV for creating the space, a huge thank you!

Special Guest Workshop - Join Ragz-CV an award-winning artist and community leader from South London that has earned a reputation for work that bridges poetry and social impact. 🗓️ Monday 26 January,  7pm – 9pm 📍 HOME, Manchester 🔗 RSVP: www.youngidentity.org/events

One Mic Stand is back! In collaboration with Young Poets Summit and Poetry Slam Rotterdam, supported by the @forwardprizes.bsky.social. Poets from across the country compete for the title and a cash prize, plus international headliners. 🎲 Tickets from £9.95 www.youngidentity.org/one-mic-stand

✨ What a night! Huge thanks to everyone who came, slammed, and shared in the festive vibes at our Holiday Social & Poetry Slam. It was such a wonderful evening of slamming and food.  Special shoutout to Janoma for taking home the £250 prize! 💫 🎄 Have a lovely holiday break and new year!

🎭 Paid Assistant Director role! Support our Young Performers Scratch R&D: workshops, rehearsals & final performance. Perfect for emerging creatives interested in poetic theatre & movement.  Apply: https://www.youngidentity.org/opportunities Deadline: Sunday 25 January 2026

We’re calling on writers, poets, performers, actors and creatives to join our cast for a devised theatre and movement scratch project exploring poetic theatre and physical storytelling culminating in a debut showcase at @zarts.bsky.social Theatre. Apply at youngidentity.org/opportunities

Young Identity are currently seeking a new Chair and other Trustees to join our board. Our new Trustees may come from many walks of life and we do not require prior board-level experience. Application Deadline: 6 April 2026 Interviews: 20 - 21 April 2026 Apply: youngidentity.org/get-involved

📔 Submissions are open! Submit up to 5 poems for our next anthology featuring members & alumni. Work selected will be published, edited with our team, and featured at the book launch. Deadline: 18 Jan 2026. Read more at youngidentity.org/opportunities.

Looking back at a brilliant weekend at the Young Poets Summit with @forwardprizes.bsky.social! Our Young Identity poets and Respect & Dignity Arts joined workshops, performances and panels. ✨ Read more on our blog at youngidentity.org/news

Our members Seth Connor-Fullwood and Skye Lilly, were guest writers for the @forwardprizes.bsky.social blog in the run-up to this year’s Young Poets Summit, exploring the challenges of poetry as a career and the support arts organisations provided for young poets. 🖋️✨ Read at youngidentity.org/news

🌟 This week at Poetry Together our Executive Director Nicole May facilitated workshops for the UK-wide initiative that pairs schools with older adult communities to connect through poetry. A huge thank you to founder and host Gyles Brandreth for making this celebration possible. 💛 #PoetryTogether

‼️ We've extended our deadline to Wednesday 5th November, midnight! Apply at youngidentity.org/creating-pathways

Another great evening at the @mcrlitfest.bsky.social ‘Cabaret for Freedom’ with so much love in the house and poignant, powerful words from @salenagodden.bsky.social Nick Makoha and @youngidentitymcr.bsky.social Thank you!!! 🧡

🚀  We are currently onboarding new participants for our Creating Pathways programme, which expands learning for Young Identity members, offering opportunities in youth governance, event production, publishing and workshop facilitation.  Register at https://www.youngidentity.org/creating-pathways

🌿 Island to Island Join our brand new bursary supported, digital cultural exchange project, connecting writers from the UK 🇬🇧 and the Philippines 🇵🇭 in partnership with @mtcloudbaguio.bsky.social. 📧 How to apply: youngidentity.org/opportunities ‼️ Deadline: 9th Nov Supported by britishcouncil.org.

🚀  We are currently onboarding new participants for our Creating Pathways programme, which expands learning for Young Identity members, offering opportunities in youth governance, event production, publishing and workshop facilitation.  Register at https://www.youngidentity.org/creating-pathways

Last night we launched The Big Picture Show with Imperial War Museums and Soup Collective, marking 50 years since the Pan African Congress in Manchester. Hosted by Reece Williams, Young Identity poets shared work honouring the voices and stories of the time. ✊🏾 Huge thank you to everyone involved.

📓 We are currently onboarding new participants for our Creating Pathways programme, which expands learning for members, offering opportunities in youth governance, production, publishing and workshop facilitation. Register: www.youngidentity.org/creating-pathways Deadline: 2nd November

We have a brand new project callout for Young Identity members from Waterside Arts - Prism Festival. Read more at youngidentity.org/opportunities to see how to sign up and take part. Deadline: Sun 19 Oct, midnight For more information about Prism Festival visit prismfestival.org

📕 Do you have your tickets yet? Saturday 18th October 7:30pm

📕Celebrate the vibrant spirit of community and power of spoken word at WritersMosaic, Cabaret for Freedom, and Manchester Multilingual City Poets 📗Come along to our Family Birthday Bash plus other fantastic events for children and families www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk🎟️🎟️🎟️

We can't wait to have you! 🫶🏽📚

Don't forget to grab your tickets to our evening with @mcrlitfest.bsky.social est.bsky.social; Cabaret for Freedom Saturday 18th October 🎫 Tickets - www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/cabaret-for-freedom-with-salena-godden-nick-makoha-j-chambers-young-identity

Those from Distant Lands: Chapter 2 Film, photography and spoken word exploring South Asian heritage in Pendle and how those early explorers built the community that we see today. 🗓️ 18th and 19th October 📍 Burnley Youth Theatre Free Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/respect-and-dignity-arts

An evening with @mcrlitfest.bsky.social, celebrating the legacy of writer, dub poet and political activist Benjamin Zephaniah. Saturday 18th October 🎫 Tickets - www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/cabaret-for-freedom-with-salena-godden-nick-makoha-j-chambers-young-identity

This weekend our board came together for an away day to focus on our key aims for the next three years. It was a brilliant day of skill sharing, reflection and forward planning, all with the goal to continue to create opportunities and provide meaningful platforms for young people.  ✨

✨ Support the next generation of voices ✨ Young Identity empowers young people to create, write, perform and take up space. With your support, we can continue to nurture creativity, confidence and community. Donate today at youngidentity.org/support-us #SupportTheArts

An evening with @mcrlitfest.bsky.social, celebrating the legacy of writer, dub poet and political activist Benjamin Zephaniah. Saturday 18th October 🎫 Tickets - www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/cabaret-for-freedom-with-salena-godden-nick-makoha-j-chambers-young-identity

We’ve partnered with Three Meem Foundation (3meem.org) for a FREE 6-week poetry course with Nasima Bee! 🌱 Boost your English, unlock creativity + get 1:1 mentoring 🗓 Fridays | 12 Sept–17 Oct 🕕 6-8pm 📍 Coppice Library, Sale 🎯 Ages 14 -18 Limited places – https://www.youngidentity.org/opportunities

Incredible shots from BREATHE, where spoken word artists and dancers teamed up to deliver one story through duet. Huge thanks to the poets, dancers, host Reggie “Roc” Gray, headliners Banks Artiste & Jardel Rodrigues, and the team who brought it all to life. 📷 Photos: Alex Morgan

What’s the best piece of theatre, poetry, or live performance you’ve seen this year in Manchester? 🎭✨ What made it stick with you?

🎟️Tickets are now on sale for our 4 early-released events of #MLF25! Head to our website www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk to grab your tickets🎟️ And don’t forget to sign up to our mailing list to get updates about our full programme✨

Two days left to submit to July’s POTM. www.vervepoetryfestival.com/july-potm

As a continuation of their Imperial War Museum commission on the Pan African Anniversary. Our poets are working alongside soupcollective.co.uk they’re developing work to premiere this October as part of The Big Picture Show. #PanAfrican80 #IWM

Join us for the launch of Creation Through Form, a stunning new poetry anthology with art by Matthew Baines, developed by our Publishers Team. 🗓️ Mon 14 July, 7pm 📍 HOME 🔗 Free RSVP: tinyurl.com/Creation-Through-Form-RSVP Come celebrate and grab your copy!

🇳🇱 We had a brilliant time in Rotterdam with One Mic Stand On Tour.  📝 The trip also included Open mic performances at PoetsClub Rotterdam, rehearsals at WORM and of course, the warm hospitality of Poetry Slam Rotterdam and their hosts 💐🫱🏾‍🫲🏽

One Mic Stand ON TOUR joins Poetry Slam Rotterdam! Kyia KB and Teni from Young Identity will headline an electrifying night of spoken word on 5 June, 19:00 at Centrale Bibliotheek Rotterdam. Don’t miss this powerful showcase! Learn more: https://www.instagram.com/poetryslamrotterdam/?hl=en

BREATHE is back! We’re calling on artists to step into the spotlight for a high-energy dance and spoken word duet slam, where pairs go head-to-head in a fusion of movement and verse. 🗓️ Apply by Tuesday 10 June (16+ only) 🔗 Learn more: 

Specialist Class: Unheard Voices of Revolution and the Exploration of Its Colour 🗓️ Today 13 May, 5:30pm 📍 Manchester Central Library Join director Ali Gadema to explore the voices behind movements and what it means to tell stories from the margins. Register at www.youngidentity.org/register

🏫 Free Creative Writing Workshops with @stretford.bsky.social  🗓️ Every Thursday starting 15th May 🕕 6pm 📍 Stretford Public Hall If you’re interested in developing your writing or would just like to meet other local young creatives - no experience needed! Register: youngidentity.org/opportunities

Young Identity and Tha Game Changa are running free creative writing & performance workshops at Old Trafford Boys & Girls Club. 💬 Build confidence 📚 Boost literacy 🧠 Support wellbeing 🎤 Perform your work live! Every Friday from 2 May at 6:30pm Ages 8–16 Register at youngidentity.org/opportunities

☄️ One Mic Stand May Headliner Announced⁠  ⁠ Ragz-CV ⁠ 🗓️ Wed 21 May 7:00pm⁠ 📍 The Blues Kitchen Manchester ⁠ 🎟️ Tickets: youngidentity.org/one-mic-stand

❤️‍🔥 One Mic Stand May Headliner Announced⁠ ⁠ GVANI⁠ ⁠ 🗓️ Wed 21 May 7:00pm⁠ 📍 The Blues Kitchen Manchester ⁠ 🎟️ Tickets: youngidentity.org/one-mic-stand