The Word Bird

Sky Hawkins – CV

Telephone: 07788 650481

Sky Hawkins – The Word Bird

Sky Hawkins, also known as The Word Bird, is considered one of the North East’s top performance poets. She has headlined events across the North East, won numerous slams, and has led cross-platform collaborations with other artists.

Sky has been facilitating and teaching creative writing programmes for diverse groups and audiences since 2010. Over a varied career she has developed specialisms in youth and community practice, and even worked as a life model.

Sky is committed to encouraging others to have their voices heard. She considers it essential that young people and vulnerable adults are listened to, and uses her skills to nurture the performer and poet in all of them. Her experience of life in the care system, and the challenges of being a single parent, inform her work and place her in a unique position of empathy and understanding.

Sky is qualified to work with children, young people and communities. She is Arts Award Trained, and was selected as The English National Youth Arts Network North East Regional Youth Arts Champion in 2010.

Sky has also been published with Northern Correspondent, The Black Light Engine Room Press, and Julia Darling –Diamond Twigs

Major qualifications

BA (hons) Community and Youth Work Studies Sunderland University (2008)

HND Theatre/Media Studies Newcastle College (1996)

Other relevant training and qualifications

Arts Award Discovery Training Arts Award (2018)

Child sexual exploitation Virtual College (2017)

Equality and diversity Virtual College (2017)

Safe guarding refresher Virtual College (2017)

Awareness of child abuse and neglect Virtual college (2017)

Arts Award Bronze & Silver Adviser Training Arts Award (2014)

Running Writing Workshops In Prisons Apples and Snakes (2012)

Writing for Health Workshops Pen and Tonic (2010)

Delivering Poetry And Performance Workshops Apples and Snakes (2010)

Supporting children with low self-esteem Barnardo’s Pyramid Project (2010)

Certificate in Child Protection Awareness (2009)

Certificate in Professional Boundaries (2009)

Developing Presentation Skills Association Part-Time Tutors (2007)

Train The Trainer Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (2005)

Leadership In The Community Mobex (2002)

Basic Youth & Community Newcastle City Council (2001)

Selected workshop and facilitation experience

Jan- March 2019 Commissioned by NWN to deliver writing workshops to Yr 7 and 8 and an extra

curriculum group of young people from the ‘care system’ . NWN are so pleased

with the work produced so far they are employing Sky for the next term.

Sept- Dec 2018 Writing and performance workshops working in collaboration with Risedale Sports

and community college and Parents4Parents in North Yorkshire

Commissioned to designing and delivering 24 workshops that allow parents and

young people to share their most important experiences of family life. There will

be a booklet producec and public performance where both groups come together to

share their stories

August 2018 Delivered two performance workshops for adults with mental health at North

Tyneside Art Studio, because these sessions were so successful in building the

Confidence in all the participants, further workshops have been booked.

March – July 2018 Designed and delivered weekly poetry workshops to improve literacy skills with

(EAT- English as an additional language) students at Excelsior Academy.

Jan 2017 – Feb 2018 Writing and performance workshops which includes 40hrs of community

development work for Parents4Parents in North Yorkshire

Commissioned to designing and delivering 12 workshops that explore parenting

In challenging circumstances .The project will be documented through film and

a public performance

Sep 2016 – Feb 2017 Cuckoo Young Writers group leader for New Writing North

Designing and delivering weekly creative writing workshops with an ‘end of term’

outcome; publication and performance

June 2016 Delivered performance workshops for at Alnwick primary school

Supported students with their performance for The Spirit of Soweto event at

The Stanza, North Shields

Dec 2015 -ongoing Co-host Scratch Tyne once a month for Apples and snakes with Rowan McCabe

Design and deliver workshops to enhance participant’s performance skills

A regular at scratch (Tony Gadd) stated ‘Scratch is the place to go. The passion that

these guys show in their performance on stage is transferred to a great platform for

everyone to learn’

Oct-Nov 2015 Workshop leader for Apples And Snakes (Picture the Poet exhibition)

Mentored and supervised a shadow poet ( Asa.J.Maddison)

Commissioned to design and deliver six writing workshops exploring self- identity

with 2nd year drama students at Sunderland college. 13 young people went on to perform their poems for the first time on a stage alongside Lemn Sissay and Kate Fox. This is the largest group that has performed in the five years this project has been running

January-March 2015 Workshop Programme Leader at Furrowfield School, Gateshead

Designed and delivered 6 writing and personal development sessions with a group of young women. In the evaluation the young women stated they realised now that writing could be fun. The support worker stated that they wrote more in my sessions than in other classes.

December 2014 One-to-One Arts Therapy Facilitator at Swallwell Primary School, Gateshead

Designed and delivered brief intervention programme of 3 sessions to 4 children, to tackle anger management issues.

November 2014 Workshop Leader at Swallwell Primary School, Gateshead

Designed and delivered 2 day poetry workshop, preparing children to perform to parents and peers in special event on day 2.

May 2014 Workshop Facilitator for Apples and Snakes

Commissioned to design and deliver workshop at Scratch Tyne, Newcastle.

April 2014 Workshop Facilitator for Gateshead Young Women’s Project

Commissioned to design and deliver workshop for vulnerable young women at project event, and perform a 20minute poetry set.

January-March 2014 Workshop Programme Leader/Arts Adviser at The Place, South Shields

Supported 10 young people to gain their Bronze Arts Award, mentored/coached 2 young people in arts practice, lead and supported programme of workshops for participants, designed and delivered workshops on urban art/performance poetry.

January 2014 Funded by The Place to become Arts Award trained

Sept-Nov 2013 Tutor at Crisis Skylight, Newcastle

Design and deliver 12 creative writing sessions for homeless participants at Crisis project.

March-May 2013 Arts Worker/Facilitator at The Place, South Shields

Designed and delivered 6 week programme in poetry to young people living in care, supporting 7 participants to engage in spoken word performance.

May 2013 Workshop Facilitator at Nest Cafe

Designed and delivered writing workshop, and performed one hour show at Barnard castle Nest Cafe.

April 2013- Dec 2015 Arts Worker/Facilitator at Newcastle And Gateshead Arts Studios (NAGAS)

Delivering weekly writing workshops for participants with mental health issues, developing self-esteem and confidence. –stated by manager the” most popular” workshop with NAGAS service users.

January 2013 Judged poetry slam at Long Benton High School organised by Radikal Words

December 2012 Workshop Facilitator for Apples and Snakes

Commissioned to design and deliver workshop, and host performance night at Scratch Tyne, Newcastle.

November 2012 Workshop Facilitator for City of Sunderland Libraries

Facilitated full day of activated for writing and performing poetry, for 60 children from two schools in Sunderland.

May-July 2012 Workshop Leader for GAP Project at Changing Lives (formerly The Cyrenians)

Designed and facilitated eight writing for health workshops, for young women who had been or still were involved in drugs and prostitution.

February-June 2012 Shadow Poet at Shake The Dust, Apples and Snakes

Shadowed Andy Willoughby for North East for Shake the Dust 2012, a national poetry project for young people funded by Arts Council England. Included designing and delivering workshops for participants.

June 2012 Assistant Workshop Facilitator at Radikal Words

Shadowed Jeff Price for two half day poetry and performance workshops at Walkergate Primary School.

November 2011 Workshop Leader at Peterbrough Council

Designed, delivered and hosted day long poetry workshop and performance, for school leaver’s attending college with no previous qualifications, enabling young people to perform on stage who had no previous experience.

October 2011 Workshop Facilitator at Cranlea Care Home, Newcastle

One-to-one research and poetry writing workshop for ageing adults, including performance of their poems in pantoum format.

August 2011 Workshop Facilitator for National Trust

Facilitated an afternoon drop-in session at Seaton Delaval Hall designed to engage young people in spoken word.

August 2011 Workshop Leader at Heaton Arts Festival

Designed and led a workshop for families at Heaton Arts Festival. As direct result of this workshop several people performed their work at the festival, including one young woman who performed on the Comedy Stage.

July 2011 Workshop Facilitator for City of Sunderland Libraries

Facilitated poetry workshop and performance for young people as part of My Voice project funded by Reading Agency, who used my biography to illustrate that anyone can participate in spoken word.

May 2011 Workshop Facilitator for Hexham Book Festival

Designed and led a Poetry Games workshop for children up to 8 years old, encouraging them to engage with poetry and performance.

March 2011 Workshop Leader at Newcastle Central Library

Alongside PJ Buchanan, designed and led poetry and performance workshop for International Women's Day at Newcastle Central Library, funded by Apples and Snakes. As a result of the workshop participants gained sufficient confidence to perform their work.

September 2010 Workshop Facilitator for Radikal Words

Led one day poetry and performance workshop concluding in a rap contest, at Peterlee Primary School.

February-July 2010 Workshop Programme Leader for Word Cup, Apples and Snakes

Led a 10week programme of workshops and coaching for a group of 16 year olds from Education Other Than At School in Ashington, to prepare for a poetry slam…which they won.

May 2007 Workshop facilitator at Walkergate High School

Led 2 half day workshops on the topic of overcoming adversity using poetry as a tool. As a result a young person who was a victim of bullying wrote a poem on the topic of bullying.

Selected performance experience

Oct 2018 National Poetry day nexus take over

2018 Slam winner at Born-Lippy

May 2017 Headlined at Babble-gum

June 2017 Participated in a pro poetry demonstration Slam organised by Kate Fox at the Word

(paid by South Tyneside Council )

2018 Updating in progress

February 2017 North Contestant at the Verve festival dice slam (paid by Apples and snakes)

November 2016 Special guest performer for The Great Northern slam at Northern stage (paid by

Radikal Word)

June 2016 Performed at Live theatre for Julia Darling –Diamond Twigs event

March 2016 Headliner for Poetry Jam

January 2016 Runner-up in Slamagate , hosted by Jibba Jabba and Radikal words

October 2015 Hosted Jibba Jabba

November 2014 Headliner for Jibba Jabba (Newcastle)

October 2014 Seeing Voices collaborative art performance piece based on my poems about experiences as a life model and woman (Newcastle)

August 2014 Performed Jibba Jabba (Free Fringe, Edinburgh)

August 2014 Performance for Black Light Engine Room Press (Middlesbrough)

July 2014 Headliner for Lowlights

April 2014 Runner up in the Anti- Slam

February 2014 Headliner for Alphabetti Spaghetti Soup (Dog and Parrot, Newcastle)

February 2014 Support act for Robert Auton

January 2014 Headliner for Hot Words (Chillingham Arms, Newcastle)

October 2013 Headliner for poetry jam Durham

June 2013 Won a slam at Durham university

August 2012 Made a poetry film with ‘Read our Lips ’workshop. It was showcased at a London event. Both events organised by Apples and Snakes

July 2012 Performing at Middlesbrough Tees Scratch club. Funded by Apples and Snakes

June 2012 Performed at Gay Pride Festival, Exhibition Park. Paid Funded by

October 2011 Selected by Apples and Snakes to perform at Durham Book Festival, Live Theatre Newcastle and ARC Stockton as part of Amuse Bouche, alongside five other poets.

June 2011 Made a poetry film with ‘Read our Lips ’workshop. It was showcased at a London event, as the best filmed made from the workshop. Both events organised by Apples and Snakes

December 2010 Was commissioned by Aspire Partnerships to write a poem for a short film 'Scissors, Sticks and Stones'.

October 2010 Performed at Washington Arts Centre, at the invitation of Radikal Words.

November 2007 Performed at Northern Stage, funded by Kate Fox

Referees

Jeff Price Radikal Words 07976 813319, e-mail jeffprice@btopenworld.com

Kirsten Luckins Apples and Snakes 07585 223162, e-mail Kirsten@applesandsnakes.org

Links to performances

Aug 2012- Sky’s first poetry film made at ‘Read Our Lips’ workshop. It won best poetry film, and was showed cased at an Apples and Snakes event in London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8DxB7uaFRs

Feb 2014 –Sky as a support act for Rob Auton’s tour ‘The Sky Show’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCJ6wRqMlr4

Links to the kind of workshops Sky delivers

Scratch Tyne is once a month funded by Applesandsnakes, where Sky and Rowan McCabe teach performance skills for those who attend open mikes and poetry slams

https://www.facebook.com/applesandsnakes/videos/1860570587297952/?t=19

Watch a documentary of the workshops Sky delivered for Parents4parents with the Take our words for It project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a429phPzp_k&t=192s

Testimonials

‘Sky delivered a series of poetry workshops that not only engaged ‘hard to reach’ young people but provided staff with new ideas for how to evolve individual creativity and improve literacy knowledge and skills. Sky is an accomplished facilitator with a wealth of expertise and a creative energy that inspires without overwhelming or intimidating.’

Vicky Borrell , Project teacher,The Place, South Shields (Project for looked after children’s education)

‘Sky is a wonderful and original writer and poet. Her work is sometimes raw but always incisive and often very funny. Her workshops are inspirational and she has an easy ability to communicate with even the most challenging of students ‘

Jeff Price, Managing Director Radikal Words CIC , Editor Zebra Publishing, Poetry Editor Northern Correspondent

"Sky Hawkins is an experienced and engaging workshop leader, full of fun and games, with the skills to inspire even hard to reach young people to express themselves both on the page and in performance"

Kirsten Luckins, Northern Programme Coordinater for Apples and Snakes

“Sky is a powerful, engaging, funny performer and her powerful poems which are real stories which need to be told, from a voice which needs to be heard “

Kate Fox, Stand up poet and Radio 4 regular

‘’Sky's performances command your attention, giving life to tales of the voiceless in society’’

Born Lippy, A monthly spoken word event in Newcastle upon tyne