2020: The Launch into Lockdown
GOBS Collective launched in March 2020. The group of emerging poets met in Notttingham Trent University’s Dance Studio, starting on a journey of development in a series of creative-writing workshops headed by Lead Artists Ioney Smallhorne and Bridie Squires. Shortly after, the world went into lockdown following the news of the COVID-19 pandemic. GOBS Collective continued their workshops in online video-chat sessions and worked towards a digital stream of pre-recorded poetry films instead of the once-planned live showcase at NTU’s University Hall.
During the programme, many participants were juggling working from home with educating and entertaining children, navigating supermarket queues, grieving, confronting anxieties, and coping with everything else that comes with a worldwide crisis. The creativity, bravery and determination of everyone involved in this project is a testament to the resilience and creativity inside all of us.
Download the
GOBS Collective 2020 Digital Zine
Cover: Lily Petkova
Later in 2020, GOBS aired their second ever showcase, this time featuring dyslexic academic, grime writer and bashment-dancing social activist Debris Stevenson. This showcase was still online, but ran completely live as part of Nottingham Poetry Festival and was later aired on Notts TV. GOBS Collective was founded with a massive nod to Mouthy Poets - the legendary community arts organisation headed by Debris Stevenson for many years in Nottingham - of which GOBS Lead Writers Bridie and Ioney were a part of.
Download the
GOBS Collective 2021 Digital Zine
Cover: Vicky Trotman
2021: IRL
In February 2021, still in the thick of lockdown, GOBS launched a new online workshop programme with a new group of Nottingham people. The poets came together to create a showcase with a mixture of live and recorded performances, headlined by incredible Birmingham poet laureate Casey Bailey. Together with the showcase, GOBS launched their second digital anthology: Live, Laugh, Lockdown.
When the world opened up once more, GOBS Collective appeared at Nottingham Trent University’s WRAP events, Green Hustle, and Hockley Hustle. We launched Nottingham Poetry Festival’s Word Walk series, moving as a group from Nottingham’s Old Market Square to Victoria Park while logging our thoughts and creative scribbles - all of which was developed into a zine!
That same year, GOBS collaborated with Nottingham Community Artist Network to launch SPRAYBOX - a series of spoken-word performance events in The Chapel (upstairs in Nottingham’s Angel Microbrewery). The group also launched PEEPSIN - an online/in-person hybrid poetry book club which has taken place in Mimm Studios and Broadway Cinema’s Lounge over the past few years.
2022: Full Moon
In 2022, GOBS created Full Moon - a poetry showcase at Nonsuch Studios as part of Nottingham Poetry Festival, featuring Randolph Matthews and with movement direction from John Berkavitch. All thanks to a partnership with Apples and Snakes, and funding from Arts Council England.
Later in the year, four members of GOBS (Bridie, Ioney, Cara and Cheska) developed a show which appeared at Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here Festival!
2023: Stage Craft
In 2023, GOBS Collective supported Yomi Sode at Theatre Royal Nottingham, as part of Nottingham Poetry Festival. Following that, we partnered with Nottingham Playhouse, taking part in the workshop series Develop Your Creative Practice, launched by GOBS co-founder Bridie Squires as part of research and development for her one-woman show Casino Zero.
2024: Core Blimey
What a year we had in 2024. Our four quarterly community events included news announcements and open mics at our Winter Warm-up at The Embankment and Spring Spruce at Antenna, outdoor creative writing at our Summer Saunter at Wollaton Park, and we had our first spooky-themed GOBS Autumnal Open Mic at The Carousel.
Plus, Bridie and Ben Macpherson ran a Love Poetry Workshop at Nottingham Central Library for Valentine’s Day; we were invited to take part in Pepa Duarte’s Eating Stories workshop; and Bridie and Rachelle Foster delivered our first Community Workshop Programme in collaboration with Young Creatives Nottingham and Archway Learning Trust.
One of the biggest projects of the year was our EARTH programme. We had an intake of fifteen new and existing GOBS for a spoken-word education programme facilitated by our Cara Thompson. All this resulted in an anthology and showcase at Nottingham Playhouse, directed by John Berkavitch and reviewed by LeftLion Magazine.
We continued our GOBS Poetry Book Clubs at Nottingham Central Library, with six sessions dedication to writing and discussion around selected collections. Plus we launched a collaboration with the fabulous Bad Betty Press; their ‘Live’ event series saw GOBS co-founder Bridie hosting incredible line-ups of national and international poets, with performance slots for GOBS Collective at each event.
Later in the year, we hosted our first ever GOBS Poetry Slam at Nottingham Central Library as part of Nottingham Poetry Festival, where 20 GOBS went head to head for two prizes: one being the People’s Choice Award, won by Davina Songbird; the second being GOBS Slam Champion, won by Bep Summerscales, who went on to represent Nottingham as part of UNESCO Cities of Literature’s international Slamovision competition.
In September, we launched GOBS Sunrise Sessions: a regular mindfulness and writing ritual for people to join via Zoom on weekdays from 6am-6.30am.
Around this time, we also decided to register as a Community Interest Company, and officially became GOBS COLLECTIVE CIC. Following this, we submitted a National Lottery Project Grant bid to Arts Council England, to create opportunities in 2025 and celebrate five whole years of our community, which we are proud to say we were successful with.
The rest of the year was made up of a workshop series and performance as part of Being Human Festival, headed up by GOBS member Hongwei Bao and delivered by Cara Thompson and Ben Macpherson; a collaboration with Poets off the Endz collective at Emmanuel House as part of Hockley Hustle festival; and finally an appearance at Nottingham Arts Theatre to help raise funds for the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance as part of their annual Christmas Concert.
All this wouldn’t have been possible without the funding and support of our long-term partners Apples and Snakes, and all our venue and organisational partners listed, who we thank from the bottom of our hearts.
2025: What’s coming up
• Creative and Professional Development Programme
16 GOBS Members will take part in a 5-day Arvon Writing Residential, Bad Betty Press Publishing Series, and GOBS Performance Showcase.
• 3 Community Workshop Programmes
Spoken-word learning for 3 community groups, delivered in collaboration with Headway Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Youth Service, and Young Creatives Nottingham. Includes Anthologies and Performance Showcases!
• 3 Shadow Poet Facilitator Opportunities
Working alongside GOBS Director and Lead Poet Bridie Squires to deliver the Community Workshop Programmes, with full training provided.
• 4 Quarterly Creative Community Events
Including artist networking opportunities, open mics, an outdoor creative writing workshop, and collaborative poetry games. Refreshments provided!
• 3 Professional Development Workshops
Chosen by GOBS members: Marketing Yourself as an Artist, Compering Events, Delivering Workshop Programmes
