The position of Birmingham Poet Laureate was created in the mid-1990s by Jonathan Davidson, the then Literature Development Officer for Birmingham Libraires, with the awardee "chosen from poets who live or practice in Birmingham by a panel of judges." An honorary role, poets act as a "poetry ambassador", helping to raise the profile of poetry across Birmingham, penning poetry for special occasions, leading workshops, mentoring the newly appointed Young Poet Laureate, and "inspiring others to try their own hand at reading and writing poetry." [1]
The next laureate is typically announced on National Poetry Day at the Birmingham Literature Festival. The Birmingham Poets Laureate schemes were from 1996 to 2024 run by Birmingham Libraries and are now managed by Writing West Midlands.
The first Birmingham Poet Laureate was artist/writer Brian Lewis (1996-1997) [2] [3] whose publications include Waters of Birmingham: Birmingham Laureate Poems, which was published in 1997.
The 2022-2024 Birmingham Poet Laureate is Jasmine Gardosi, a "writer and activist whose work has covered mental health and LGBTQ+ issues." [4]
From West Heath, Birmingham, Iona Mandal is the 2022-2024 Young Birmingham Poet Laureate, replacing Fatma Mohiuddin. Iona won her first poetry award – the Children's Book Show Award for Poetry 2013 - at the age of 7. She is the first Bengali of Indian diaspora to win the Birmingham role. [5]