Creatives invited to tell Chelmsford's story through poetry and spoken word commission

Are you passionate about Chelmsford, poetry and creativity? If yes, then you may be interested in this commission. 

The council is seeking a local poet or spoken word artist to work collaboratively on a brand-new video showcasing the city of Chelmsford. 

The paid commission offers a local creative the opportunity to write a poem about Chelmsford – the authentic Chelmsford of 2024, with all its quirks and character included. The successful artist will then work with a filmmaker to bring their vision to life in a new video celebrating the city’s heritage, people, events and businesses. 

Why are we creating a new video? 

Every few years Chelmsford City Council makes a new video about the district. These videos can help attract investment from businesses, secure better funding opportunities from central government and increase local tourism. They’re also helpful educational tools; sharing our city’s story with those who don’t know much about it, helping schools and colleges to educate students on our local identity, and instilling a sense of community in our residents and workers.  

Chelmsford’s last film was shot back in 2018, and a lot has happened since then. Six years ago, Riverside Leisure Centre was still under construction, Chelmsford Museum had closed for its revamp and RiZE was the next big thing at Hylands Estate. In 2018, Chelmsford was still leaning in to being the first and only city in Essex, with exciting changes to the city centre and our very own version of Bond Street. 

Councillor Jennie Lardge, Cabinet Deputy for Cultural Services, says Chelmsford is overdue a refreshed video to showcase the city in 2024:  

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“So much has changed in Chelmsford in just the last few years; our city centre has been transformed with colourful murals and a new public open space for pedestrians and our district’s universities have joined together to become a higher education powerhouse. Looking forward, next year we’ll see the opening of Chelmsford’s second railway station. Viewing the last video from 2018, it quickly becomes apparent that we need a fresh version to celebrate these exciting aspects of our city today.”

Councillor Jennie Lardge, Cabinet Deputy for Cultural Services, Chelmsford City Council

Tindal Square, photo by Chris Cook; a Concrete Canvas mural; and Beaulieu Railway Station.

What we’re looking for 

For this new video, the city council is taking a different approach by looking to involve Chelmsford’s creative community in the process. 

This call out invites established and up-and-coming poets and spoken word artists with a connection to Chelmsford to apply to take part in the project. The city council is looking for someone who has a real fondness for Chelmsford and understands the city, it’s story and its people. They’re also particularly seeking a collaborative artist – someone who is able to work with others to help steer the creative process.

The successful applicant will create a poem about the city of Chelmsford. This poem can be written or spoken word and will showcase the authentic Chelmsford that the artist knows and loves; giving our city’s best qualities space to shine, while also presenting an honest view of the district that embraces all its quirks and character.

Chelmsford Railway Station, photo by Jennifer Fage; author Sade Fadipe at a CALFE event at Chelmsford Museum in 2023; Hylands Park, photo by Aaron Crowe; and a performer at Sounds Good Festival 2024, © Jonathan Dadds.

Using this poem, the poet or spoken word artist will then work alongside a filmmaker to turn their words into a video. The video will highlight the fantastic and diverse people businesses, charities, events and green spaces that make up Chelmsford, and it’ll spotlight our city’s communities by lending their voices as the narrators for the poem’s words.

Why get involved? 

Chelmsford City Culture Services Manager, Marc De’ath, says this project offers a local poet a paid opportunity to showcase Chelmsford’s creative scene whilst developing their own skills and career, and earning money: 

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“At a time when investment in the arts isn’t always easy to come by, we’re using this project as an opportunity to support our creative industries whilst promoting our incredible city. There’s a growing poetry and spoken word scene in the district that we would love to nurture.

“We hope this commission will provide some financial support and a platform for a local artist to share their work with new audiences.”

Marc De’ath, Chelmsford City Culture Services Manager

This stage of the commission is worth up to £2,000, depending on the level of involvement with the whole project. This includes writing the poem, working with the filmmaker, and taking part in outreach and publicity for the project where appropriate. 

Apply by midnight on 24 November 

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, you can read the full commission brief and apply to take part online. Interested parties can also contact culture@chelmsford.gov.uk to discuss the commission further. Applications are open until midnight on 24 November 2024. At this stage we’re not looking for you to write the poem, but rather to get a sense of who you are, your previous work and what Chelmsford means to you.

Once the call out closes, a selection of applicants will be invited to meet with a panel of judges to talk more about their past work and ideas for this project. The panel includes Chelmsford Theatre Director, Rhys Thomas; Director of the Essex Book Festival, Ros Green; and an established poet. Applicants must be available on Thursday 5 December between 4pm and 5pm to attend this session. 

Where to find inspiration 

If you’re considering applying for the call out and want to better understand Chelmsford, there’s a wealth of information available to explore. You could read the works of famed local writers J.A. Baker and Sarah Perry for a sense of Chelmsford’s natural and built environments or visit Chelmsford Museum to find out more about the city’s history of innovation. The Essex Record Office also has a treasure trove of information Chelmsford's history and identity stored in its vast archives. Visit their website to read their guide on using the Essex Record Office archives as a creative.

Chelmsford's rich history, including its role in the birth of radio, can be explored at Chelmsford Museum and the Essex Record Office. Images courtesy of the Marconi Photographic Archive © Telent.

For further creative inspiration, why not join the next Ignite Chelmsford Social on 14 November, where the city’s creative community comes together to connect and share ideas? Or you could check out Chelmsford’s very own spoken word poetry nights at Hot Box Live. Held on the fourth Tuesday of every month under the railway arches, Waxes Lyrical is an open mic night where talented established and emerging poets and spoken word artists share their skilful lyrics.

To find out more about the commission and apply online, visit https://ignitechelmsford.org.uk/open-call-poetry-commission/.