‘Pain and Poetry’ will bring together the artistic forms of Spoken Word Poetry and Hip Hop Lyricism. This project will be recorded to a professional standard and released on all major digital platforms. The work will address growing up in inner-city Birmingham, it will aim to simultaneously shed light on the issues that people from areas like Nechells in Birmingham, whilst also serving to show those people that they can transcend this issues. It is a call for change, on every scale, from systemic to personal.

“I have seen the great work that HomeGrown31 have been doing, and personally feel like they are a beacon for many young people, so to be connected to the organisation is a privilege. In terms of financial support, it will allow me to bring my set up to a level that I can create and work with no restrictions and create my best work as a result.”

About Casey

Casey Bailey is a writer, performer and educator, born and raised in Nechells, Birmingham, UK. Casey is the Birmingham Poet Laureate 2020 – 2022. Casey released his debut full collection of poetry, ‘Adjusted’ in 2018 with Verve Poetry Press and his second collection Please Do Not Touch will be published by Burning Eye in 2021. Casey’s play ‘GrimeBoy’ has been commissioned by the Birmingham Rep. Casey’s poetry has featured in a number of anthologies and he was commissioned by the BBC to write ‘The Ballad of The Peaky Blinders’ in 2019. In 2020 the poem was internationally recognised, winning a Webby Award. Casey has performed his poetry nationally, and internationally. Casey was named as one of ‘Birmingham Live’s’, Birmingham ’30 under 30’ of 2018. Casey was also recognised in 2019 when he was made a Fellow of the University of Worcester. Casey was named the Greater Birmingham Future Face of Arts and Culture 2020.

Instagram: @Casey_Bailey
Twitter: @MrCaseyBailey
Facebook: BaileysRapAndPoetry