We sat down with Cara Thompson, Nature Poet Laureate, to discuss her vision for her role and understand a bit more about the manifesto.
What is a manifesto?
The Nature Poet Laureate Manifesto is my 10-point mission statement for the upcoming Nature Poet Laureate programme. The manifesto captures the heart of what I hope to champion during my time as Nature Poet Laureate, and what I hope will inspire the communities I’ll be engaging with over the coming year as we poetically explore the natural world together.
Why did you want to do it?
Writing a manifesto early on in my laureateship felt important, not only to ground myself throughout the programme, but as a way to clearly communicate the purpose of the Nature Poet Laureate with others. Overall, I want this manifesto to serve as a reminder and a creative prompt for how we might think about our relationship with nature and poetry moving forward.
How are you going to use it?
This initial manifesto is just the seed: it will grow, evolve and change through the writing and consultation I’ll be doing with young people and grassroots communities across Nottingham over the next year. Ultimately, I want this manifesto to capture how nature and poetry have transformed our understanding of our environment, our communities and ourselves.
Read more about the Nature Poet Laureate project here.
Nature Poet Laureate Manifesto
About Cara
Cara Thompson is a writer, performer and artivist based in Nottingham, UK. A proud descendant of Jamaican migrants who came to Britain as part of the pioneering ‘Windrush generation’, Cara’s work explores the richness and complexities of her Caribbean-British heritage while inviting audiences to unpack our shared histories, heartaches and humanity.