21 Apr 2016

Graduate business celebrates third birthday with first national awards ceremony

Emerging poet and founder, Sophie, organised the event on 16 April which saw over 120 guests from all over the UK visit the campus to celebrate the successes of those involved with the platform.

The awards presented over forty prizes across a total of twenty-two categories, including the overall Editor’s Choice Award.

The evening featured guest performances from a trio of poets and spoken-word artists including Loughborough English and Drama graduate, Shruti Chauhan, and Leicester’s beat-box extraordinaire, Akshay Sharma.

During the first hour of the event, guests were invited to network as part of an Industries Exhibition which featured fifteen organisations and entrepreneurs from the creative sector. These included Writing East Midlands fine artist, Jo Nash, and the local team behind an upcoming children’s book entitled Where is Frederick the Fly?

Three guests were also invited to take part in one-to-one conversations with representatives from Creative Leicestershire about business and enterprise, before an inspirational keynote from Dr Oliver Tearle revealed the latest facts of ‘literary interestingness’.

Launched in April 2013, The Student Wordsmith has printed seven publications and welcomed over eighteen students and graduates, offering internships and work placements in writing and publishing.

The platform prides itself on honesty and passion in representing its emerging and early-career writers and showcasing hidden potential.