Writers and poets have been invited to take part in the quest to find the first Manx Youth Bard.

The committee behind the chair of the Manx Bard have announced that they are to create the annual position of youth bard, to go alongside the ceremonial role of Manx Bard.

The move to create the role is reflective of the growing popularity of written and performance poetry and story-telling across the island, and also the success of a school’s poetry slam, which has been a fixture across the island’s secondary school for the past few years.

Writers aged between 11 and 17 years of age, and who live on the Isle of Man, will be able to enter, and will serve for up to a year, performing at selected and mutually agreed island events throughout their term as bard.

To enter the competition, the potential poets need to submit up to three poems on paper which they are happy to read to the panel of judges, consisting of three of the four living Manx Bards, Stacey Astill, John ’Dog’ Callister and Annie Kissack, should they be selected for the final stages.

The final will be held on Saturday, February 23, at a special event at the Henry Bloom Noble Library.

The winning poet will also wear the new robes of the Youth Bard.

Bridge Carter is the creator of the role of the Manx Youth Bard, and was also the force behind the re-birth of the title of the Manx Bard in 2014.

She said she had originally conceived both ideas at the same time, but wanted to make sure the concept of the Bard was established before she created the second youth post.

’The role of the youth bard is an idea that I have always had bubbling away in the back of my mind,’ said Bridge.

’Now that we have this fabulous committee of Bards, I think it is the right time to create this position.’

The role has got the support of the schools, and Bridge says that, during her work with the Manx Bard and organising many of the various popular poetry slam events across the island, she has been amazed by the quality of young writers she meets.

’A few years ago, I began to organise a school’s poetry slam, and I was blown away by the sheer amount of talented writers there are in our schools. Some of the work was phenomenal.

’I think it is a good thing to encourage people to become story tellers and performance poets.

You are not just sat a desk, writing, but you are physically interpreting and almost living your work.’

Application forms and more details for the Manx Youth Bard are available by emailing Bridge Carter at [email protected] or by visiting the Manx Bard Facebook page

by Mike Wade

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