Theresa Lola joins Caroline Bird as Joint Patron of Medway River Lit

We're delighted to announce that British Nigerian poet and artist Theresa Lola is joining poet and playwright Caroline Bird as a joint patron of Medway River Lit.

Theresa performing as part of our Rippling Out project in April 2025.

Theresa Lola is a British Nigerian poet and artist. She is the author of two poetry collections. Her second poetry collection Ceremony for the Nameless was praised in the Guardian as a book that “assures her place as a trailblazer for a new wave of poets.”

We were lucky enough to have Theresa perform as part of our UKSPF funded Rippling Out project in April, and were enchanted by her lyrical storytelling and the way she involves the audience in her poems. We are thrilled to have Theresa's support as our second patron.  

Theresa said: "Medway River Lit Festival uses thoughtful, topical, and timeless programming to show us the relevance of literature, poetry, and storytelling in our society today. They are dedicated to using the arts to engage and positively impact Medway and wider communities. They also do a great job of weaving the relationship between poetry and other visual, textile, and wider art forms. Here there is something for everyone."

Theresa will be appearing as part of our Launch event for Medway River Lit 2025, on Saturday 1 November at Chatham Library and will also be running a Poetry Masterclass: Exploring Didactic Poems, on Sunday 30 November at Nucleus Arts Chatham. Booking opens soon.