OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF SHARENA LEE SATTI

ABOUT SHARENA LEE SATTI

Background Story

Sharena Lee Satti is a Bradford based spoken word artist, poet, event host, poetry workshop facilitator and educator. Her book ‘SHE’ was published in 2020 by the prize-winning publishing company The Verve Poetry Press and she is currently working on her new, as yet untitled, book, funded by the Arts Council, due to be published by the Verve Poetry Press in 2023.
Sharena’s poetry has been described as real and raw drawing on her own life experiences, struggles, cultural identity and upbringing - often addressing themes that can be difficult to talk about but which express a genuine vulnerability that creates the opportunity for others to also accept and address their own thoughts, feelings and experiences. Her poetry is also featured in ‘100 Voices, 100 Women Share Their Stories of Achievement’, published by Unbound released  March 2022

Sharena is the Founder of Spoke which is a non-profit organisation raising the profile of spoken word and poetry. Spoke is a community-based organisation that brings together emerging and established poets and performance artists to reach new people and places with poetry and spoken word - delivering spoken word workshops in various settings across education, rehabilitation and corporate sectors. Spoke also host poetry and spoken word events throughout the year and offer open-mic events that give people the opportunity to showcase their work in a safe space – running non-profit events in a nomadic style - from different locations.

Sharena was selected as one of the Bradford Yorkshire Champions and was recognised as one of the 21 people selected in 2021 who would make a big impact on Bradford’s cultural scene. Also nominated for the National Diversity Award. Sharena also dabbles in radio presenting with BCB, hosting her own monthly poetry show Spoke which shines the spotlight onto the Bradford poetry scene. Sharena’s work has also been featured on other local and national radio stations.

Sharena’s work has always been very grass-root inspired, which contributes positively to her community and as such saw her selected as a Change-maker by The Leap – a creative people and places programme focusing on community-led culture, along with Bradford District Creative Board.

Sharena has an excellent track record of working with other creatives and organisations, including Kala Sangam, The Bradford Festival, Bradford Literature Festival, The Leap, Brick Box, Found fiction, Bradford Library Leeds Library, Red Bull, Blur the Lines, Huddersfield literal festival, SAHM and The Leeds and Liverpool canal trust. Her commissioned work has seen pieces performed for the Netherlands (Northernland3), Mikac, and her work can be seen on IWD and inscribed on local park benches

Sharena is an experienced poetry workshop tutor who has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds in many settings including schools, universities, community hubs etc. She delivers inspirational speeches, using her life experiences to help influence change in the lives of others.
Sharena is hugely passionate about Art and the positive effect of creativity for Health and Wellbeing and passionately advocates for this connection between the two. This area of interest led her to be part of the recent Anthology collection Amplify (Arts and Health in West Yorkshire) in connection with Leeds Art Health and Wellbeing.

Throughout the COVID 19 lockdown Sharena hosted regular online open-mics to keep the poetry community connected, and from this, with her love of poetry and spoken word.