Kat Lyons (they/them) is the current Bristol City Poet (2022-2024).
Kat is a Queer Bristol-based writer, performer, workshop facilitator and creative producer whose work is grounded in everyday politics and a love of storytelling. They facilitate creative writing workshops for all ages and perform widely at theatres, poetry nights and events throughout the UK, including WOMAD, Shambala and The Eden Project. Kat has presented at the University of South Wales Storytelling Symposium on ‘Storytelling and the Environment’, and was nominated for the 2022 Jerwood Poetry in Performance Award. Commissions include a poetry film in response to the impact of the Covid crisis for The Arts Institute Plymouth (5x5x5 Series), and a site-specific performance in Arnos Vale Cemetary on hidden local LGBTQ histories for The Cemetery Club (Drop Dead Gorgeous).
As well as co-hosting spoken word nights with Raise the Bar, Kat is the producer and host of SpitFire, an intermittent series of poetry events designed to platform older women’s voices. Kat is currently touring Dry Season, a solo spoken word theatre show exploring gender, age and menopause. Their debut poetry collection, Love Beneath the Nails, is published by Verve Poetry Press. They are interested in exploring how poetry connects us to our world and to each other, and in artistic/interdisciplinary collaborations of all kinds.
Recent Publications
- Love Beneath The Nails - Verve Poetry Press, February 2022
Awards and residencies
- Bristol City Poet - Civic poet for Bristol. The role is managed by Bristol Ideas in association with the Mayor’s Office., Sept 2022-Sept 2024
Current Events and Projects
- Dry Season - Solo spoken word theatre show, exploring menopause, aging and gender., Touring now
- SpitFire - A spoken word event platforming the voices and stories of older women., Intermittent
