Masterclass with Nick Makoha: The Black Ekphrastic Mode

Bad Betty masterclasses take place in the afternoon prior to each Bad Betty Live show, and offer a chance to work closely with one of the featured acts.

About the workshop:

The Black Ekphrastic Mode — a bold practice that reimagines European art, music, and cities through a Black cultural lens. Through guided prompts and creative exercises, participants will write original poems responding to music, works by Basquiat, and iconic European architecture. Engaging critically with the Western canon, the session encourages poets to develop a distinct voice in dialogue with image, sound, and place. Nick will also share work from The New Carthaginians, illustrating how poetry intersects with visual art, memoir, and theatre through the Black gaze.

About the facilitator:

Dr Nick Makoha is a Ugandan poet and playwright based in London and founder of Obsidian Foundation. His new collection is The New Carthaginians, (Penguin 2025). Winner of the 2021 Ivan Juritz Prize and the Poetry London Prize. In 2017, Nick’s debut collection, Kingdom of Gravity, was shortlisted for the Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection and was one of the Guardian’s best books of the year. His poems have appeared in Poetry, the Cambridge Review, the New York Times, Poetry Review, Poetry Wales, Rialto, Poetry London, TriQuarterly Review, 5 Dials, Boston Review, Callaloo, Birmingham Lit Journal and Wasafiri. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL) and one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2025

Venue & Access:

This workshop takes place in the Learning Room at New Art Exchange (NAE). There is a lift and accessible toilets. The building is fitted with induction loops for enhanced sound. Disabled parking is available on request. Full accessibility info here.

New Art Exchange (NAE) is the UK’s largest gallery dedicated to contemporary visual arts from the Global Ethnic Majority. Based in Hyson Green, Nottingham, NAE champions inclusivity and equity in the creative industries, nurturing and celebrating talent from diverse backgrounds About Us page on our website.

About Bad Betty:

Bad Betty Press is an award-winning independent poetry publisher, and curator of live literature events taking place across the UK. London-born, Nottingham-based, Bad Betty was set up in 2017 with the aim of showcasing risk-taking poetry, supporting poets’ artistic development and celebrating stories less often told.

Bad Betty is a British Book Awards Small Press of the Year Finalist (2024, 2023), a Michael Marks Publishers' Award winner (2022), and the parent of pamphlet imprint, Little Betty.

Also check out other Arts events in Nottingham, Literary Art events in Nottingham, Workshops in Nottingham.