BIO
An internationally acclaimed artist, Bella Cox is a poet, performer, workshop facilitator, event host and producer who has worked in Kenya, South Africa, and around the UK. She is a three-time Barbican Young Poets alumna, a twice-nominated Young People’s Laureate for London, and was a member of multiple London poetry collectives throughout 2018 while being a founding member of two regular open mic nights.
She has performed and shared work at events such as TEDx Pretoria, Sköll World Forum, Bi Pride UK, and the Malta Mediterranean Literature Festival, among many others. She has been commissioned to write for institutions such as the Barbican Centre, HSBC, Time Out London and Westminster Abbey, among others.
Her proudly queer and feminist work seeks to embrace individual differences, empower young people, and explore her own identity. Her debut poetry collection; Sikiliza exploring the notions of home, queerness and love was released with Flipped Eye in 2023.
Testimonials
“Bella’s ability to capture, then hold, the attention of large classes, whilst encouraging freedom in their writing, shows an innate capacity for connecting with diverse audiences. The children loved and learned from her poetry performances.”
— Christian Foley
Poet, Rapper and Educator
“All poets speak with a very distinctive voice. Particularly impressive is Bella Cox, with her vividly physical accounts of commuting, love, and family relationships.
In her work, poetry truly becomes one with life, and words and gestures fuse into a single means of communication…”
— Anna Zanetti
A Younger Theatre article, May 2018
The full review of the Barbican production of ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ can be read here.
“Bella has all of the desirable traits of a creative practitioner— initiative, integrity, tenacity, attention to detail, care for the work and her collaborators or project participants. And of course, she's an exciting creative talent, both as a writer and performer.
I admire the way she continues to push her grasp of craft and technique in poetry, but is also engaging with truly transformative advocacy through her artistic practice."
— Jacob Sam-La Rose
Artistic Director for Barbican Young Poets
“Thank you for the poetry night, it was really magical. I felt so much warmth and you made the room so welcoming and fun. I loved your plant facts, such a great idea! I have no other feedback.
— Connor Butler
Head of Learning & Public Engagement at Chelsea Physic Garden
It was great to work with you on the Livestream, you were fantastic on set.”
— Fliss Gush
Schools Programme Manager, Eastside Education
Alongside writing, performing, and hosting events, I also work as a freelance workshop facilitator for various organisations including Eastside Educational Trust, and Apples & Snakes. I have worked with learners of all ages, from 5 to 65 and am available for bookings.
I founded The Period Poem Project in 2018, an initiative to end the negative stigma around menstruation. The hope was to raise awareness around period injustices and empower people with knowledge about our bodies through the mediums of poetry, storytelling, and community sharing. The project is dormant until funding has been secured.