Commissions
I’ve written for advertisements, corporate events, family gatherings, birthdays and weddings.
A good poem will bring your thoughts together
A good poem will shift thinking.
The right words in the right order will stick with your audience forever.
Whatever your aim, whoever your audience, let’s work together to write a piece that represents YOU.
Good writing can be the difference
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For social change
A good poem has the power to raise awareness. It can put the spotlight on an organisation like nothing else. I’ve been commissioned by countless organisations to create poems to make a real, sustainable change.
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For a community
I’m passionate about working with the community. Over the years I’ve done countless commissions which allowed me to speak and collaborate with a local community. These led to the creation of booklets, podcasts or videos.
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For your product
Whether it be an advertisement or a welcome film, a good poem can make the difference.
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For a special event
Whether it is a speech, poem or a podcast script I’m a writer who loves to collaborate with a client to create the writing that captures how you feel.
Biography
Arji Manuelpillai is an award-winning poet, performer and creative facilitator based in London. For over 15 years Arji has worked with community arts projects nationally and internationally. Recently, he was awarded the Jerwood Arvon Award which led to him being mentored by acclaimed poet and memoirist Hannah Lowe. His poetry has been published in magazines including Cannon’s Mouth, Strix, The Rialto and Bath Magg.
He has also been shortlisted for the The Robert Graves Prize 2018, The Oxford Prize 2019, The Live Canon Prize 2020, The National Poetry Prize 2021 and Winchester Prize 2021. He has also come runner-up in the Robert Graves Prize 2020.
Arji has written commissions for an array of big companies including Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust, Head and Shoulders, The Spring Theatre, The Corn Exchange and UNICEF.
“Thoughtful, hard-working and commited to the cause.”
— Kazzum Arts
Poem for Social Change
I’m always interested in creating poems aimed at raising awareness about a particular issue. That often means research and conversation through discussion and debate. It ends in a poem like the one on the right.
This poem was commissioned by Kazzum Arts for Refugee Week. It begins to unravel some of the difficulties facing young migrants in the UK today.
It has been watched by over 10,000 people including viewings within over 28 schools and in Parliament.
I’ve written for companies including UNICEF, Praxis community projects, Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust and Coram.
Poem for a community
I believe wholeheartedly in poetry being for the community. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic about collaborating with communities to create work. This video is one of my favourites.
During the first lockdown in 2020 I was invited to work with the very special people at Stockton International Street Arts Festival.
After the festival was cancelled I was commissioned to write 45 poems for local, isolated people in Stockton. The poems were inspired by friends and family drawing on their loves and strengths to create rhyming bundles of beauty. Here is just one of those poems delivered as a surprise over a Zoom call.
I’ve run community collaboration sessions with Inn Crowd, The Spring, The Corn Exchange and many many more.
Poem for your product
Poems take complex issues and break them into their simplest forms. That’s why I’ve written poems for companies including Head and Shoulders and UNICEF.
In the example to the right I was commissioned by The Spring Theatre in Havant to write a poem that captured some of their great achievements over the last year.
This poem received press coverage and was used to highlight their successes which later secured funding for the future.
I’ve created poems for The Spring, The Corn Exchange, Head and Shoulders and many more.
Poems for a special event
Over the last 10 years I have written countless speeches and poems for special events. These have included 150 poems for placemats at a wedding, 28 poems for party bags at a birthday party and a 20 minute speech on innovation. I believe wholeheartedly in the power of good oration so I can create the speech and also offer time and energy to help you speak it with confidence.
