June Artist of the Month –Philip Wilcox
Our June ‘Artist of the Month’ is eco poet and slam champion Philip Wilcox.
About Philip Wilcox
Philip Wilcox is an Australian Poetry Slam champion and two-time New South Wales Poetry Slam champion.
What a visit from Philip entails
Philip is an experienced and versatile teaching poet, working well in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. For over 4 years he’s worked flexibly with schools to tailor workshops and presentations to suit their needs and scheduling requirements. However please check out his author visit page for options, examples and details of his talks, workshops and climate poetry sessions.
Details can be found on his author page.
Feedback from Philip’s previous visits
“ Phil Wilcox was a pleasure to have in school and he has definitely created a buzz amongst our year 7s. The workshops were amazing, especially as students managed to produce a poem (in addition to being impressed by his memory skills) - all in less than 45 minutes.”
St Ivo Academy
“Feedback from students and staff alike was overwhelmingly positive! Teachers made a point of stopping me in the corridor to express how fantastic they thought you were. Year 8s were comparing autographs and Year 10s were talking about their scroll poem at lunch!”
St James’ Catholic High School
“The visit was excellent. The pupils were engaged and enthusiastic about this visit. The sessions were pitched perfectly to keep their attention and inspire them to have a go at writing poetry. Thanks so much!”
Magdalen College School
“Phil was fantastic. Year 7 were fully engaged during the assembly and his control of their responses during what could have become quite a chaotic scene was masterful!
During the workshops Phil was able to readily respond and adapt to the students he had in the room. His humour and assurance encouraged students who would not usually speak up with confidence, to stand and deliver their own poetry by the end of each session, which was fantastic to see.
Staff and students alike enjoyed the visit immensely, and it is only a shame that, due to numbers, more students could not be involved.
One of the English staff tells me she was so impressed with one of the strategies Phil demonstrated that she plans to incorporate it in her teaching.”
Wymondham High Academy
Read about Philip and his author visits on his author page.
Interview with Philip Wilcox
When and why did you join Authors Abroad?
Authors Abroad are a rare organisation. I’ve worked with a few schools booking agencies in Australia but when it comes to passion the team at Authors Abroad are on another level. I joined them pretty recently, but already I’m so impressed with how much they actually care about kids engaging with words and ideas.
How are you settling into living in England? It is a weird time to relocate! What do you miss about Australia and what’s your favourite thing about your new adopted city.
The short answer for me moving to London was I fell hopelessly in love with a girl over here while on holiday, packed up my life and moved over but what I relish about living in the UK (apart from Monster Munch) is the openness to art and poetry in this country and how it naturally lives and breathes in everyday life here. Although I do miss a properly good mango.
You are an eco-poet, what was it that made you so passionate about the environment?
A lot of the work that I do as a writer is highlighting different emotions common to all us. I realised a few years ago that the climate crisis we’re now living through isn’t just an issue of bureaucrats and politicians and scientists – this is a world that we’re all a part of and the environmental issues we face elicit real feelings: our neglect evokes guilt, the greed that we see playing out can cause us to feel anger, but also our beautiful planet makes us feel awe and wonder. For kids, poetry is a fantastic vessel to channel these emotions to help frame the world and their part in it. I believe words are powerful and when students are given an opportunity to engage personally and authentically with the majesty and brokenness of our world – special things can happen.
What’s your favourite quirky animal/nature fact?
A koala’s fingerprints are similar enough to humans that in one crime scene on a property in rural Queensland it actually tainted the evidence.
The environment and the danger it is in is now mainstream news and regularly spoken about. Do you think society is waking up to the need to act now and live more environmentally friendly lives?
Exciting things are happening and when I go into schools I’m always inspired by the passion and determination shown by young people. Society is waking up but the next generation is already awake, dressed, teeth brushed and out the door! I think we have a lot to learn from them.
How do you engage the shyer students into joining in with poetry?
Oh, I am so often surprised when I visit schools that the students who don’t normally excel in English thrive when it comes to writing and performing their own poems. Good poems often come by hitting a target with an arrow through your peripheral vision and the strangest, wildest most brilliant poems often come from the most unexpected places. I love to demystify the act of writing poetry, encourage playfulness (lots of silliness!) and foster a space where students are encouraged and then celebrated for sharing their truth.
What has been your most memorable moment from a school visit so far?
I’ve had a high school student ask a boy out with a poem she wrote. I’ve performed a hilariously awkward (mostly non-verbal) hour-long set to an auditorium of Chinese students in Shanghai who didn’t speak English at all! But my favourite memory is a Year 4 student with cerebral palsy who performed a poem he called ‘What The World Could Be’ – it was electrifying, mostly yelled, delivered with such speed and power by the end his classmates were actually cheering his name out loud.
What is the main message or impression you would like to leave with the young people you work with?
I want my students to be reminded that their perspective is unique, their voice is powerful and that they get to reshape the world that they live in.
You are on of the poets involved in the Authors Abroad Youth Poetry Slam – assigned to North London. How excited are you about this new venture?
I’m so excited to help start a London-wide youth slam. It’s wild to me that this doesn’t exist yet. For our first year we’re hoping to get upwards of 60 schools competing with their own group poems. It’s a big venture but I think it has a lot of potential. I’ve seen the work that a fellow Authors Abroad poet Spoz has done in a Birmingham Youth Slam and we’re bringing that model to London with school finals, regional finals and maybe even a grand London wide final. The excitement of a professional stage with all the bells and whistles would have been something I would’ve LOVED as a kid.
Who do you find a harder audience – adults or young people?
Ooh, that’s tricky. Kids are definitely DEFINITELY a more honest audience. If a poem doesn’t land with kids – they’ll let you know! I like that about young audiences, keeps you on your toes!
What professional achievement are you most proud of?
For me any professional achievements like winning the Australian Poetry Slam or publishing a book are gratifying but they’re really just opportunities to do more work. I get a whole lot of joy sharing my sometimes silly, sometimes serious poems and helping others create their own.
What are you working on/planning at the moment?
I’m writing a children’s poetry book about an alien that’s stranded on Earth trying to make sense of this new world. A friend of mine who’s a linguist is creating a new alien language for it and the book will be laid out with the original alien text on one side of the page with my “translation” on the other page. By writing from the perspective of a complete outsider to this planet I’ll hopefully bring out some new perspectives on a range of topics: everything from the stars, bubbles, hugs, pollution and inequality.
Which writer or speaker do you admire?
I love the American writer Shel Silverstein. As well as writing Johnny Cash’s classic ‘A Boy Named Sue’ his children’s poetry is so entertaining and poignant – as enjoyable to kids as it is to adults.
Is the pen mightier than the sword?
The Notes app is mightier than them both.
Quick Fire
Best type of biscuit
Tim Tams (the biscuit responsible for 20% of all food intake nationally in Australia)
Would you prefer to be able to breath under water or fly?
Breathe underwater for sure but I’d need a really really good pair of goggles that wouldn’t fog up – a supernatural ask more impressive than either flying or breathing underwater.
Best cat character – Garfield, Top Cat or Tom from Tom and Jerry?
I always felt that Tom deserved a win. He was always getting a wooden mallet to the face, poor cat just wanted a meal.
Sun, rain or snow?
Moving to the UK from Australia I turn into a giddy teenager at an early career Beatles concert when it snows.
Favourite British TV programme (past or present).
Great. British. Bake. Off.
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what law would you introduce?
Public holidays for all sunny Mondays and Fridays above 23 degrees Celsius.
Arrange for Philip Wilcox to visit your school
To make an enquiry about Phil, or any of the other authors, poets & illustrators listed on this website, please get in touch. Our office number is +44 (0) 1535 656015,
UK visits
Email: UKbookings@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Head of UK Visits, Yvonne - 01535 279850
Overseas Visits
Email:Overseasvists@caboodleboverseasvisits@caboodlebooks.co.ukooks.co.uk
Or contact Overseas Manager, Robin - +44(0) 1535 279853